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Crawl, Walk, Run: Stepping Further into Warehouse Automation

  • Writer: Lauren Ethridge
    Lauren Ethridge
  • Jun 24
  • 6 min read

Automation is reshaping warehouse operations. But for many companies, the hardest question isn’t whether to automate—it’s how fast and how far to go. 


While vendors promote advanced robotics and end-to-end automation, operators face a more practical reality. Not every operation needs, or is ready for, highly automated solutions. Not every business benefits from complex technology.


At Zion Solutions Group, we’ve seen time and again that the best automation strategies grow in stages. Rushing to run without learning to crawl or walk first leads to expensive mistakes and underperformance.


That’s because the stakes are higher than they appear at the surface. Automation projects fail not just because of bad technology, but because of mismatched expectations, poor preparation, and missing context.


Too often, companies dive into automation without a full understanding of what it takes to succeed:


  • They’re oversold on systems that don’t match their real needs.

  • They underestimate the ongoing maintenance required to keep equipment operational.

  • They don’t have a strong enough team in place to own and operate the system post-install.

  • And they overlook the variables that make automation effective, from slotting and SKU velocity to inventory accuracy and replenishment logic.


Before you automate anything, ask: “What has to be true for this to work in my environment?” Your automation partner should help you answer that — and more.


Now, let’s break down what it looks like to scale automation the right way.


Crawl: Build Foundations and Test What Works

In the earliest phase of automation, the goal is not to transform your warehouse overnight. It’s to solve immediate challenges, test new ideas, and build readiness for what’s next. 


In most warehouses, this means starting with targeted automation that reduces walking and improves accuracy—without overhauling the entire facility. 

Labor is often the biggest driver at this stage. Facilities face high turnover, rising wages, and difficulties filling roles. While volumes may not yet justify major investments, the pain of inefficient manual processes is real. Workers spend too much time traveling between locations, and training new hires on complex processes is costly and time-consuming. 


Crawl-level automation focuses on solving those problems first. 


Where to Focus:


  • Manual augmentation solutions like voice picking, pick-to-light, and scan-based workflows improve accuracy and reduce training time without altering facility layouts. These are fast, flexible ways to support labor.

  • Person-to-Goods AMRs create the optimal pick path and direct workers to the next closest pick location, minimizing travel time and speeding up order fulfillment. These systems improve efficiency without requiring major infrastructure changes, making them a practical first step for facilities looking to enhance manual picking workflows.


This phase is about learning and preparing. As operators collect data on how these solutions perform—and how teams adapt to working with automation—they lay the groundwork for bigger changes later. 

But the crawl phase isn’t just about adding tech—it’s about understanding operational readiness. At this stage, companies should carefully monitor:


  • How well do automated solutions integrate into daily workflows?

  • Are productivity and accuracy measurably improving?

  • How are employees responding and adapting?

  • Are new bottlenecks emerging as other areas become faster?


Not every company needs to move beyond the crawl stage immediately. For smaller operations or those with highly variable SKUs, this stage alone may provide the right mix of cost and benefit for years. 

But for growing or scaling businesses, this phase is a proving ground. Once basic efficiency and process reliability are established, they can consider moving forward. 


Walk: Scale Intelligently with Flexible Goods-to-Person Solutions

With early automation successes in place, the next step is moving from isolated efficiency gains to system-wide impact. 

This is the phase where automation starts becoming foundational. The focus shifts from augmenting manual work to reshaping workflows and reducing touches. Labor is still involved—but now plays a smaller, more specialized role. 

Many companies hit a wall in their manual or semi-automated environments at this stage. Picking speed becomes a limiting factor, walking distances reduce productivity, and throughput demands begin to exceed what people alone can manage. 


The right technologies in this phase depend heavily on SKU characteristics, order profiles, and overall business objectives. The tools below are commonly deployed during the walk stage, but their suitability varies based on factors like SKU velocity, cube size, order complexity, and fulfillment promises. The goal at this point is to improve flow, reduce touches, and prepare for greater automation, but without locking yourself into overly rigid systems.


Walk phase automation introduces goods-to-person technology that minimizes operator movement and speeds up fulfillment.


