After the delay, Dulle says, Dorfman Pacific was "mentally ready" for the new operations and procedures. Each warehouse bin now had only one product type in it, and all bins had bar code labels so wireless scanning devices could track inventory. The warehouse was divided into new zones, which sped up the shipping process for orders that didn't need any extra handling.

Instead of bludgeoning its way to the finish line, Dorfman Pacific was able to pull back when other companies might have pressed on. "We were able to stop and catch our breath, and work through the issues and flows," Dulle says.

Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labour

Almost two years later, the vision of a wireless warehouse is a reality. Workers now take advantage of wireless networking, handhelds and scanners, bar codes, and streamlined shipping and receiving procedures. All product inventory is seamlessly tracked and there's not much paper floating around the warehouse. "As far as paper to manage inventory, we don't have it," Dulle says.

He won't say what the total project cost but notes the company is looking out three years for the return on its investment. Meanwhile, three peak seasons have come and gone using the new system, and executives are happy with the results. Dorfman Pacific now handles approximately double the number of orders during its peak periods and has sliced labour costs by nearly 30 percent in the warehouse.

"We had a significant increase in [shipments] during the last peak season, and we handled it with less people," Dulle says. "We can take market share from competitors because we can deliver faster now."