Of course, it’s challenging for a warehouse to supply its product on time especially when it has multiple channels. Warehouse workers are likely to receive pressure from store locations and buyers. Likewise, it’s challenging to monitor the inventory and keep up with customer demands as well as the needs of the buyers and works. That’s some of the reasons any warehouse need to utilize a proper inventory management system because things are likely to go haywire when a store doesn’t manage its inventory processes. The following are the best warehouse management practices that will streamline the management of inventory.
Reorganize the Plan of the Floor
While reorganization of the floor of a warehouse might come with some skepticism, it helps to modify the space and increase its efficiency. You might still need to make storage changes since demand and supply of products will keep changing. As such, a warehouse supervisor might need to initiate a strategy that can modify the storage approaches and match them with their new business models. That will make a warehouse more efficient than before and bring in an excellent value to its overall operations. Reorganizing the layout of a warehouse can help achieve greater efficiency. Of course, warehouse managers want to minimize the travel between departments and pick locations for improved efficiency and productivity. As such, warehouses might need to develop processes that can monitor the movement of workers and storage locations to increase their effectiveness.
Utilize Fixed and Movable Tracking Options
With a mobile tracking option, spotting any item in a warehouse becomes easier. It enables warehouse workers to locate objects at all times and streamlines the entire shipping process. Conversely, fixed tracking is an alternative option for many warehouses. It let warehouse workers assign and monitor destination with ease and efficiency. For optimal results, a warehouse can combine its mobile tracking and fixed tracking strategies. Combining the two options can do wonder if warehouse workers utilize them to their fullest potential. Warehouse managers might also consider locating their stores and pick points near the shipping area to reduce the time taken to collect an item. Constant review of sales data also contributes towards achieving a competitive advantage and ensure warehouses store their inventory close to the shipping area for quick delivery.
Utilize Inventory Management Software
Managing a warehouse can be easy as long as you invest in the right software. It’s time for warehouse owners to abandon the old inventory management systems as they cannot cater for the ever-evolving customer demands. That alone can cripple a warehouse, and it might not be as economical as the owner would expect. Lag can wreak havoc in an old inventory system, but the latest warehouse software come with real-time updates, which warehouse workers can tag with RFID for accuracy and speed. It also reduces confusion in supply chain environments and increases the efficiency of the decision-making process. Warehouses that still run their operations with hard copy tickets often find it difficult to eliminate human errors and improve efficiency. However, world-class warehouses have adopted advanced software and technology to maximize their efficiency and combat losses caused by human errors. Besides printers and RF readers, the warehouse has introduced voice recognition technology and pick-to-light systems to improve their safety and streamline their operations. A pick-to-light system let warehouse managers scan their documents and display it in front of the picking area to inform operators what quantity of products they should pick. Most warehouses are using this system for their top selling products. Introduction of the pick-to-light system to a warehouse can also help it gain efficiency and eliminate paperwork and other errors caused by the use of hard copy tickets.
Employee Monitoring
Besides inventory tracking, warehouse managers would want to monitor the performance of their workers. It might also be useful for a warehouse manager to add advanced security features and protocols to make it easier to track workers. Monitoring workers are critical for a warehouse that would want to increase the safety of its protocols. Taking the time to monitor the performance of warehouse workers can be worth it in the end.
Utilize Various Money-Saving Options
Of course, warehouse managers have to focus on running a lean operation and their ROI when doing inventory management for their warehouses. One of the efficient systems that warehouse managers can utilize to decrease storage and handling time is cross-docking. It let warehouse managers manage their operations seamlessly and make storage a lot easier than before. Alternatively, warehouses with complex shipping processes can opt for wave picking approach. You will only realize how both wave-picking and cross-docking can help save money after adopting an advanced tracking system. Warehouses all over the world are now using standardized containers for storing their products. These containers simplify the ordering process and make it easier for operators to store and find materials, ensuring a warehouse has a neater appearance than before. Use of standardized bins also minimizes the number of handling equipment that a warehouse needs. These bins also eliminate the time that operators and pickers waste as they search for handling equipment. Warehouse operators can also use bin locations to place pallets and their containers on the shelves. That helps reduce time spent searching for materials and minimizes cases of misplaced or lost inventory. However, warehouses might need to use readable and clear labels that scanners and other printers can read to reduce errors. Warehouses can also implement cross-docking systems to eliminate excessive handling of inventory and speed up operations.
Related article: Warehouse Management Center Best Practices
Track Your High Sellers
One reason to optimize warehouse inventory management is the ability to order for each customer or product and track sales. Sales data can be instrumental, and warehouses can take advantage of their smart insights to improve their performance. Warehouse managers can utilize this information track their best sellers, but it’s prudent to place this information to find and follow them with ease. Shipping and storage will speed up, the entire inventory management will streamline, and warehouse managers will never have to worry about the efficiency of their operations. Tracking the best sellers is probably the best method to utilize to make clients satisfied and happy.
Try to Link the Levels of Accuracy and Inventory
An inventory management system can generate large volumes of data based on how the stock is moving within the warehouse. Warehouse managers can sometimes get overwhelmed by large data sets especially when their inventory management systems are subtle. However, a straightforward approach that warehouse managers can take is to find and analyze results that they want instead of sifting through endless sets of data. With this approach, warehouse managers can save a lot of money through the elimination of additional inventory and shift orders. Though integrating can be difficult especially when a warehouse doesn’t have an inventory tracking system, the results can be rewarding.
Integrate a Voice Picking System
Of course, warehouse workers can communicate with their pick instructions operators through a headset. The operator of pick instructions uses RF from the company’s order management software and ERP to instruct warehouse workers. With this system, warehouse operators can perform their tasks without the need to deal with paper tickets or look at the screen of their computers. Warehouses all over the world have adopted this system as a complement to their other warehouse’s operations to facilitate quick delivery of products.
Of course, warehouses all over the world are looking for ways to improve the efficiency of their supply chain and minimize their costs. For an enterprise to get the most out of its operations, it has to adopt the best practices to boost customer satisfaction and improve productivity. While best practices can vary across industries and the products being shipped, some methods can be applied to nearly all forms of businesses. Warehouses should look for ways to reduce their picking time for them to gain efficiencies and streamline their operations. Though technology can make a significant impact, nothing can substitute the organization of a warehouse, time-tracking, and expenditure of money on where efficiency improvement is necessary.
