In June of this year, we successfully implemented our mySTOCK® WMS warehouse management system in the central warehouse of Kili, a Czech supplier of materials for furniture production. This key change affected their entire logistics process. We met with Jiří Mikšovský, Director of Logistics and Purchasing, and Peter Čurgali, Interim Logistics Manager, to get their opinions on the entire implementation process, their satisfaction with the results achieved, and their experience with our team and the mySTOCK® WMS system.
In June of this year, KVADOS’s mySTOCK® WMS was implemented in Kili’s central warehouse. Jiří, how do you feel about the entire implementation process in retrospect?
Jiří Mikšovský: We devoted a lot of time to preparation, which is why we decided to hire interim manager Peter Čurgali, who helped us coordinate the entire implementation phase. And even though the whole process was very demanding and long, we managed to complete everything according to plan and the system is now up and running and fully functional.
Did you encounter any specific problems in the central warehouse that you wanted to solve using WMS?
Jiří Mikšovský: There were a whole range of problems, because the warehouses in Kili had never been managed using a warehouse management system before, and we didn’t have a detailed overview of how they operated. We didn’t know exactly how many documents each warehouse worker processed or how long it took them to complete a specific task. We only had a comprehensive overview of the work done by all warehouse workers during an entire shift. We averaged these figures and then used them for further calculations.
Could you assess whether this situation has improved?
Jiří Mikšovský: Definitely. WMS has given us a detailed view of all operations within the warehouse, so now we can track every order and the actions of individual warehouse workers. We know exactly what stage each order is at and how long it will take the warehouse worker to complete it. So, among other things, it’s another tool for managing warehouse workers.
Zaznamenali jste i posun v oblasti eliminace lidské chybovosti?
Jiří Mikšovský: Yes, errors due to mixing up goods were particularly common for us. Previously, when picking was done according to paper documents, the warehouse worker would come to a given location where there were 2-3 different items on one shelf, and it happened that the warehouse worker would misplace their hand and take a different item than the one they were supposed to issue. We only found out about the error when the customer complained about the goods. With the introduction of WMS, this probability has been significantly reduced, because it guides the person and determines each next step. The warehouse worker thus gets to the correct location and, after scanning the barcode of the goods with the terminal, knows exactly that they have the correct item in their hands.
Great, that’s excellent news. After such a positive experience, I’m curious to know if you plan to implement it at your other branches as well?
Jiří Mikšovský: That’s what we went into it with. We said that if the system proved itself at the central warehouse and we saw that it worked, we would want to implement it everywhere. It even convinced the employees who claimed that it couldn’t work.
The mySTOCK® WMS tool really takes us further, which is why we plan to expand to our next four branches next year
That’s wonderful, and we’re very pleased to hear it. Thank you. I have a few questions for Petr. Could you start by explaining what role you played in the entire implementation as interim manager?
Jiří Mikšovský: That’s what we went into it with. We said that if the system proved itself at the central warehouse and we saw that it worked, we would want to implement it everywhere. It even convinced the employees who claimed that it couldn’t work.
Jiří Mikšovský: I would just like to add that Mr. Čurgali played an important role for us in that he was an outsider and had no ties to our previous internal operations or employees. The acquisition of WMS was one of the most significant changes for Kili, and it was not easy to convince all employees of the correctness of this change. People resist change and believe that warehouse processes work, that they have always been done this way and that there is no better way to do them. Thanks to Mr. Čurgali’s professional approach, his experience, knowledge, and charisma, he was able to lead people and convince them that we were indeed on the right track. And that is where I personally see his main contribution.
I see that you both have your own perspectives, and I would be very interested to hear how each of you assesses the success of the mySTOCK® WMS implementation process.
Peter Čurgali: As far as deployment is concerned, we had a schedule that we agreed on, according to which we would deploy WMS by a certain date. Thanks to this, we were able to monitor the milestones and individual tasks that people in the team were given, as well as the deployment and testing of individual processes. As for the evaluation of the last phase, I would like to leave that to Mr. Mikšovský to answer. Jiří Mikšovský: In the preparatory phase, as Mr. Čurgali said, the benchmark was that we were keeping to the schedule and moving forward with the tasks and milestones that we had set together with KVADOS. After we launched mySTOCK® WMS on June 19, the main criterion for the functionality of the system for me was that we were able to receive goods, issue goods, and transfer goods without any problems. The only hiccup occurred on the day the system was launched, when we were unable to issue goods for personal collection for about two hours. That was the only major hiccup we had during the entire time. And that’s the most important thing for me, that thanks to WMS, the warehouses are working and working better.
We are very pleased to hear that. I believe that is why companies decide to do it. They need to gain a competitive advantage, and if they succeed, we are delighted. Peter, from an interim manager’s perspective, could you mention some key points that are worth considering before a company decides to implement WMS?
Peter Čurgali: It should definitely be prepared for this. It should have its data in order so that it has something to draw on, it should have a well-labeled warehouse, and it should know what it expects from the WMS. As mentioned here, it wanted to measure people’s performance, it wanted to refine, speed up, and improve processes. In my opinion, these are the reasons why a company should go ahead with WMS development.
Refine, accelerate, and improve processes. These are the reasons why I believe a company should pursue development with WMS.
Jiří Mikšovský: And I can confirm this, because we really did devote a lot of time and energy to preparation at the beginning. For us, this meant relabeling goods and locations, because things weren’t in ideal condition here; in short, it was never necessary in our uncontrolled warehouse. On the contrary, in a controlled warehouse, it cannot work without it. In addition to relabeling the goods, we also did not have the master data or dimensions of the goods in the system in order. That’s why we rented Cubiscan from KVADOS and ran several thousand items through it to get accurate dimensions, because the WMS can’t do without them either. This forced us to put all these things in order.
Petr, we see you as an expert in your field, and since you have helped implement our mySTOCK® WMS for a customer for the second time, can you objectively say how our WMS differs from the competition you encounter?
Peter Čurgali: As you said, this is the second deployment, with a four-month break in between, and what I consider very positive is that in the first project, some requirements for the development of your WMS arose, and after four months, they were offered as standard in the next project. You are developing your system quickly and doing it well. I see this as a huge advantage for you.
You develop your mySTOCK® WMS system quickly and do it well. I see this as a huge advantage for you.
About Kili
Kili is a major trading company with more than 25 years of tradition. Its main focus is the sale of materials for furniture production, interior design, and construction. Through ten shopping centers in South Moravia, Vysočina, and South Bohemia, they promote a timeless form of sales, complemented by support services for furniture and interior manufacturers. www.kili.cz