6 Common Misconceptions About Automated Storage And Retrieval Systems

Automated Storage And Retrieval Systems (ASRS) offer a huge range of benefits, from increased efficiency and productivity to improving health and safety in the workplace. They are an obvious upgrade to manual systems and can have a tangible impact on the figures. So, what is it that stops businesses from investing in this technology? These 6 common misconceptions about ASRS are often what is standing in the way.

1. It will cost too much to switch to ASRS

You could spend a fortune on upgrading to this technology but you don’t have to - there are many different options to accommodate a wide range of budgets and resources. It’s worth noting that these systems tend to cost justify in 18 months and a great deal of the ROI comes from the improvements that are made in terms of productivity, accuracy and saving space.

2. It won’t work with our existing setup

Integration can seem like a major obstacle when it comes to upgrading to ASRS. However, whether this really is an issue depends a lot on the choices that you make in terms of your existing setup and software. There are simple ways to bridge the gap between your current setup and a new ASRS, such as via inventory management software. All it takes is a little research and the right choices.

3. What about reliability?

Downtime is a major concern for anyone considering switching from a manual to an automated system. However, all the evidence points to this being a minimal issue, as the average ASRS delivers uptime of 97-99%. This will depend considerably on how well a system is maintained so it’s important to have a schedule of care and preventative maintenance in place to ensure the ongoing reliability of an ASRS investment.

4. We aren’t big enough to justify ASRS

The reality is that ASRS can deliver benefits to any business, no matter how large or small. For example, you can save up to 85% of floor space by installing ASRS, which can then be used to add value elsewhere in the business. Gains in efficiency are available no matter how small the operation and you’ll also enjoy greater stock control and higher levels of operational accuracy.

5. Our needs aren’t that sophisticated

ASRS is clever but it’s not only suited to large, complex operations. This is technology that will benefit businesses of any size – research has found that more than 90% of SMEs met or exceeded their anticipated ROI expectations with ASRS.

6. We don’t have the time to train everyone on the new technology

Training is frequently included when you invest in ASRS so it’s often not an additional cost that you need to cover. Most of these systems are designed to be simple and intuitive to use so that minimal training is required to get up and running.

These common misconceptions have stopped many organisations from benefitting from ASRS – if you’ve been held back by any of the above it might be time to take a new approach.