The Challenge
Products used in this study
Metro Logistics was busy, but the workflow was chaotic. The warehouse operates in a highly competitive market where retailers expect next-day delivery: "they won't accept delays, they want it the next day," James explains. This constant pressure created a dangerous cycle: James was constantly running between the picking floor and the dispatch area, trying to squeeze quality checks in between processing orders. The workflow was hectic, with staff trying to meet targets amongst all the checking at the back.
Orders piled up. Mistakes happened. The consequences were serious: picking errors were occurring regularly, and James lived with constant worry about customer satisfaction.
"I was worried more than anything because I was rushing—rushing to check, rushing to dispatch. I was worried I was going to miss an error, and inevitably, mistakes did happen."
In this competitive environment, if the warehouse didn't meet retailer demands, clients would simply move to another fulfilment provider. The pressure was relentless, and the error rates were mounting.
How they did it
Maksud transformed accuracy by building it directly into the workflow. Barcode scanning prevents wrong products from being picked. If it's the wrong item, staff simply won't get a shipping label. Every item is tracked with batch numbers and location data. If staff miss a product, the system won't let them complete the order.
"All those fears are gone. I have no fears about what my staff are doing because I know everything is being scanned. If it's the wrong product, they simply won't get a shipping label."
This tracking system has proven invaluable when retailers call questioning whether they received the correct items. James can pull up Maksud and show them exactly what was picked, by whom, with batch numbers and timestamps. The system provides definitive proof that eliminates disputes.
"We've had many calls from retailers who think they haven't received something. I can pull up Maksud and show them: it was picked by this person, here's the batch number, here's the timestamp. It should be in their delivery. Every single time, they've called back to say they found it."
The impact on picking errors has been dramatic.
"We would have between five and six picking errors a day easily with our old system. I've had two since we've had Maksud—and that's in a year."
The Results
The transformation at Metro Logistics has been remarkable. Picking errors dropped from 5-6 per day to just 2 in an entire year—a 97% reduction. James now spends 85% of his time on strategic operations instead of checking orders.
The warehouse has gone completely paperless, eliminating the chaos of paper-based workflows. Staff confidence has increased dramatically, and the veteran warehouse supervisor has embraced the new system.
"Our senior supervisor has been here 20 years and he loves it. He was worried initially, but now he's completely on board."
Customer satisfaction has improved as orders are fulfilled faster and with greater accuracy. The warehouse can now compete effectively in their demanding market while maintaining the highest quality standards.