Working in the distribution sector and running an efficient warehouse is a daily challenge to meet expectations and provide lasting customer satisfaction by organising a warehouse.
Focusing on the successful completion of orders, limiting damage to stock and keeping productivity to a maximum whilst keeping their costs to a minimum is at the core of the successful operation, but streamlining areas in order to achieve these daily goals are not an everyday item for consideration.
By implementing some systems to support these goals you are able to drastically reduce margins of error and keep your business ticking at the right momentum.
Efficient Racking and Storage
A lot towards success comes down to the quality and style of storage within your warehouse.
Implementing high-quality warehouse storage equipment goes a very long way to protecting your business as well as providing an efficiency around your picking process. At certain points in the year such as Christmas, Easter or summer occasions you may have a lot of stock that you would not have throughout the remainder of the year, and this requires a lot of consideration to prevent your bays becoming overloaded.
By installing strong pallet racking and industrial storage racks you are able to provide adequate spacing for your workers to navigate around aisles without getting held up by excess stock hanging out of bays.
Evaluating Layouts and Zones
Among the many talking points for businesses is how they can reduce travel time within their warehouses.
This can be achieved by implementing zoning areas throughout and even splitting aisles into two to increase picking between racks. If a picker has to travel the entire lane in order to pick up one item and then have to travel down three more until his next item, that is a fair chunk of time even if he has clear paths in between.
Reorganising your warehouse layout is an ongoing proposal that will crop up over time, and the most efficient way of dealing with it is cutting out time where they are wandering through lanes that they don’t need to be riding down.
Giving Staff Their Say
Of course, the easy way to understand where your efficiencies may be faltering is to listen to the people who have to abide by them.
By listening to the problems your order pickers and forklift drivers face daily and prevent them from being more efficient throughout the day, your eyes may be opened to problems that were not thoroughly evaluated before implementing them. Also, you should have regular staff meetings and training in order to see what people can bring to the table which also provides staff with a feeling that their voice is being heard and you are interested in investing in their success also.
For all your warehouse requirements from commercial shelving to top of the line warehouse storage equipment, contact the team at Monarch Shelving to begin preparing for busy years ahead by organising a warehouse.
