Modern business is almost unrecognisable compared to 20 years ago, with video conferencing, social media and instant communication all playing an everyday role. But even in this digital age, some things never change.
No matter what you sell online, you need somewhere to store it, and if your company is big enough – you’ll need a warehouse.
If you have a warehouse, it needs to run like a well-oiled machine. An organised, expertly managed and controlled warehouse is essential if you want to reach optimum efficiency in your business.
Having a place for everything and everything in its place can save you time, money and stress, maximising profits and keeping your employees safe.
With our experience in warehouses, we’ve put together this short post with some tips and advice on how to organise a warehouse and keep things running smoothly.
Use the ABC method of inventory management
Obviously, different companies sell different things, but no matter which industry you’re in, you’ll have some stock that is more popular than others. These items are going to be shipped and restocked more frequently than their counterparts, and this is where the ABC method comes in.
ABC analysis is an inventory management technique that determines the value of inventory items based on their importance to the business.
- The A category is top sellers and/or anything you run out of more often
- The B category is average or above-average sellers
- The C category is anything that doesn’t fit into the first two categories
Once you have sorted your stock into what sells more/faster than others, it’s time to plan your warehouse accordingly.
Organise your warehouse by importance
With the likes of Amazon offering free next-day delivery, customers are now expecting to have their products as soon as possible. This means having category A items nearby and on hand, ready to ship at a moment’s notice.
Your warehouse should be planned to make this as efficient as possible. High-turnover items should be easily accessible and near your picking/shipping station, which itself should be closest to the docking/receiving area.
The stock you have classified as B should be further away, with C-listed items furthest away, but be careful not to block access to them altogether.
Keep it all properly labelled
This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how often stock is simply put on a shelf and forgotten about, especially if it’s category C – items that don’t sell too often.
For efficient warehouse productivity, every shelf and item should be easily identified. That means easy to read, scan and count. SKU labels should be on every side of a box, so no one ever has to move a product, or worse, climb up to identify a label.
Getting products to and from industrial shelves is at the heart of warehouse productivity and reducing time spent processing stock is the key to efficiency.
Organise workstations
Nothing makes a warehouse worker happier than going to look for a tool and finding it’s exactly where it’s supposed to be. Organising workstations in a warehouse keeps clutter at bay, reduces errors, and improves safety and organisation, not to mention the productivity of workers.
Depending on your business, a designated area for damaged or returned stock is always a good idea to keep track of what can and cannot be used.
Always review your warehouse
Remember, what works for you at present, may not necessarily work for you in the future. It is important to regularly review your warehouse’s organization, your stock turnover, and the feedback from your workers.
You may have sold a lot of scarves and woolly hats in the winter months, but that doesn’t mean they should be at the front of your warehouse this summer. Maybe it’s time to bring the boxes of sunscreen and sunglasses up from the back. If you want your warehouse organised, it’s an ongoing year-round job!
We can help with warehouse pallet racking
Managing and organising your warehouse will always be important, whether you’re a new online retailer or a familiar face in the industry.
Organisation from the start is key as it saves you plenty of time and stress later on. A warehouse that’s disorganized not only costs you money but can be dangerous for employees.
Improving warehouse efficiency is as much about common sense and the right storage equipment as it is about anything else. Fortunately, we have plenty of both!
Strong, reliable and expertly assembled pallet racking is the foundation of an efficient warehouse.
If you would like to know more about how we can help you with your pallet racking, then contact us today and one of our experienced staff members will be happy to have a chat.
Pallet Racking Solutions designs, supplies and installs quality pallet racking and warehouse storage solutions, New Zealand wide. Follow our blog for the latest innovations, new tech, safety and compliance, case studies and in-depth explanations of our solutions.