Meet Our Warehouse Account Manager Team

Meet Our Warehouse Account Manager Team

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. The Problem of Warehouse Management
3. Introducing the Warehouse Account Manager (WAM) Team
4. The Role of a Warehouse Account Manager
5. Benefits of Having a WAM
6. Qualities of a Good WAM
7. Training and Onboarding the WAM
8. The Future of WAMs
9. Conclusion

Introducing the Warehouse Account Manager (WAM) Team

In the fast-paced world of warehousing, managing the growing complexities can be a real challenge. The clash between customer service and warehouse operations often leads to frustration, finger-pointing, and ultimately, customer dissatisfaction. In recognition of this problem, ShipHero developed the concept of Warehouse Account Managers, or WAMs for short. These dedicated individuals serve as a bridge between the customer service team and the warehouse floor, ensuring smooth operations and improved communication.

The Problem of Warehouse Management

Before we Delve into the solution provided by WAMs, let's take a closer look at the problem they aim to solve. In a warehouse environment, numerous tasks and priorities can easily become overwhelming. Customer service teams may feel frustrated when they don't receive the necessary support from the warehouse, while the warehouse team may feel overwhelmed by the multitude of tasks and lack of clear priorities. This results in a stressful working environment and subpar customer experiences.

Introducing the Warehouse Account Manager (WAM) Team

ShipHero's Warehouse Account Manager (WAM) team emerged as a response to the challenges faced by both customer service and warehouse teams. Led by Kristian, an experienced member of ShipHero's team, the WAMs provide visibility and support to the customer service and fulfillment teams without causing distraction or hindering the efficiency of the warehouse floor. Each warehouse facility has a dedicated WAM responsible for managing small tasks, resolving issues, and coordinating with various teams to ensure a smooth workflow.

The Role of a Warehouse Account Manager

The primary responsibility of a Warehouse Account Manager is troubleshooting. A significant portion of their day is spent addressing trouble totes. These totes may have various errors, such as address issues or product fitting problems. The WAMs work closely with the automation team to ensure orders are sent to the correct stations and collaborate with clients to verify packaging details. They also handle shipping plans that are non-compliant, ensuring smooth receiving processes by identifying and rectifying any discrepancies.

WAMs act as the eyes of fulfillment on the warehouse floor, responsible for bringing Attention to any issues that require a solution. They proactively address problems, making adjustments to prevent recurrence. Additionally, WAMs play a crucial role in coordinating with other teams, such as engineers or sales, to resolve technical issues and ensure effective communication across different departments.

Benefits of Having a WAM

Implementing a WAM team brings numerous benefits to warehouse operations. Firstly, it reduces labor spend by streamlining troubleshooting processes and keeping everyone focused on their primary tasks. By eliminating interruptions and providing dedicated support, WAMs empower warehouse managers, supervisors, and fulfillment teams to work efficiently without compromising their primary responsibilities.

Secondly, WAMs act as force multipliers by keeping the entire team in flow. Instead of diverting resources to fix issues, employees can simply escalate the problem to the WAM, who specializes in problem-solving. This allows packers to maintain their hourly productivity rates, minimizing the time lost due to troubleshooting. Similarly, the receiving team can Continue working without disruptions, pushing non-compliant shipping plans aside for later resolution.

Qualities of a Good WAM

Selecting the right individuals for the WAM role is crucial for success. ShipHero primarily looks internally for promotion, as internal candidates possess a deep understanding of the warehouse operations and expectations. Outbound supervisors or leads with experience in various flows within the facility make excellent candidates, as they are already familiar with the diverse aspects of the warehouse.

Good multitasking skills are essential, as WAMs handle multiple tasks across different divisions on-site. A strong Sense of self-management and the ability to prioritize effectively is also necessary. WAMs should be team players who can collaborate with colleagues, problem-solve, and communicate their findings to all Relevant stakeholders.

Training and Onboarding the WAM

Training new WAMs involves a week of software-focused learning to ensure familiarity with the ShipHero software and account management. Understanding the order flow, automations, and multi-warehouse allocations is crucial for the role. After software training, new WAMs undergo a two-week shadowing period, either remotely or on-site, to observe and understand the day-to-day responsibilities of experienced WAMs. Full support is provided through Slack channels, which facilitate collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the WAM team.

The Future of WAMs

ShipHero's strong focus on the growth and development of the WAM team involves expanding the team's coverage to additional shifts and facilities. Ensuring round-the-clock support is essential to prevent any issues from being missed, especially during peak seasons. Ongoing training and education remain a priority to keep up with software updates and evolving warehouse processes. Additionally, the implementation of a frontline team, consisting of remote support staff, further enhances the support provided by the WAM team, creating a comprehensive troubleshooting network.

Conclusion

The introduction of Warehouse Account Managers has significantly improved warehouse management at ShipHero. The dedicated support, proactive troubleshooting, and coordination with various teams have resulted in smoother operations and enhanced customer satisfaction. By promoting internal candidates with the right skill set and providing comprehensive training, ShipHero ensures that the WAM team continues to play a vital role in optimizing warehouse performance. Consider implementing a similar role in your growing warehouse to streamline operations and reduce potential bottlenecks.

Highlights:

• Introduction of Warehouse Account Managers (WAMs) streamlines warehouse operations
• WAMs act as a bridge between customer service and warehouse teams
• Troubleshooting and proactive problem-solving are key responsibilities of WAMs
• Having a WAM reduces labor spend and keeps the team in flow
• Good multitasking skills and familiarity with warehouse software are essential for WAMs
• Training and onboarding of WAMs include software learning and shadowing experienced team members
• The future of WAMs involves expanding coverage, ongoing training, and implementation of a frontline team
• Implementing a similar role can improve warehouse efficiency and customer satisfaction

FAQs:

Q: How can Warehouse Account Managers (WAMs) benefit a growing warehouse? A: WAMs streamline operations, reduce labor spend, and keep the team in flow, ensuring smooth warehouse management and improved customer satisfaction.

Q: What qualities should a good Warehouse Account Manager possess? A: A good WAM should have multitasking skills, be familiar with warehouse software, and possess strong self-management and team collaboration abilities.

Q: How are WAMs trained and onboarded? A: WAMs undergo software-focused training and a shadowing period to observe experienced team members. They receive ongoing support and education to stay updated with warehouse processes.

Q: What does the future hold for Warehouse Account Managers? A: The future of WAMs includes expanding coverage to multiple shifts and facilities, ongoing training, and the implementation of a frontline support team.

Q: What are the highlights of implementing a WAM role in a growing warehouse? A: A WAM role improves warehouse efficiency, reduces potential bottlenecks, and enhances overall customer satisfaction.