In logistics, we constantly talk about fully automated warehouses, drones, and self-driving trucks. But the reality in most halls often looks different, doesn't it? There's this one huge black box that we like to overlook: manual processes. Everything that's not connected to a system, where people still get hands-on, walk paths, and make decisions themselves. This is exactly where the true efficiency killers and cost drivers hide.My co-host Jannik Nonnenkamp and I recently had Sascha Kaczmarek from Motion Miners as a guest on the LogTech Podcast. What he said hit the nail on the head: We optimize ourselves to death with conveyor technology and AGVs, but when it comes to manual processes, we often grope in the dark – with stopwatches and clipboards like 30 years ago.
The Inconvenient Truth: Your WMS Data Only Shows Half the Story
Sure, you pull reports from your WMS or ERP. You see how long it theoretically takes from Pick A to Pick B. But what happens in between? The reality often looks like this: The employee searches because the item isn't in place, reports a clarification case to the shift supervisor, gets a new battery for the scanner, or takes out the trash. These invisible time-wasters don't appear in any statistics.
Sascha put it succinctly: Many companies believe they know how their processes run. One of his analyses then revealed that employees spent 30% of their time in an area that, according to the process description, was only intended for "exceptions." 30 percent! That's not peanuts – that's a massive lever you're simply leaving unused.
The motto must be: "Act on facts." Only when you know the unvarnished truth can you really make a difference.
Motion Mining: Data Instead of Gut Feeling
How do you get to this truth? This is exactly where technologies like Motion Mining come in. Imagine giving your employees small sensors – so-called wearables – and analyzing movement and process data in real time. Suddenly, you see the real walking paths, the actual hand movements, waiting times, and disruptions.
Important: This is not about surveillance, quite the opposite. The most exciting insights arise when you use this data to improve everyday work. A central point that Sascha emphasized is ergonomics. An unergonomic process is almost always an inefficient process. If employees constantly have to bend down or walk long distances for heavy parts, it not only costs time but also their health in the long run. And we all know how difficult it is to find and retain good staff.
Quick Wins vs. Big Picture: The Right Mix Makes It
Such an analysis mercilessly uncovers everything. The art then lies in deriving the right measures. Often, it's the small organizational changes that have an immediate huge effect:
- Optimize warehouse zoning: Shorter paths through smart redistribution of items
- Shorten walking paths: Introduce intermediate aisles to avoid dead-end aisles
- Decentralize work equipment: Position printers and tools where they are needed
Sometimes, however, the analysis also shows that it's not possible to proceed without investment. The replacement of an unsuitable vehicle type or the introduction of an automated wrapping machine can pay for itself faster than one might think.
The decisive difference: You no longer make these decisions based on gut feeling, but based on valid data.
People Remain at the Center
With all the technology and data, we must not forget one thing: It's about people. The best process optimization is useless if employees don't support it. Therefore, transparent communication with the works council and workforce is crucial from the outset.
Plain talk: It's not about rationalizing away jobs. It's about making work simpler, safer, and more efficient so that your team can handle the growing output.
In the end, as Sascha said, it's an iterative process: Analyze, implement, measure, optimize. Logistics never stops turning – and neither should our processes.
Question to you: What is your biggest "blind spot" in manual processes that you would like to illuminate?