Where to Focus:


  • Shelf-to-Person AMRs offer a logical next step from crawl phase robots. Instead of fetching single items or totes, these bring entire shelving units directly to workers, allowing dense SKU picking with no walking.

  • Cube and Mobile ASRS solutions store totes or cartons in dense configurations and automatically deliver them to pick stations. This not only improves speed but also maximizes space, an increasingly critical metric in distribution facilities.

  • Conveyor Systems create consistent product flow between zones, reducing manual handoffs and walking. When integrated with pick modules or packing areas, they streamline movement and lay the foundation for more advanced automation later on.

  • Sortation Systems enable faster, more accurate order consolidation, especially in multi-zone or high-SKU environments. Whether used for zone routing, outbound parcel sorting, or batch pick distribution, they drive throughput without sacrificing flexibility.


At this phase, flexibility is still important. These solutions offer scalability and configurability that align well with operations facing moderate SKU variability or seasonality. 


However, this phase also marks a critical operational shift. Workflow design becomes more important. Stations need to be engineered for efficient picking, replenishment processes need to be defined, and operators must work seamlessly with automation. 


Mistakes at this stage often happen when companies view goods-to-person automation as plug-and-play.


Without careful planning, issues can arise:


  • Picking bottlenecks if operator workstations aren’t optimized

  • Inventory slotting challenges if product profiles aren’t suited to automated systems

  • Poor ROI if seasonal fluctuations lead to underutilized automation during slower periods


The walk phase is where automation becomes strategic. The right technologies start to deliver real efficiency—and yes, many of them are designed specifically to eliminate the need to walk at all. But impact only comes when these solutions are thoughtfully integrated into your broader operational model.


Run: Commit to High Volume, High Density Automation Where It Makes Sense

Run is the phase many companies envision when they picture a highly automated warehouse. But it’s also the phase that demands the most caution and careful planning. 


At this stage, automation becomes essential to throughput. It’s no longer about assisting human operators—it’s about automating as much of the process as possible to achieve speed, accuracy, and labor savings at scale. 


However, the run phase works best in environments with high stability and predictability.


Where to Focus:


  • G2P AMR Shuttles and ASRS Shuttle Systems are built for ultra-fast, high-density fulfillment. Totes move rapidly from storage to pick stations with minimal delay. When optimized, these systems can handle enormous order volumes with minimal labor.

  • Robotic Picking and Automated Put Walls further reduce human touches. AI-driven picking solutions can automate single-item selection and place goods directly into outbound containers. Automated put walls sort and consolidate orders, improving speed and accuracy.

  • Fully integrated software and controls unify the warehouse. Advanced Warehouse Execution Systems (WES) optimize task orchestration, inventory balancing, and equipment utilization across every zone.


Run-level automation delivers enormous benefits—but also introduces real risks if deployed prematurely. These systems:


  • Require high SKU and order profile stability to operate efficiently

  • Require a clear understanding of system complexity and long-term maintenance needs

  • Can struggle to adapt quickly if business needs or product mixes shift


In other words: The run stage is where operational maturity must match automation complexity.

Before stepping into this phase, companies need to ensure:


  • Stable demand and forecastability

  • Predictable order profiles and SKU velocity

  • A well-trained team and strong change management capabilities


When these boxes are checked, run-level automation unlocks extraordinary performance. But when they aren’t, businesses can end up with rigid systems that underperform and constrain flexibility. 


Automation is Not One-Size-Fits-All. It’s a Journey.

Warehouse automation offers incredible potential—but only when matched carefully to each operation’s readiness and realities. 


The smartest companies don’t try to skip steps. They scale thoughtfully, ensuring each layer of automation delivers clear value before moving forward. 

At Zion Solutions Group, this is what we do best. We help businesses:


  • Avoid common automation pitfalls

  • Select and implement the right technologies at the right time

  • Build integrated solutions that grow with the business


Whether you’re just beginning to explore automation or evaluating when to scale to the next level, we’re here to be your partner in doing it right. 


Schedule a complimentary automation readiness consultation with Zion today.

We’ll spend an hour with you on the phone learning about your current environment and make a recommendation on where to start. Have data on your operation? We’ll take a look and share our thoughts on specific technologies worth considering.


 
 
 

1 Comment


boy wu
boy wu
19 minutes ago

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