There are a lot of things to be handled in a warehouse. From meeting the varying needs of the business to ensuring an accurate movement of items lying in the premises, supervising a warehouse is just like looking after your home but which is at least ten times its size.
Maintaining a warehouse can be a daunting task. As an owner, you ought to have the right sense of layout planning and appropriate inventory organization skills so that there is a smooth flow of work and a satisfactory customer experience.
Moreover, when the company sales are shooting up, you obviously don’t want to obstruct the graph by picking and packing the wrong goods just because you or your team members don’t carry the necessary sorting skills.
Defining a layout of your warehouse doesn’t guarantee you high-cost savings or increment in profits, but it surely does a great job in making your search and deliver process far more efficient.
Keep reading further to get an insight into some amazing tips laid down by professionals to handle the warehouse inventory –
Re-work on your Floor Plan
The best way to design a floor plan for a warehouse is to treat it just like the floor plan of your home. Placing the shelves, tools, equipment, work benches, and tables – everything has to be done strategically so there is no hindrance in day to day tasks and workflow remains smooth and effective.
So, take a walk around your existing floor plan and assess it from the perspective of the employees working there. Also, divide the whole premises into well-defined work areas. Generally, a good floor layout consists of an office, production house, packing, storage, and shipping area.
Receive Inventory Efficiently
Receiving inventory from your own production house or some other manufacturer is the very first step that is why it has to be done perfectly. You have to pay attention as to whether or not the goods have been received in the desired quantity and quality.
Showing negligence at this stage can make your whole warehouse suffer. So, ensure that you unload the inventory safely with the help of forklifts, pallet jacks or conveyor belts and no item is damaged in the process. Practice good quality control and identify any issues with the incoming items right away.
Organizing and Labeling is the Key
Just like choosing storage units for your new home, you have to choose appropriate ones for organizing your warehouse as well. You would need racks, shelves, safety cabinets, dangerous goods store, etc. that work around your warehouse premises the best and then place it in such a way that the inventory remains safe and is easy to access. Additionally, you have to label every little item in your warehouse to maintain clear communication and accuracy. This just doesn’t mean labeling the goods but also putting up safety signs for clearance heights and capacity alerts.