Manufacturing and Logistics: How to choose the Right VMS

Traditional VMS systems often fall short in meeting the unique requirements of manufacturing, and logistic operations, leaving organizations feeling disappointed. This article explores six critical areas where these technologies are lacking, offering valuable insights for selecting the right VMS solution to help you manage your extended workforce.

A VMS for Manufacturing & Logistics requires unique functionality

Many legacy VMS systems are unable to handle the complexity of a manufacturing and logistics environment. When looking at potential VMS systems and peeling back the layers of these technologies, companies quickly find they are unable to handle the complexities of manufacturing, warehousing and logistics environments.

Most vendor management systems can manage white-collar temps with ease, but many were never designed to deal with the unique needs of hardcore manufacturing or warehouse and logistics operations. For these systems, the best an organization can often get out of a legacy VMS is worker headcount tracking, which kills many of the benefits - both financial and productivity - that a VMS promises.

Companies have been forced to settle for a sub-standard solution or do nothing because they think there isn’t a technology out there that will work. Thankfully, some vendor management systems have been specifically designed to deal with the realities and requirements of light industrial staffing.

In this article, we take a look at the six key areas in which traditional VMS technologies are failing organizations when it comes to manufacturing and logistics staffing. By seeing these failings, your business will know what it needs to look for when choosing the right VMS.

1 - Work Shift Management

In manufacturing and logistics environments the first hurdle that VMS systems often fail at is managing multiple work shifts across multiple locations. A single site could have dozens of different work shift configurations such as the Dupont, 2-3-2, and 4on/4off shifts to name just a few. Add in additional complexities like shift premiums and bonus add on’s and the traditional VMS systems fail. Learn more at: How to Manage a Shift-Based Workforce with a VMS

2 - High Volume & Worker Fluidity

In logistics and distribution environments temp workforce needs can change rapidly often several times in a matter of hours. An unexpected truck may be hitting the doors early or a high-urgency repacking job may pop up.

For a VMS to be successful in these environments the system needs to be able to enable the staffing agencies and hiring managers to operate in bulk worker scenarios, ordering, filling, and onboarding hundreds of job openings at one location in hours and sometimes even minutes. The traditional VMS systems just aren't designed for, nor do the providers want to deal with these complexities, as they are not core to their business or their system.

3 - Timekeeping System Integrations

Worker timekeeping systems are another situation where manufacturing and warehouse environments are unique to what legacy VMS systems were not built to manage. In many situations, companies will have thousands of workers across dozens of sites and often utilize numerous systems of timekeeping (manual and automated).

For a vendor management system to properly handle these situations it needs to be able to integrate with all systems and provide site leads the ability to manually upload time data where a system doesn’t exist. Loading time worker by worker is not an effective solution and defeats the promise of automation. Learn more at: Implementing a Time-Clock System

4 - Regulatory Demands

Quite often manufacturing companies are in some way regulated or are required to follow and report against specific protocols. Often these change from location to location due to different jurisdictional rules. A VMS should be able to adapt and provide each location the ability to set up and track against these worker-specific protocols and policies.

5 - Health and Safety Tracking

In the light industrial world, the reporting and management of incidents is a critical compliance requirement. Every worker incident needs to be reported immediately with full transparency so that the organization can track and report health and safety incidents both internally and externally. The VMS must have the functionality to address these needs.

6 - Skills Testing and Certification

In many manufacturing environments, workers are handling very dangerous materials, or are required to demonstrate knowledge and skills in very specific areas of practice. Being able to test, assess and validate that workers have these skills and knowledge before onboarding is critical to the safety of the worker and the work environment.

Today’s VMS should provide for embedded online screening and certification and/or integrate the company's third party assessment tools.

Final Thoughts

These are just a few of the needs that manufacturing and logistics organizations deal with every day and the reasons why up until now many of the traditional VMS systems have fallen well short in meeting these needs. The good news for light industrial managers is that the VMS world has changed in the last couple of years and some new emerging systems have been built to handle these complex environments.

What Makes Conexis VMS Different: Additional Benefits to Managing Warehouse Contingent Workers

Light Industrial workers make up over 60% of the Conexis population. Conexis has developed VMS functionality specifically to support high volume worker environments such as digital site rosters, easy time clock integrations and native shift functionality. Our clients love us because Conexis enables them to do their job faster and get better quality workers, who stay through their assignments more often.

Learn about our expertise in: Manufacturing & Light Industrial, Warehouse & Logistics

1 - Conexis can help you Reduce No Shows and Turnover

When your workers fail to show up or leave their jobs early, it dramatically increases your expenses, diminishes business efficiency and jeopardizes your entire customer experience. Conexis VMS deeply understands the intricacies and challenges associated with managing a contingent workforce. That’s why we built our easy-to-use Vendor Management System (VMS).

Conexis VMS clients tell us that after implementing Conexis their no-shows and turnover have dropped by over 50%.

2 - Conexis VMS has Time and Attendance Integrations

Conexis not only integrates with your warehouse time clock system, but we can also supply the system. Regardless of the time clock system that your business uses, Conexis VMS has worked with, and integrates easily with, most time clock systems on the market today.

3 - Conexis VMS has Native Shift Functionality

No matter what type of shift-based workers you use (warehouse, logistics, healthcare, call centers) where shifts are used on different days and times, tracking varying schedules, pay rates, supplier markups, and compliance requirements can quickly become overwhelming without the right tools in place.

Conexis is a robust vendor management system (VMS) designed with native shift functionality helps ensure these variables stay organized while providing a clear audit trail for payroll and billing.

Getting Started with a Vendor Management System

Learn more about the Benefits of a Vendor Management System and what to look for when choosing the best VMS for your organization. Download our Free VMS Buyer's Guide here:

Why Choose Conexis VMS

Conexis VMS is purpose-built for organizations seeking to manage their contingent labor spend effectively. Here’s why we're the right choice:

Fast Deployment: Get up and running in weeks, not months
Transparent Pricing: Flexible pricing with no hidden costs
White-Label Ready: Customize the platform with your brand
Real-Time Insights: Make faster decisions with built-in analytics
Audit-Ready Compliance: Store contracts, worker data, and rates in one secure hub

Discover the Power of Conexis VMS

Conexis is an award-winning Vendor Management System built for companies that want the power of enterprise software without the complexity or cost.

Leveraging the latest technology, Conexis delivers the expertise, reliability and security of enterprise systems, while offering the flexibility, user friendliness and tailored, personal service you require. Learn more about our Company and why organizations Choose Conexis VMS.

Looking to Switch Your VMS or Just Getting Started?

Whether you are looking to Switch your VMS, or just Getting Started, we are here to help. Contact Us for a Free No-Obligation Consultation, See how Easy Conexis is to use by taking a quick 2 minute Self-Guided Online Demo, or Book a Personal Demo Today!