Speak to Succeed: How Voice-Directed Picking Optimizes Warehouse Work Execution
By Nick Bartolo
In today's competitive warehouse environment, optimizing picking processes is essential for increasing efficiency and meeting customer demands.
For manufacturing and industrial warehouses, which often deal with high numbers of SKUs of tools, parts, and complex products, large and small, voice picking has emerged as one of the most advantageous picking methods, offering unique benefits that are particularly suited to the needs of these environments.
Navigating the complexity of picking in industrial warehouses
Manufacturing and industrial warehouses have distinct challenges compared to other industries. The types of products can be difficult to manage and require special handling, meaning that traditional picking methods like paper-based or RF (radio frequency) systems may not be the most effective. Workers in these environments also deal with multiple parts or components that must be accurately picked and assembled before being shipped to customers, adding another layer of complexity to the process. As an example, the distribution center of Lucas customer Apex Tool Group receives products from their manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and around the globe, handling 3,000 to 4,000 outbound shipments daily. The facility boasts 28,000 pallet positions and over 16,000 individual pick faces, including case pick and each pick locations spread across various zones utilizing a range of picking methods and technologies.
In addition, manufacturing warehouses often have higher safety risks. Workers handling heavy equipment need to stay focused and have their hands free to manage items, reducing the possibility of accidents. Any picking system used in these environments must prioritize both productivity and safety.
A conversation with technology: The process of voice picking
Voice picking technology operates through a headset and microphone worn by the picker, who is guided through tasks by voice commands. The system tells the worker what item to pick, where it is located, and how many units to select. Workers can confirm their actions via voice responses, allowing for hands-free, real-time communication with the warehouse management system (WMS).
This voice-directed system eliminates the need for workers to handle handheld devices or refer to paper instructions, freeing their hands to focus entirely on managing items. Voice picking technology and optimization also supports travel path efficiency, batching enhancements, and real-time prioritization, meaning that if an order changes mid-task or more urgent orders come in, the system can immediately inform the worker, ensuring flexibility and minimizing errors.
A clear voice for precision: Why voice picking leads the pack
One of the most significant advantages of voice picking for manufacturing and industrial warehouses is the hands-free nature of the technology. Workers handling heavy or awkwardly shaped items, like HVAC units or large parts, benefit from having both hands free to focus on moving and securing products rather than juggling handheld devices or scanning guns.
For example, a worker might need to pick both a large, boxed unit and several small components such as filters, thermostats, or screws. With voice picking, the worker can use both hands to handle these items safely and efficiently, without the need to pause and consult a list or scan a barcode. This not only increases efficiency but also reduces the likelihood of accidents or product damage, both of which are critical concerns in industrial settings.
In complex industrial environments, the margin for error is small. Mismatched parts or incorrect picks can lead to costly delays in manufacturing processes or dissatisfied customers. Voice picking systems help minimize errors by providing clear step-by-step instructions and confirmations, reducing the risk of picking the wrong item or quantity.
For instance, a manufacturer that produces both large-scale systems and parts has a wide variety of components in inventory. The accuracy of assembling the right parts for each system is crucial to meeting production timelines. Voice picking ensures that workers select the correct parts in the right quantities, reducing the need for rework or returns. The system can also prompt workers to confirm details such as part numbers or bin locations, adding another layer of accuracy to the process. Orgill, founded in 1847, is the world’s largest independently owned hardlines distributor with annual sales exceeding $3.6 billion. Even with more than 75,000 SKUs in each of its eight distribution centers, they maintain order accuracy rates of 99.6% and industry leading fill rates through their voice optimization software.
In manufacturing and industrial settings, employee turnover or seasonal peaks in demand can require quick onboarding of new workers. Voice picking systems have a steep advantage over other methods in terms of training time. Since the system is intuitive and straightforward, workers can typically become proficient in voice-directed picking within a matter of hours.
With voice picking, new employees can quickly get up to speed, reducing downtime and ensuring that the warehouse operates at peak efficiency. The voice prompts are easy to follow, making the system accessible even for workers with minimal experience or technical knowledge.
Voice picking significantly boosts productivity by streamlining the picking process. Workers can move quickly between tasks without needing to pause to look at a screen, check a list, or input data into a device. Additionally, real-time updates to the system ensure that workers always have the most current information about orders and inventory, allowing them to work more efficiently.
The voice system optimizes worker routes, reducing the time spent walking between picks. This time savings translates directly into higher productivity, allowing the warehouse to process more orders in a shorter amount of time. Similarly, Rotary, the world’s largest supplier of outdoor power equipment parts, tools and accessories, has seen results including 99.9% same-day shipping, reduced picking hours 25% and increased throughput by 40% utilizing a voice-based optimization system.
Finally, safety is a top priority in any manufacturing or industrial warehouse, where heavy equipment, machinery, and large products are often involved. Voice picking systems contribute to a safer working environment by allowing workers to keep their heads up and hands free. This increased awareness reduces the likelihood of accidents, as workers are not distracted by handheld devices or paper lists.
Workers must often navigate around forklifts or other machinery. With voice picking, they can stay alert to their surroundings while receiving instructions, significantly reducing the risk of accidents or injuries.
A dynamic and flexible choice
Voice and optimization software offers a flexible, streamlined approach to automation that contrasts sharply with traditional hardware-heavy solutions. Unlike fixed equipment like conveyors or ASRS, voice solutions leverage existing mobile devices and cloud-based intelligence, enhancing operations without heavy capital investment. They integrate seamlessly with current workflows, guiding associates through complex picking tasks with voice commands that adapt to changing inventory and order patterns. This flexibility means the software can quickly scale with business needs, avoiding costly infrastructure changes.
Voice and optimization software typically achieves ROI within 6-12 months, thanks to gains in picking speed, accuracy, and labor efficiency. In contrast, hardware-based automation, though effective, requires high upfront costs, extensive installation, and long return timelines of 5-10 years. Hardware systems also lack the agility to adapt easily to demand shifts, potentially locking facilities into fixed workflows. As mentioned above, voice picking with optimization can also reduce the need for labor – which is in short supply and projected to remain so. Voice and optimization software thus represents a future-forward investment in operational efficiency, where lower cost and faster adaptability combine to provide an ideal ROI horizon for dynamic, growth-oriented businesses.
Voice picking can be a transformative solution for manufacturing and industrial warehouses, offering unique advantages such as hands-free operation, improved accuracy, faster training, increased productivity, and enhanced safety. Voice picking can streamline operations, reduce errors, and create a safer working environment, ultimately leading to higher efficiency and better customer service. As more organizations in the manufacturing space adopt this technology, they will be better equipped to meet the demands of modern supply chains while staying competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.
Nick Bartolo is a business development executive with Lucas Systems, bringing a proven track record of success in fostering partnerships and driving customer success and satisfaction within the robotics, software and automation industry.
Prior to joining Lucas, Nick worked with Locus Robotics in driving customer initiatives and cultivating strategic partnerships, leveraging the company's AMR solutions to optimize warehouse. Similarly, Nick collaborated closely with customers at 3M to deliver robotic solutions tailored to the unique challenges of industrial manufacturing applications, harnessing the power of automation to streamline processes and drive efficiency.
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