Running a warehouse is an expensive business, so it needs to be done efficiently. If you don’t get this right, you’ll be incurring considerable costs, and you’re in danger of giving your customers bad service.
In today’s competitive world you can’t afford to make this mistake, so here are six common-sense ways to ensure your warehouse operation runs smoothly and profitably.
1. Use the Space Wisely
Every inch of your warehouse incurs costs. It’s not just rent and utilities like electricity that you need to consider. A poorly organised facility makes it harder for staff to locate and despatch items. If you’re struggling with space, have a look at your storage methods. Taller shelving units will be cheaper than renting a larger building.
Resist the temptation to have the same type of shelving throughout. This may seem easier when you’re setting things up, but is this an efficient use of the space? Consider having different types of shelving depending upon the item. For example, warehouses often leave items on pallets. This takes up a lot of room and makes it all too easy to lose the smaller items.
Don’t forget health and safety here. A well organised, accessible storage system will prevent accidents and provide a much nicer working environment for your staff.
2. Organise Your Stock and Save Money
Make sure the most commonly used items are easy to access. Don’t stick them in a corner at the back. They need to be easy to find, and move to and from delivery vehicles. Otherwise, a lot of time will be wasted moving goods in and out. Over time this will have an impact on the speed in which goods are despatched – not good in a world where everything is needed yesterday.
3. Think About Stock Levels
Consider the seasonal demands of your business and resist the temptation to keep extra stock ‘just in case’. Unnecessary items are costly to produce and make the warehouse unnecessarily cluttered. This isn’t helpful when your staff are busy locating and despatching essential items. Too much stock amounts to money sitting on the shelf doing nothing.
4. You Can’t Have Enough Labelling
Every single item in the warehouse should have a barcode label or SKU (stock keeping unit) label. The latter is comprised of a unique set of letters and numbers. Like a barcode, this contains information about the product’s price, colour, size, quantity and so on. It’s linked to the inventory system, so you’ll always know what you have and where it is.
Barcodes and SKU numbers can be read by pickers using hand-held scanners or located on forklifts to access items on higher shelves. This enables the correct stock to be quickly located and dispatched.
5. Employ the Right People
Running a warehouse efficiently requires an experienced manager and well-trained, motivated staff. Everyone should know the layout of the warehouse and be fully trained on all the picking systems. Ongoing staff training is often overlooked, and this doesn’t encourage your employees to be hardworking and loyal. Even the most hi-tech warehouse will struggle to keep up if the staff aren’t on board.
6. Review Warehouse Operations Yearly
Even if your systems are working well, don’t be complacent. A good business is always looking for new opportunities, and that may require a change in your working practices as well.
Barcode Labels Keep Everything Running Smoothly
At Tanto Labels, our range of plain and printed barcode labels and label printing software will keep your warehouse in excellent shape. Contact Tanto Labels today to discuss your barcode needs with a member of our friendly team.
