Implementation in ten days

© PSI Logistics

PSI Logistics has already implemented PSIwms in several warehouses and logistics centers of leading fashion companies in Eastern Europe. The Berlin-based software developers offer various models of the standard software for system implementation - including the preconfigured e-commerce industry solution, which has been ensuring coordinated intralogistics processes for efficient order processing at Hisert's Polish distribution center since January 2023.

It took just ten days for the system to go live under the watchful eyes of the PSI consultants. The entire project, which included the analysis, configuration of the topology, tests and final system implementation, took barely four months in total - including the integration of PSIwms into the host systems. "We were able to rely on the professional and comprehensive support of PSI Logistics in every phase of the project - even after the launch," states Hisert Process Manager Drobczynski. "This was all the more important because when we opened our first distribution center in Poland, we had not yet specified all of the logistics processes, as most WMS providers would expect."

With the preconfigured PSIwms, Hisert was able to fall back on proven solutions. Nothing had to be developed from scratch. The preconfigured processes were simply adapted slightly to the business processes in the Hisert distribution center. "This significantly accelerated the system implementation and minimized the risk of our project failing," says Drobczynski. "With projects like this, it's important to become a true partner of the system provider and to be able to use their experience."

Commissioning in two phases

To ensure a smooth process, PSI Logistics divided the commissioning into two phases. "We had planned to introduce the system within two weeks," explains PSI project manager Tokarczyk. "In consultation with the customer, the system was operated with ten percent of the volume in the first week. In the second week, PSIwms then took over full operation and the entire product range as well as all warehouse processes." In addition, the software company supported Hisert in the pre-deployment phase with a complete training package for the employees, so that the setup of the infrastructure and the tests of the ready-to-use functionalities were comprehensively communicated and accompanied.

The Hisert distribution center works a single shift from Monday to Friday. At the end of the week, the order load increases enormously because several thousand orders placed by customers on the online platforms on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays have to be processed at the start of the shift on Monday. More than 70 percent of these orders are single-item orders. In January 2023, immediately after PSIwms went live, the company's productivity was still close to the busiest time of the year, i.e. November and December.

At such times, the picking and dispatch processes previously took eight hours. With PSIwms, this time was halved to just four hours in the first week after the system was introduced. "The introduction of PSIwms has increased the efficiency of our warehouse processes and given us more control over goods movements and stock levels," says Marcin Rudzinski, Head of the Hisert Distribution Center. "Thanks to the intuitive user interface for the MDT scanners, the training period has been significantly reduced."

Inventory of one million items

Two weeks after going into full operation, the inventory of almost one million items was carried out at the Hisert distribution center. The entire process was carried out using the newly introduced PSIwms and took barely 48 hours. Many employees were involved in the inventory who had never worked in a warehouse or used an MDT scanner before. Thanks to the system, however, they mastered their task with flying colors. The picking processes now run twice as fast as before the introduction of PSIwms. Operating errors are virtually eliminated.

© PSI Logistics

"Given my previous experience with software implementation in the WMS sector, I was really surprised at how quickly and smoothly we got to grips with PSIwms," summarizes Logistics Manager Rudzinski. Hisert also emphasizes that the company managed a smooth transition from analogue to digital with the implementation of PSIwms, which can be a real challenge in such extensive conversion projects.

According to analyses by the market research company Gartner, up to 75% of implementation projects in the WMS sector fail, regardless of the size of the company. The projects represent a major challenge for system providers and investors alike. In this context, PSI project manager Tokarczyk emphasizes that Hisert's openness and willingness to draw on the know-how and experience of the PSI Polska project team made the difference.

"Often, a standard system with basic but proven solutions is the best choice there is," summarizes Tokarczyk. "This is especially true for small and medium-sized companies. With the preconfigured version, system implementation in companies that sell products in the omnichannel model or are planning to do so is much faster and less cost-intensive than with lengthy system tailoring and programming. The commissioning at Hisert is a successful reference project for this."