As the holidays approach, things really kick into high gear for warehouses across the country and around the world. Modernization is the key to keeping your warehouse on task and avoid falling behind during what promises to be a busy holiday shopping (and shipping!) season.
These five ways to modernize can help you get your warehouse ready to go before the holiday shopping season kicks into high gear.
- Optimize your layout and organization. The more efficient the layout of your warehouse is, the better able your people are to move around, find what they need, and get the job done on time, every time. You might even be able to get ahead of the curve and stay there with an optimized and organized layout.
- Improve inventory tracking. Technology is an excellent tool to assist you in terms of improving your inventory tracking. The more automated the process, the less room for error there is in the tracking process. Consider upgrading from the old standard barcode systems which leave too much room for inefficiency to an RFID system that allows real time location tracking of your inventory.
- Use push-to-talk two-way radios. Upgrade your communication by switching to push to talk two-way radios that can be used to improve safety, reduce delays in warehouse processes, and allow warehouse-wide communication with the push of a single button. This can help you eliminate wasted time, reduce communication errors, and keep everyone on the same page throughout the busy holiday season. It is also easily scalable to grow with you as you bring on additional team members to manage increased holiday flow.
- Engage employee management software. This software helps you measure and optimize employee performance to ensure that everyone is pulling his or her weight on the warehouse floor. This software can help you improve efficiency while inviting meaningful discussions among your management team.
- Modify Your labeling system. Upgrading your label system to one that is color coded can help employees recognize the appropriate inventory more quickly saving time and reducing errors in the packing process. Just make sure you change your labels correctly anytime you reorganize your slots.
These five quick changes can help you modernize your warehouse for improved flow, productivity, and efficiency throughout the holiday season. Implement them early to enjoy the greatest effect and use them wisely even after the holidays have ended to enjoy greater organization and productivity throughout the coming year.