The Secrets To Excellent Warehouse Efficiency

After getting through all the planning and financial back-and-forth that comes with setting up a warehouse, you’ll probably feel pretty exhausted. I hate to break it to you, but your work is far from over! When you’re running a warehouse operation, the real issue is setting standards for productivity and making sure they’re sustained. Here’s some of the best advice for making sure your warehouse is a productive one.

My first tip is a little more like a warning; don’t neglect your staff. The distribution industry has changed a lot over the past few years. Countless integrated data systems are being used to reduce waste, streamline day-to-day operations, and manage supplier relations. However, this kind of tech will be useless if you don’t have skilled and reliable staff on board. When you’re bringing in new employees, you need to make sure their initial training is handled by a professional service, for example Pro-Trainers forklift training. From there, you need to make sure all of your staff know how to use your warehouse management systems effectively and efficiently. Encouraging communication, and making sure your staff understand the importance of continued training are also important steps. Of course, it’s your business and you can manage your staff in a way that works for you. Just make sure you don’t neglect them!

My next tip is to automate, but don’t over-automate. Warehouse automation has become progressively more affordable in recent years, while labour, time and space has become more expensive. While robotic solutions used to be exclusive to the manufacturing sector, we’re now seeing more and more in distribution, picking and packing. This kind of innovation is certainly exciting, but you shouldn’t jump at it before you understand the ROI, as well as the benefits. Find out how much some automated equipment will cost over its expected service life, and compare this with the cost of labour over the same period of time. You might be surprised by what you find! All businesses should be keeping up with modern innovations, but when you’re in the start-up phase productivity and ROI should always come first.

Finally, look into the labour tech which you may be able to integrate at your warehouse. Just as you should be investing in robotics where it makes sense, you labour management tools are another thing which could provide a big advantage to your warehouse. If you pick the right programs, labour management software can really help you get a handle on all those unruly costs, give you a clearer idea of your labour situation as it is, and take control of it. Ask anyone who’s been in the distribution sector longer than you, and they’ll tell you that handling labour resources well can save a warehouse from going under. Generally speaking, these kinds of tools are best for high-volume picks, rather than bulk items that require heavy machinery.

Take this advice, and your warehouse operation will grow to become incredibly productive. Set high standards, keep on measuring them, and you’ll never have to worry about profit margins!