APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT FOR IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND REDUCING COST OF WAREHOUSE MANAGEMENT: CASE STUDY OF ABC COMPANY LIMITED, KHON KAEN BRANCH

Abstract

Purpose - This study aims to develop an application that enhances efficiency and reduces costs in the warehouse management of ABC Transportation Co., Ltd. At present, the company is facing delays and redundant work processes due to its reliance on manual inventory counting. This outdated method has resulted in frequent errors and operational delays, leading to employee overload and negatively impacting the company’s delivery efficiency. To address these issues, the study proposes the development of an application designed to analyze and store warehouse data systematically.

Design/Methodology/Approach - Design/methodology/approach A Participatory Action Research (PAR) design was adopted, integrating the ECRS method and Flow Process Chart. The research proceeded through four stages: (1) tool design, (2) baseline data collection, (3) application development and installation, and (4) post-installation data collection.

Findings - Prior to implementation, total process time averaged 565 minutes and travel distance 5,026 metres, generating overtime costs that exceeded legal limits (≈ THB 609 per work cycle). After implementation, total process time fell to 230.5 minutes (-59.2 %) and travel distance to 2,470 metres (-50.68 %).

Research Limitations - Because the study was confined to a single, self-operated warehouse, the efficiency gains may not generalise to third-party logistics hubs, e-commerce fulfilment centres, or facilities subject to different labour regulations. Efficiency was also operationalised with only three quantitative indicators total process time, in-warehouse travel distance, and overtime cost. Future research should include additional metrics such as inventory-accuracy rates, order-picking errors, and stock-out frequency to provide a more holistic assessment.

Managerial Implications - Managers should adopt warehouse applications to reduce time, distance, and labor costs while improving operational accuracy. The application should also be designed to align with the specific workflows of each activity and consider the skills and expertise of the personnel involved.

Originality/Value - The study demonstrates how a PAR framework combined with ECRS (Eliminate, Combine, Rearrange and Simplify) and Flow Process Chart can serve as a systematic, design-oriented protocol for developing a warehouse-management application, covering process mapping, prototyping, pilot testing, and empirical validation. Whereas previous literature is dominated by engineering case studies, this work directly integrates app-development methodology into a logistics context, thereby filling a notable gap in the field