Tips That Can Help with Your Warehouse Productivity and Save Money
Tips That Can Help with Your Warehouse Productivity and Save Money
The warehouse industry is one of the most important aspects of the business world as we know it. Nowadays, with e-commerce on the rise, even businesses that don’t have a presence in the physical world are in need of some warehouse space. This means that owning a warehouse tends to be a lucrative state of affairs. The biggest problem, nonetheless, lies in the fact that the profitability of your warehouse depends on your warehouse productivity and organization. It is, therefore, your job is to invest as much as you can in order to help your warehouse achieve the peak of productivity. Here are several ideas that you should definitely take into consideration. Tips that can help your warehouse productivity and save money.
Incentivize your staff
It goes without saying that your staff is your most important resource. However, just because you have “enough” people for the job or the fact that your staff members have satisfactory previous work experience (experience in the warehouse industry). What you need to do is provide them with motivation. This can mean a number of things. First of all, in the warehouse industry, overtime is a standard occurrence. Why not pay a bit more for these extra hours? A couple of additional days off each month, as well as some hefty bonuses also go a long way.
It’s a part of a larger system
The next thing you need to keep in mind is the fact that your warehouse is not a stand-alone infrastructural part – it’s a part of a larger system. You see, if you’re in the manufacturing industry, it’s crucial for supplying your facility with raw materials that are stored there. If you’re a retailer, it’s pivotal in your delivery system. Even if you are just a warehouse business, keep in mind that others (the above-discussed manufacturers and retailers) see you as merely a part of a larger system. This way, you will get a much better idea of your role and have an easier job of accomplishing it.
Great floor organization
In your warehouse, space is money. The more space you have the more items you can store and in warehouses, storage space is the chargeable asset. In other words, a great floor organization maximizes your profit. From the perspective of productivity, on the other hand, the maneuvering space is crucial for the overall functioning of the space. Failure to figure this one out, you’ll significantly damage your warehouse’s organization and even risk knocking over some of the stored materials. This is a direct net loss, which, in the bottom line, hurts your productivity. These two aspects may seem contrasting at times, however, it’s important that you realize that your efficiency at warehouse management greatly depends on the ability to find a balance between the two.
Suitable equipment
Materials handling equipment is incredibly important when it comes to keeping your warehouse safe and efficient. Why? Well, because improper equipment risks damaging the contents of the warehouse. Other than this, a lack of suitable equipment may restrict you from accessing some of the hard-to-reach spots of the warehouse, which directly hurts your profits and organizational efficiency. In the majority of warehouses, ladders, trolleys and forklifts are the essential equipment. The first two should always be purchased but, when it comes to the latter, you should seriously consider looking up forklift hire in Perth in order to find a more frugal option.
Adequate software
Previously, we’ve discussed the issue of warehouse logistics management. Well, one of the simplest ways to automate this task is to invest in a proper warehouse management system (WMS). A proper WMS can save time, cut costs, reduce equipment and materials mishandling and, most importantly, keep you informed about the contents of your warehouse at all times. This way, you don’t have to handle the inventory in the traditional way but can, instead, find a way to do this in a matter of seconds. Some systems envelop the delivery aspect, as well, by including fleet management into the mix, as well.
Record everything
The last thing you need to keep in mind is the importance of keeping records of everything regarding your warehouse. We’re not just talking about the inventory and operational costs but the frequency at which equipment malfunctions, the frequency of injuries of your staff and the average absenteeism rate amongst your staff. These issues are important for several reasons, especially due to the fact that it will allow you to minimize your downtime by anticipating unexpected expenses. Keep in mind that just keeping records of this is not enough. Proper analysis and interpretation are what matters the most.
In conclusion
In the end, improving your warehouse productivity is not a simple matter, however, with so much room for improvement, you can definitely find something that fits your intentions and your budget. Equipment can always be hired for a test, the composition of your staff changed and the software that you use replaced with a superior version. In other words, this is one of the areas with a relatively safe trial and error learning methodology, even though it’s for the best (and most frugal) to get everything right on the first go.
