Check out the next episode of Softeons new, limited video series with stories about coffee addiction and answers to what warehouse managers should think about robotics and automation.

With the increasing use of robotics and automation in warehouses, leaders must carefully consider which technology is right for their business.

Softeons CTO Mark Fralick believes that leaders must start with a long-term vision but also have short-term goals.

“Let’s say your vision or what you want to achieve is scalability or you know, reducing full-time positions or something like that. That’s your long-term goal, but you can take a lot of baby steps toward that because a lot of robot vendors operate a kind of robots-as-a-service model,” Fralick says. “Many of them will run a pilot for you for a very nominal amount. If you have a long-term vision, look at your options and then take baby steps to properly validate the ROI, I think you’re ultimately on the right path. It’s more of a journey than a destination.”

Jim Hoefflin, CEO of Softeon, believes that plant managers need to think about how to integrate different robotic components into their operations.

“You have to break down the boundaries of conventional thinking that many people in this market are still bound to, which is their four walls, and we recognize that those walls are blurring and disappearing,” says Hoefflin. “We have to be an assistive technology in the middle of that.”

Since there seems to be a different scope and definition of Warehouse Execution Systems (WES) in the industry, Hoefflin explains his perspective.

“We see it as the ability to orchestrate different areas, bring everything together and ensure flow. It’s about catching things and taking corrective action. It’s a natural extension and evolution of what a WMS is. The people who realize it’s more about how to orchestrate and collaborate between different subsystems and people will be well positioned for the future.”

To learn more about how Hoefflin and Fralick’s operational mindset combined with their philosophical approach has served as a fundamental driver of their success over the years, listen to Episode #2 on Softeons Podcast page, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.