When you’re running a distribution warehouse space, it can be difficult to keep all of your inventory. You need to keep track of suppliers, buyers, store locations, and other important information, and having all these different streams can create feels of high stress and anxiety. In order to keep your stress levels at bay, you can start using some of the following inventory management techniques to keep your distribution warehouse space running smoothly.
1. Rethink the layout
It might seem outlandish, but reorganizing your floor plan could actually help with inventory management. By rethinking your floor plan, you can make it more efficient. When it comes to determining warehouse space needs, storage plans should be reconsidered as well, and often, as supply and demand can directly affect your what kind and much of storage you need.
2. Personal identification goes a long way
An important part of inventory management is also implementing security protocols so that you can monitor your employees and the safety of your business. When it comes to monitoring inventory, keeping a close eye on employees and having the ability to track them means you can also keep a closer eye on inventory. This is a great investment for the company as a whole to ensure quality and ensure that inventory is going and staying where it needs to be. This can help lower the chances that your company faces loss of revenue and several other challenges due to inventory issues.
3. Invest in the right software
There is no better investment in your business than ensuring you have top-quality inventory management software to be able to help you with organizing and keep an eye on inventory, especially with supply and demand shifts. New and improved, modern software allows for users to tailor the software to their business and you will not have to deal with as much lag (if any!) than you would with older kinds of software. A good software helps eliminate high-paced supply chain challenges.
4. Upkeep is key
You can invest in all the right software, but if you cannot keep up with your warehouse’s organization, then your efforts are rendered pointless. You need to look at small details, such as how easily it is for your employees to get to storage and stock, as well as placement of damages items. Be smart about the way you lay out each section of your floor plan (as mentioned above), while also keeping in mind how you can keep your distribution warehouse space clean and organized to avoid confusion.
5. Label everything, and we mean everything
Finding a warehouse to rent can be a challenge in itself, but once you find the one that works for you, the next step is to fill it with your inventory of products. In order to avoid confusion and keep up organization in your warehouse, be sure to label everything. This makes it easy for employees to quickly identify where certain pieces of stock, items, and other inventory and can speed up the process at which the products are accessed.
Warehousing and distribution does not have to be a challenge. It can be exciting and operations can run very smoothly as long as inventory managers implement quality control, personal identification for employees, a good software, and excellent organizational skills.
Do you have any other advice for inventory management in a distribution warehouse space? Feel free to share in the comments below.