As the doors closed on the 2024 Latitude User Conference, we couldn’t be happier as we reflect on the experiences and insights shared during our time together. This year’s event, held at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport, was a great success. Over the course of two and a half jam-packed days, we brought together a diverse group of warehouse and distribution industry leaders, forward-thinking professionals, and innovative minds that we are proud to call our clients.
The variety of perspectives and experiences shared at the LUC enriched our discussions and learning opportunities. Read on for a list of the top three takeaways, two things you may have missed, and one thing to look forward to following the event.
Three Takeaways from This Year’s Latitude User Conference
We asked attendees in a post-event survey what was one valuable thing they took away from the event. We received some great feedback, including information on how to “increase my team’s picking accuracy,” “use and set up the cycle counting jobs,” and “combine multiple purchase orders into one ASN to receive.”
Here are three things that really stood out:
1. Innovative Solutions and Techniques: This year’s LUC sessions were packed with advanced warehouse management practices. Key presentations like “Advance Your Operations with Advanced VMI” and “Proximate Cause: Equipment Tracking and Pull Types” offered practical advice on optimizing inventory management and operational efficiency.
2. Effective Leadership and Communication: The keynote by Jan McInnis underscored the importance of using humor to navigate tough conversations and build stronger relationships. Dr. John Medina‘s inspirational keynote uncovered what theory of mind is, how it works, and how to enhance it to improve workplace communication and employee engagement.
3. Networking Opportunities: The LUC was a hub for forging new connections and partnerships. Attendees had numerous opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions and exchange best practices, strengthening our professional community.
Two Things You Might Have Missed
Beyond these three highlights than many attendees noted, there were several things that may have slipped under the radar but were equally valuable. These are two activities you may have missed:
1. In-Depth Learning Sessions: Some of the technical sessions, such as “Front Counter Productive,” offered detailed insights into the nuances of inventory management in high-paced environments. These best practices are crucial for improving customer experiences but might not have been on everyone’s radar. Meanwhile, the Hands-On Learning session, “Proximate Cause: Equipment Tracking and Pull Types”, provided practical and actionable knowledge for implementing these techniques immediately.
2. The Latitude Advisory Board: The Latitude Advisory Board (LAB) continues to leverage the expertise of respected distribution executives to shape PathGuide’s training programs and suggest future product enhancements. As retiring LAB member Roy Bragg, VP of Operations for E.B. Horsman & Son, shares, “PathGuide has always treated its customers more as partners, and the company’s welcoming response to our suggestion to create the LAB is a testament to its philosophy. LAB members are now actively working with senior management in an advisory role, and will provide more hands-on support in the future, such as by serving as a beta test group for Latitude software updates.”
One Thing to Look Forward To
1. Conference Content: We are excited to share follow-up resources from the conference and look forward to our next event. Stay tuned for more opportunities to learn, grow, and innovate together as we continue to build on the momentum from this year’s success. We encourage you to visit the LUC content hub where you can download resources from talks, access training materials, and review copies of speaker presentations.
While the LUC is designed as a learning experience for our clients, even some of our employees who attended their first conference found the experience to be a learning opportunity. After the event, Jaime Hidalgo, a Software Support Engineer at PathGuide, shared that “meeting customers face-to-face and engaging in casual conversations was incredibly rewarding because it helped build a more personal, human connection. The informative workshops and my Hands-On Session deepened my understanding of customer needs. With entertaining guest speakers and valuable insights, the event was a great success, and I’m already looking forward to the next one!”
A special thank you to Honeywell and SMC³ for their sponsorship, and to everyone who attended and made this year’s Latitude User Conference such a great experience.