Posted on 13th April 2018
Customers want their packages delivered ASAP; there’s no two ways about it. But in a season that has gift giving at its core, customers are far less forgiving about not receiving their goods on time, and no one is immune.
In fact, in 2016 FedEx came under fire for failing to deliver packages on or before Christmas as they had originally promised. With social media as their megaphone, unhappy customers took to the internet to publically voice their complaints.
Don’t let your warehouse go into the season unprepared. Avoid damaging your customer loyalty and sinking profits because of delayed shipments. Now is the time to begin optimizing your warehouse for holiday orders and readying your warehouse. Use these tips to get started.
A disorganized warehouse is an unprofitable warehouse. While that applies year-round perfecting your warehouse layout before peak season will dramatically enhance the holiday delivery season. Look to seasons past to optimize your distribution centre, using bins to precisely organize every shelf and improve picking/order turn-around. Doing so will help you utilize best practices avoid making repeat mistakes, while keeping your inventory and teams organized.
No warehouse manager wants to be sitting on a stockpile of unsold items come January. Before you order from a single vendor, make sure to consult an accurate forecasting projection. It acts like a crystal ball for the buying season and will help you perfect your order volume. Going in without this vital info is a gamble you’re likely to lose. Use forecasting software to help you build precise models that show volume on a daily, weekly and monthly basis over the course of the year. These technologies help you track orders for individual products at specific locations over time.
Don’t wait until the rush to find out that your equipment is failing and in need of service. You need to make sure every single piece of material-handling equipment is ready to work overtime during the rush. This includes computer systems, printers, back-up generators and power supplies, lift equipment, and your delivery fleet. A quick inspection while you have a bit of breathing room will give you ample time to conduct any repairs or replace faulty equipment.
Seasonal jobs are a must for many skilled staff. However, finding trustworthy, capable temporary employees can be a challenge. Don’t wait until the last minute to start your search. By being among the first to hire you’ll be less likely to lose qualified candidates to your competitors, while allowing sufficient training time.
In short, no company wants to be guilty of ‘ruining’ Christmas. Improving your workflow and increasing your warehouse’s overall productivity is the best way to thrive during the holiday rush. Preparing with plenty of time to spare when things are comparatively slow, will ensure customer and retailer expectations aren’t dashed through the snow.
If you want to maximise your warehouse space and get ready for the holidays, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on 0800 345 7088 or send an email to sales@advanced-handling.co.uk
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