16 Jun Where Time Gets Wasted In Warehouses
Does your business rely on the steady and streamlined running of a warehouse to manage inventory and get deliveries out to your customers? Then you had better believe that time wasted in that warehouse is going to cost you money. The longer it takes to shift products, the longer it takes to bring in new stock. It also affects your delivery processes, which is directly tied to your customer’s satisfaction. So, what can you do to reduce the time wasted in the warehouse?
Finding products in the first place
Simply put, if an employee doesn’t know where a piece of inventory is, it’s going to take a lot longer to get its journey to where it needs to be started. The single best solution here is to operate with an inventory management system that tracks their location over time.
Transporting inventory from place to place
The act of physically moving and sorting inventory needs to be as streamlined as possible. If you’re not equipping your team with the tools that they need, such as wholesale cash and carry trolleys or even forklifts to lift particularly heavy inventory, then simply shifting is not only going to be more time-consuming, it can be more dangerous. Lessen the load on your employees, create a safer workspace, and save a ton of time by making sure they have the right equipment on hand.
How employees track time
Teaching your employees to use their time as effectively as possible is going to an important part of managing any warehouse. A good way to do this is to teach them the standardized methods of doing any particular job and making sure they get a clear idea of how many minutes it takes on average to get it done. Keep clocks visible in the warehouse at all times so they can get an idea of when certain deadlines might be approaching and can shift focus when necessary.
Bottlenecks in the process
One of the most frustrating kinds of wasted time in any business is known as waiting waste. This means that workers are stuck waiting for the resources, space, or tools that they need to complete their job. Try to track waiting waste in your warehouse to find where the bottlenecks are keeping your team waiting. Usually, the solution is “more,” whether it’s more space, more of a particular kind of tool, or otherwise.
The process of shipping out
One of the biggest potential bottlenecks and sources of waste in any warehouse is where the products go out. Creating a work environment where your team can quickly double-check, label, and pack any item to go is vital. The shipping our or fulfilment area can also be helped with the installation of labelling solutions that allow workers to more quickly get the goods out the door.
The warehouse is one of the most important areas of your business. Know how time is getting wasted in there and take the necessary steps to cut it out.