When it comes to managing your warehouse, one of the most important factors in maintaining its cost-effectiveness is going to be reducing the number of wasted goods. While some waste is always going to be a factor, there are causes that you can crackdown on to ensure that you’re not letting too many products go out without a buyer.
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Know when items are going to waste
If we’re talking about products that have a natural sell-by date, then it’s important that you strengthen your fulfilment process to ensure that they go out first. This means having a system that keeps in mind the sell-by date of each and every item and getting alerted as to when they are about to reach them. Then, when you get an order, the system can point you to the items that are closest to their sell-by date but that could be delivered before that date passes.
Know where everything is going
Another reason that things tend to get lost in the warehouse is that they literally are lost somewhere in there, they’re still there but your team doesn’t know how to locate them. You shouldn’t rely on just an informal understanding of what goes where. You should make use of a digital inventory system that means that your records are updated every time a piece of stock is moved, including highlighting specifically what area it is in. You can even have individual users ID themselves with each move so you know who last had access to an item.
Prevent the outside from getting in
Strengthening the actual structure of the warehouse can play a big role in keeping your products from going to waste, too. One element that can lead to expedited waste of goods, for instance, is water, especially leaks and puddles that can form in there. The more moisture, the more it can soil products, meaning you have to toss them out. Investing in commercial roof coatings, you can make sure that these leaks don’t open up every time it rains. Of course, you should keep on top of any plumbing in the warehouse to ensure that isn’t a concern, as well.
Pay heed to your team
Though we may not like to think it, theft is far more common in the workplace than many understand. IDing those who access certain goods can help you track it down, but you should make sure that you deal with thefts immediately with a strict and straightforward no tolerance policy. Otherwise, you can conduct background checks when hiring your warehouse staff to make sure you’re reducing your risk by not hiring anyone who has a criminal past, especially those who have been arrested for theft.
The better you reduce waste in the warehouse, the more products that you’re going to be able to sell and the less storage space that you’re going to waste. The tips above are just the beginning, there are plenty of efforts you can undertake to make your warehouses much more efficient and cost-effective.
