Why outbound and loading need as much peak season prep as order picking
For most people, summertime is a period of vacations and fun in the sun, but for warehouse operators and third-party logistics companies, it means something entirely different. It’s time to get ready for the holiday season. Summer is when all systems – receiving, put-away, picking, and shipping – need stress testing to make sure they can keep pace under the double, and even triple, volume holiday delivery windows.
Results from our Material Transport Voice of Market study, which surveys warehouse operations decisionmakers and influencers, reveals the importance of stress testing operations ahead of peak demand periods. Over 80% of respondents reported they faced material transport reliability issues during periods of peak demand, with the most severe challenges being congestion, equipment breakdowns, and material transport bottlenecks.
As facility managers assess their holiday preparedness for 2026, automation vendors can take advantage of this cycle to start conversations with clients and prospects about their future automation needs. The following are key opportunities we have observed in this market:
Outbound & Loading workflows have the highest automation potential and are a high priority for automation among end users
Respondents to our Voice of Market survey told us that only 16% of Outbound & Loading workflows are fully automated in their facilities, making them a major vulnerability during peak periods like the festive season.
Warehouse operators have a strong need to resolve this vulnerability, confirming the opportunity for vendors. Of the people we surveyed, one out of three ranked this workflow at the top of their list for automation, and twice that many ranked it a top two priority.
What messages resonate most with potential customers?
Comparing those who have fully automated outbound and loading with those who haven’t revealed three potential angles OEMs can take when approaching customers. This involves explaining how solutions address the following pain points:
- How the solution is able to flex with unexpected demand fluctuations: This was the top-ranked pain point. Customers are currently addressing spikes in demand by scaling up manual labor in times of need, but absenteeism and a lack of skilled workers may make this unachievable or unsustainable in the long run.
- How technology can be deployed to increase system reliability: The single biggest desire in this area is to stop equipment failures, which in turn lead to downtime. Equipment monitoring technology and service level agreements aimed at reducing unplanned stoppages are increasingly viewed as a ‘must have’.
- How prospects’ changing specifications and product variability can be addressed: Respondents told us the solutions they are familiar with have high variability of SKUs/inventory and complex process flows or requirements (eg scanning on all six sides of a package.) Showcasing how vendors have tackled previously ‘unsolvable’ challenges may make buyers more open to exploring new solutions.
How do buyers make decisions about automation suppliers?
We asked buyers to select from ten different criteria for selecting a technology supplier. The answers varied by group. Among respondents with a strong desire to automate, the top selection criteria was ‘system flexibility for changes in your business’. The next most important criteria, was ‘ease/speed of integration into your facility’.
By understanding the above opportunities and pain points, vendors can develop a more comprehensive approach that meets buyers where they are and grows their chances of becoming automation partners.
Use our Voice of Market service to craft more informed strategies
These are just some examples of the breadth and depth of information provided by the Voice of Market study. It features a range of deliverables, including an interactive survey analysis dashboard and a full written report. Covering the order fulfillment, material transport, and forklift and pallet handling operations of a host of different companies across industry, Voice of Market provides a deep dive into the key challenges for warehouse operations.
The data gathered is supported with clear, informed, quality insights from our market experts, which are regular, timely, and consistent. It is the only syndicated Voice of Market offering of its kind and can be actioned in decision making across a range of business areas; from strategic planning and sales, to marketing, and solution design and development.
To learn more about our material transport market research, or our Voice of Market offering contact Monica Sanchez directly: Monica.Sanchez@InteractAnalysis.com.
