Warehouse Order Processing Transformation

The Challenge

Rebuilders Automotive Supply operated its entire warehouse on manual, paper-based processes. Sales orders were handwritten in triplicate and physically routed between departments. Inventory management was non-transactional, relying on estimation rather than real-time tracking. Stock counts hovered around 80% accuracy, leading to production delays, missed sales, and distorted financial reporting.

Communication between departments depended on verbal updates and email, creating bottlenecks and errors at every hand-off. The lack of visibility into work-in-progress inventory meant that warehouse staff could not reliably tell customers or sales teams what was actually available. The operation had reached a ceiling that no amount of additional headcount could break through.

CIO Leadership

As CIO and Digital Transformation Consultant, I personally architected and led the implementation of a ground-up digital transformation. This spanned the full lifecycle: process analysis of existing warehouse workflows, system design for the mobile and ERP integration architecture, hands-on iPad application development, inventory model innovation, change management across warehouse teams, and end-to-end ownership from concept through production deployment.

Transformation Strategy

The solution centered on a custom iOS mobile application deployed on iPads throughout the warehouse, integrated directly with the existing ERP system. This replaced every paper-based process with a digital workflow that warehouse staff could operate from the floor.

The platform provided real-time sales order and inventory access on iPads, automated data flow that eliminated all manual entry, transactional inventory tracking with work-in-progress monitoring, intelligent picking logic with optimized walk sequencing, and automated reporting with analytics capabilities. Every transaction flowed directly into the ERP, giving management real-time visibility into operations for the first time.

Outcomes

The transformation achieved complete paper elimination across all warehouse operations. Inventory accuracy jumped from roughly 80% to 98% through transactional tracking. Warehouse throughput improved by 35% as intelligent picking logic and automated routing removed bottlenecks. Order processing errors dropped by over 90%, dramatically improving customer satisfaction.

Beyond the headline metrics, the platform became the operational foundation for the entire warehouse. Management gained data-driven decision-making capabilities that had never existed before. The system established scalability and operational transparency that positioned Rebuilders Automotive Supply for sustained growth.

PPTI Breakdown

People: Led change management to transition warehouse teams from decades of paper-based habits to iPad-first digital workflows. Process: Mapped and redesigned every warehouse workflow from order receipt through fulfillment, eliminating redundant hand-offs. Technology: Built a custom iOS application with full ERP integration, providing real-time inventory and order management on the warehouse floor. Innovation: Introduced transactional inventory tracking and intelligent walk-sequencing algorithms that had no precedent in the existing operation.