Best Practices: techSHIP Implementation

This document outlines the best practices when implementing techSHIP at an enterprise.

1. Limit Initial Customer Rollout

Each implementation will have a different set of challenges related to changes to processes, user training. When rolling out techSHIP in a production environment it is important to take into consideration the impact on staff and their comfort level in adjusting to new systems and processes.  With this in mind, successful implementations normally limit the rollout to a small number of customers and processes, often starting with just one.

2. Reduce Human Decisions during Order Processing

By reducing the number of decision and number of touchpoints that an operator need make will ensure smooth and error-free operations.   Ideally, the system should be able to make most of the decisions based on the carrier, billing account, customer rules. 

When setting up a process consider what rules will be required to handle things like third-party billing, retail-specific rules, packing slip or MH10 label printing, etc. 

techSHIP has built a number of different ways to automate the decisions that will best fit a specific enterprise.  Working with a WMS or ERP system, these automations could be taken even further. 

3.Provide Appropriate Training

When working with techSHIP the focus is often on two different functions - configuration and operation.  Configuration functions include setting up the process within techSHIP to best automate the processes and reduce the number of user decisions or manual interactions required.  The operation functions include the process of processing orders and completing end-of-the-day processes.  

When providing training the focus should be on one to other groups.  Often providing more information or training will result in unexpected results and reducing user acceptance of new processes. 

4. Know Whom to Contact and How

In addition to a large knowledge base library, techSHIP provides interactive support during order processing and agent support. Different users respond best to different support options, some options will provide faster support.  Some problems may require enterprise IT support.   Understanding the available options will help users to resolve their problems and concerns faster. 

5. Validating Different Business Processes

No two organizations are exactly the same; similarly, operations would be different for different organizations. Aligning the user of techSHIP processes with organizational processes will be critical in finding an optional setup.  Today techSHIP multiple operating models - pack station processing of single orders, conveyer processing, bulk pick, etc. 

Depending on your internal process the user of techSHIP Desktop client could be a preferred method of processing orders, in others, the web client will serve a better purpose. 

6. Selecting Supported Hardware

Make sure your hardware selection is supported by techSHIP.  techSHIP works with printers, scanners, scales, dimension systems, mobile scanners.  Some of the hardware has been tested by techSHIP in other implementation while other may be supported on paper. Making sure your hardware will work with techSHIP will ensure fewer issues once you are ready to test.