With an unpredictable market, erratic economy, and huge competition, it can be quite difficult to get a warehouse business running smoothly. Your goal is to maximize profit while cutting down on production and operation costs. Well, that is not always easy. One of the biggest issues that create setbacks is spending money on things you don’t need to keep a business running. My goal is to show you how to reduce commercial warehousing costs, and increase your earnings while keeping the quality of the service on a satisfying level.
The Primary Goal
The primary goal of every professional warehouse must be to reduce commercial warehousing costs. Since all items must be in buy-ready condition, and in their proper place, you must have enough funding to keep this well-oiled machinery running smoothly. If you wish to improve the efficiency, speed, and accuracy in your warehouse, this strategy is a must. Let’s see how to achieve that.
Optimize Your Storage by Reducing Space
Optimizing your warehouse space is crucial for peak performance of your facilities. If we think about expenses, one of the major contributors is land cost. Since the productivity rate of the warehouse depends on the speed of locating the item and loading it onto the truck, you must think of the best system.
Optimize your aisles by carefully calculating the necessary length and width. Learn the dimensions of forklifts, and reduce extra space by moving the racks closer. Furthermore, sorting the packages on the racks makes everything easier.
When we think about square footage, it is crucial to go narrow and tall. That is the best way to reduce warehouse space, without losing productivity and effectiveness. Nevertheless, it is important to factor in the safety requirements of your workers, and provide enough space for them to work without constrictions.
Protecting the Inventory
Every warehouse has its own financial problems. Damaged inventory is most certainly one of the biggest culprits for the loss of money. Smart inventory management helps you keep your inventory protected.
One of the first approaches to take is to tightly stick to the packing and storage procedures. Extensive employee training is imperative for a smoothly-operated business without many losses.
Furthermore, it is not just the damage to the inventory that causes loss of money. It happens many times that a package is lost. That not only dries out your budget, but it is also bad customer service. Implementing proper control systems like RFID, VDP or RF is the best solution.
Finally, increasing overall security by installing top-of-the-art security systems will prevent theft, which is also a huge issue in many warehouses.
Cross-Docking
Cutting out the middleman and transferring a package directly to the customer is a great way to reduce commercial warehousing costs. This system is called cross-docking, and while many are aware of it, not everyone is using it. It is a great way to save both money and time, and improve store management, shipping, delivery, labor costs, etc.
Utility Bill Management Solutions
Reducing your utility bills is a great way to simultaneously reduce commercial warehousing costs. Better insulation, automatic lighting system, and water consumption reduction are just some of the ways to achieve this.
The more windows you have, the more natural light enters the warehouse. If you install hands-free faucets or automatic flush toilets with low flow, you will see great results.
You may also consider having utility bill management solutions to efficiently manage all aspects of your utility bill expenses, and avoid those costly late fees and other oversight penalties.
All these changes require funding, but it is a long-term investment that always pays out in the end.
Used Containers vs. New Containers
Buying new containers for your warehouse seems appealing. Everyone likes to have new things straight out of the factory. However, that can be a costly investment. Instead, you should turn your focus towards used containers. You can find plenty in good condition, at a lower cost.
Believe it or not, you can save up to 40% on the smart purchase of used containers. All vendors keep them in superb condition, and all the containers are cleaned and inspected before selling. With such great savings, it really isn’t that difficult to see the benefits of used containers over new ones.
Cutting Down Labor-Related Expenses
When we talk about cutting down labor-related expenses, we are not referring to reducing employees’ salaries. That is not the way to go about this. However, it is important to properly manage your employees. Having idle workers is only draining your budget.
A great solution is to put everything you have into employee retention. If you keep your employees satisfied and give them an opportunity to develop, they will stay with you. Over time, they will turn into experienced employees that really have no cost. That strategy is much more affordable than hiring and training new employees.
Furthermore, the automation of warehouses is also an option. Machines can run as long as you need them. However, do not forget to factor in the installation and maintenance costs. Nevertheless, it is the main strategy of the future to reduce commercial warehousing costs.
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Joshua Collins is a business owner with a degree in economics, with over 10 years of experience. In his spare time, he runs a blog about startups and writes articles for multiple companies, like ccmover.com and many others. He is offering his advice both to young entrepreneurs looking to find a way into the small business industry and to experienced business owners looking for ways to increase earnings. Furthermore, his vast knowledge of marketing strategies provides a great foundation for any business and helps in reducing costs and increasing effectiveness and productivity.