In order to improve customer satisfaction, having an efficient warehouse is key. You might find that there are some operations that are redundant and contribute a significant portion to the costs of monthly maintenance. We don’t promise that you’ll see the results overnight but habits have a compounding effect. Running an efficient warehouse will require that you have everyone on board. Here are some tips that will be helpful if you’re looking to improve efficiency in your warehouse.
Optimize Storage
This is the first thing you’ll need to get right if you’re to have an efficient warehouse. When everything is all over the place, there could be issues with mobility. Even if you’ve invested in warehouse vehicle lighting and the staff is working in shifts, it will be of no use if the space that is available isn’t properly optimized. You don’t want to set up an additional fulfillment center when the space that is available has not been fully utilized. As with most warehouses, the storage should be built going up and not sideways. This makes sure that you’re using every inch possible.
It will be easy for those handling equipment in the warehouse to access the aisles regardless of the side that they’re on. There are warehouse layouts you can check out depending on the space that you have available.
More Pickup and Delivery Options
When you shift the burden of inventory to retailers, you get to significantly reduce operation costs. There are customers that will be willing to pick up the products from the store instead of having to wait for delivery. This option improves the product visibility while at the same time reducing the warehouse costs.
Lean Inventory
You should only have inventory that is needed at any particular time. For a first-moving business, you’ll know the products that are on demand and the warehouse storage should be able to reflect that. You can also get into an agreement with the suppliers for smaller quantity delivery more frequently. This way, you don’t have to worry about dead products.
Organizing Workstations
You don’t want your staff taking more than 10 minutes looking for tools. As such you’ll want to ensure that the workstations are always organized. Have a policy in place to ensure that the workers adhere to rules at all times. Productive employees will obviously lead to more efficiency in the operations of the warehouse.
Improve Mobile Technology in the Warehouse
Nearly every business knows that technology can improve efficiency but the big question is how. Investing in mobile technology to manage stock is one the best decisions you’ll ever make for your warehouse. Forget about the barcodes. Think of phones and tablets that can optimize picking routes so that there is minimal downtime. You can reduce picking errors by up to 67% when you invest in handheld mobile technology.
Review Process For Inventory
The amount of time that a product goes around the warehouse can affect the overall efficiency of operations. The use of data can help in reviewing the inventory in your warehouse. In order to optimize the inventory coming in and out of the warehouse, there should be a special focus on the metrics. You don’t want to hold inventory for too long as it could interfere with the profit margins.
Replenishment Practices
When your warehouse starts to grow, you’ll be thinking about hiring an inventory controller. The person will be in charge of monitoring the inventory coming in and going out of the warehouse and also taking care of the reorders so that the stock is maintained. You don’t want to depend on a manual system for stock replenishment as it could be plagued with errors. There are management systems that can automate such tasks so that you’re always aware whenever reordering is necessary.
Invest in the Right Equipment
There is a need to use the right equipment for the operations in a warehouse to be efficient. One of the ways of getting to know what is needed is by reaching out to those that handle the equipment. Ask them about the current challenges that they’re experiencing and what can be done to improve their workflow. Getting feedback from those that are on the ground will inform your equipment purchasing decisions going forward.
It’s also recommended that you’re reviewing your packaging options, especially if you’ve not done so in years. You might find that the Modula vertical storage system is cheaper and more efficient alternatives that could potentially save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
