For many businesses and warehouses, these are some of the quietest times that they have ever experienced. As more and more companies opt for a total shutdown, putting staff on furlough once again, it’s worth considering what you could be doing during this time to make improvements and investments for the future.
If your business and warehouse have been affected by the new restrictions, then here are some suggestions of things you could do during the lockdown to make the most of it…
Now your day-to-day running responsibilities are temporarily lessened, it’s a good time to assess whether the layout of your warehouse is the most practical it could be.
How your warehouse is ordered is, of course, dependent on your business’ individual needs, but here are some general things to think about:
Does the current layout do everything you need it to? If your objective is to pack as quickly as possible, is the picking and packing route the simplest and fastest it can be? If, however, your main goal is to receive inventory, then do you have the necessary space to do it effectively?
Busy areas in a warehouse slow your business down. Not only that, they have the potential to cause accidents. If you do have any high-traffic areas, identify why this could be. Is it because one step of the process is located too far away from the next step? Or maybe it’s because your fast-moving goods are placed too far away. Consider moving all your fast-moving goods together and nearer to the packing areas.
Is your warehouse running as efficiently as possible? Here are some things to consider:
National and global companies are fully utilising automation technology to improve their processes and get ahead of the competition. So, what advantages could it bring to your business? Whether its pallet-stacking robots or more sophisticated piece picking robots, the best use of automation in a warehouse is to cover those repetitive jobs. This increases efficiency, reduces human error and leaves your employees to focus on value-added tasks and quality control.
The right warehouse equipment is key in keeping your business moving forward, however, investing in new equipment is one of the biggest expenses you can face. If your budget won’t stretch to buying new, here at Barek Lift Trucks, we have an extensive work hire fleet that allows you to meet any new demands you might have identified. Whether it’s VNA (Very Narrow Aisle) equipment, Atlet warehouse equipment or the latest TCM forklifts, we can add these to your fleet quickly and easily.
A quieter time in the year is a great chance to look at your figures and identify which products your customers can’t get enough of and which ones have been lingering in your warehouse for far too long. Don’t forget to tally their performance with external influences that may have affected sales, such as bad weather, lockdowns or Brexit uncertainty.
Once you’ve identified the big hitters and the fallen flats, use this information to influence the purchasing decisions you make in the year ahead.
If you have a surplus of stock lying around, now is a good time to try and shift it. Consider promoting these items in your shop or website to get rid of them. This could be something as simple as a tempting discount or bundling them together with other products. Or perhaps you could think of a way to put a different spin on your item to make it appeal to a different type of customer?
A clean and tidy warehouse is a productive one and the quieter period is a perfect time to do a deep clean. Whether you ask your employees to perform this clean or get in external help will depend on your circumstances. Make each person responsible for a section of the warehouse and ensure sure you give them suitable cleaning equipment to carry out the job properly.
The first stage of the cleaning process is to declutter. Get rid of any packaging or paper lying around. This is also a good opportunity to assess whether you have enough waste and recycling bins in your warehouse. Next, every area should be thoroughly cleaned. Ask your employees to make a note of any difficult-to-clean areas and how long the job took them, so you have this information to hand for the next clean.
If you’re looking for forklifts for your business in Beverley, Grimbsy, Hull, York or any of the surrounding areas, we have them for sale or hire. We also provide training courses and service and maintenance checks, so don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss your requirements.
Enquiries: 01482 218 151
Email: info@barek.co.uk
