Expert Opinion

Six ways to improve your warehouse efficiency

When you own a warehouse that offers productive employees the chance to work safely, you need to do all that you can to make it as efficient as possible. Efficiency in your warehouse allows you to ensure that you offer an excellent level of customer service. Efficiency is a critical part of your warehouse operations, so from tracking inventory to being safer in your training with your staff, you can ensure that your warehouse is more efficient than any other in your industry.

There are so many ways that you can improve warehouse efficiency, from choosing the right tool for the job you’re doing, to the following tips that will make a big difference to your warehouse overall. So, with this in mind, let’s dive into six ways you can ensure that your warehouse will remain at the top of the efficiency list.

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  1. Train your staff carefully. You can add so much to your warehouse efficiency checklist when you train your staff properly. You should ensure that you will keep your employees compliant and you can do this with the correct, regular training. Your employee training plan has to include regular training, so don’t just invest in one-off training classes when you hire people. The programs that you offer for training should ensure that safety is the top priority along the way.
  2. Store your equipment and products properly in the warehouse if you want to be efficient within it. You have to know that all of the space in the warehouse is used correctly and you need to get creative and store things properly. Add more shelving, more drawers and cupboards if you must – and make sure that everyone is trained on where everything is!
  3. Make sure that you adopt the LEAN protocol. You need to make sure that you have what you need as you need it, rather than overstocking for your warehouse products. Talk to your suppliers about more frequent deliveries of what you need rather than an overstock and the worry you won’t use it all!
  4. Make sure that you schedule the times of deliveries. Where possible, you need to make your schedules work and more effective. Efficiency is easier when you stick to a schedule. Without schedules, things become more stressful for all involved.
  5. Unpack promptly whenever you receive shipments from anywhere. When you have your deliveries on schedule, you need to have your unpacking scheduled, too. Without unpacking your deliveries, you leave a whole stack of unopened boxes everywhere. The most important thing to remember here is that you should unpack everything and keep it outta the way to keep your warehouse safe.
  6. Keep reviewing all of your systems. All the time you are using the same systems, things can become stagnant and you don’t bother researching any of the new ways that you could be doing things. You won’t be able to continue making sure that your warehouse systems are performing unless you review them to ensure that they are working.
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