The holidays are very stressful times for warehouse operations and supply chain centers. Distribution and fulfillment orders are processed at a high volume pace. Keeping up with every order can be a very challenging task. Employees are performing frantically as they try to keep up with heavy demands. Warehouse managers need to be on top of their game during these busy times.
Fortunately, there are many ways that warehouses can sustain inventory control and improve productivity among their operation. By using certain material handling equipment, you can execute warehouse inventory management at the highest level.
These are the best strategies to follow as you gear up for the holidays:
Organize Your Inventory:
A disorganized warehouse is terrible for fulfillment, thus leading to dissatisfied customer services. If your warehouse is a mess, it can be easy to get misinformed about the inventory that’s available. Don’t risk losing sales opportunities or business leads because of a sloppy warehouse. Maintain a clean warehouse where all inventory items are easily accessible.
Create an Effective Layout:
If your fulfillment demands aren’t up to par, then it may be time to rearrange the warehouse. Sit down with warehouse and fulfillment managers and establish an effective blueprint for your facility. Accommodate for space, and operational motions. Draw up a plan for a more efficient warehouse chain.
Define a Fulfillment Strategy:
To warehouse staffs, order fulfillment is the most grueling aspect of the holiday season. Keeping up with the sales channel can be very hectic and demanding. You need a warehouse management system that monitors real-time transactions and deliveries. This helps you keep efficient tabs on every aspect of the fulfillment stream.
Clear up Plenty of Space:
During the holidays, your employees are going to need plenty of room to work. Keeping up with the flow of the operation is already stressful enough. Imagine having to fill a distribution task in a cramped environment. Open up enough space for the assembly line, and machine operators to move comfortably. This enables your operation to efficiently keep up with the flow of demand.
Staff the Right Team:
The holidays are incredibly busy, so it’s important to staff enough employees to meet all demands. Make sure there are enough workers in the warehouse to handle each load every single day. To incentivize your employees during this time, implement bonus opportunities and provide other seasonal benefits. A strong workforce is the well-oiled machine that your operation needs most.
Provide Routine Maintenance:
Make sure that you maintain proper upkeep of the warehouse at all times. During non-working hours, make a close inspection of the equipment and inventory shelves. Remove any faulty items and tune up things with a more optimal solution. If you need to provide retrofits, then so be it. Do everything you can to make sure that your operation is in an optimal position to excel.
Make Accurate Performance Projections:
One of the best warehouse improvement techniques involves sales projections. Most businesses receive holiday orders during the last 30 days of the year. Make an accurate examination of previous sales reports and design your warehouse operation around those results and any relatable business goals.