When Conn’s HomePlus decided it was time to ditch its paper-based processes in favor of a new warehouse management system (WMS), it cast a wide net. The national appliance, electronics and home goods retailer requested a proposal from 15 different vendors.
That lengthy list was eventually pared down to three, and Conn’s eventually selected HighJump’s Cloud WMS to replace its homegrown system. Conn’s needed an adaptable system because it sells a wide variety of goods with a large number of mixed orders. For example, one order could include a bedroom set, appliance and television, and the processes for picking and shipping each are different. The ability to create unique processes within the WMS meant it could both fulfill those orders more efficiently.
The system offers real-time work direction for activities like put-away, picking, cross-docking and more. In addition, the WMS supports automated cycle counting, product consolidation and more. That ultimately helps the business accurately track inventory both coming and going from the warehouse while minimizing lost product.
“One thing that’s really been great with HighJump, it gives us that ability to go in and configure to our processes, taking best-in-class examples from other companies and experiences through HighJump,” Joe Hale, Conn’s director of warehousing and logistics for the East Coast, said.
The retailer opted for a cloud-based implementation primarily because it was much faster. It only had to tailor the WMS to its needs one time, and could then launch the system with those configurations at other locations. That was critical for a company that has 10 warehouses and 23 cross-docks spread across the Southern United States.
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The cloud deployment also provided Conn’s with the scalability it needs as the retail chain continues to grow. Today, the company has more than 110 stores after expanding rapidly over the last five years. As it continues to open new locations, it needs the ability to extend HighJump supply chain management solutions to those distribution centers quickly. It followed a unique implementation strategy, going live at all warehouses and cross-docks in a certain city simultaneously. After the WMS was up and running in that city, it moved on to the next location.
“The cloud implementation helps us scale much faster than on-premises would have,” Conn’s Senior Project Manager Michael Luckett said. “No. 2 is just once we got the cookie cutter right, we were able to go in pretty quickly, and it’s really about the change management of getting the user community ready. All of that stuff is much shorter from a timeline perspective when you’re flipping it on the cloud.”
After selecting HighJump WMS, Conn’s started rolling it out at sites across the country. It started with a test site in Phoenix, where it also arranged training for key users. The organization took the necessary time to build out specific processes that meet its business model, including a check in, unload, unpick and a ship, unload, unpick.
Conn’s was impressed with the HighJump support team, which not only answered any questions about the WMS but also helped the company identify and manage new opportunities for process improvement. With the help of the HighJump team, the company has everything in place to support future growth. And since the company already has the “cookie cutter” figured out, future launches of the WMS should be fast and painless.
To learn more about why Conn’s selected HighJump and the results it’s seen so far, watch the three-minute video featuring Michael Luckett and Joe Hale. Michael and Joe dive into their experience with HighJump so far and explain why they would recommend the company to someone looking for supply chain execution solutions.
