In his recent guest post on Retail Rewired, Stuart Greenfield, UK and European Sales Director at Advanced Supply Chain (ASC) , shines a spotlight on a critical pinch point for pre-retail logistics:

“Manual processes throughout pre-retail logistics risk delays, bottlenecks and costly out-of-stock scenarios during the busy peak trading period.” 

It’s a challenge we see time and again. Retailers are ready to sell high volumes at high speed, but manual systems such as handwritten labels, paper-based inventory logs, can’t keep up. The result? Disruption, duplication, and missed opportunities.

Stuart presents a clear and compelling case for automation and digitalisation—an approach we not only support at ASC, but actively deliver through our connected, data-driven solutions.

“Automating and digitalising labelling is a simple, yet powerful way to improve performance.” 

Mobile labelling kiosks are a great example. They move with operatives, printing labels on demand and eliminating handwriting errors. When connected to a web-based supply chain management system they unlock real-time data, improve inventory accuracy, and enable smarter transport planning as well as speeding up processes.

This isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about resilience. It’s about giving retailers the agility to respond to demand spikes, optimise vehicle loads, and reduce dwell time at busy warehouses.

“It’s possible to ‘green lane’ priority vehicles for loading and unloading, which is particularly advantageous for quickly replenishing stock and dealing with sales spikes during peak.” 

Stuart also highlights how automation strengthens quality control. Accurate data enables dashboards that streamline product checks and prevent imperfect goods from slipping through the cracks.

“It avoids effort and resource being wasted by moving non-satisfactory goods backwards and forwards through supply chains.” 

That’s a win for customer satisfaction, brand reputation, and operational efficiency.

Peak trading will always bring pressure. But with the right tools in place, it’s also an opportunity to perform smarter, faster, and greener. As Stuart concludes, the solution doesn’t have to be complex. Sometimes, it starts with something as simple as automating your labelling.

At ASC, we’ve been at the forefront of implementing technological change across supply chains for over 20 years. Our proven track record of delivering results for customers, through innovation, agility and data-driven solutions, continues to help retailers thrive in even the most demanding trading environments.

Read the full article here.