Warehouse Layout Design and More: Tips for Optimal Efficiency

Yes, “time is money” is a cliché – but that doesn’t make it any less true. And inefficiencies in your warehouse waste time, therefore money. Here are tips to make your warehouse layout process more streamlined for optimal operations.

Although this Inbound Logistics article is a few years old, its advice is timeless, including these tips among others:

• Clearly share organization goals and processes to workers. Open communication is at the core of productivity; lack of it leads to “high turnover and wasted resources.”
• Cross-train your employees and make sure they are ready to handle a task before handing over the responsibility to them. Sink or swim, the article points out, isn’t an effective management style.
• Standardize processes whenever possible to reduce errors, save time and boost the bottom line.

Meanwhile, Multichannel Merchant points out the importance of measurement, because you can’t improve what you haven’t measured. What key performance indicators are most important to your business? “Do you know your critical productivity and costs on shipped orders, cost per box and cost per line shipped?” What cost is associated with errors made? Returns?

Once you have key metrics established and measured, then you can set standards for individual employees and departments – and then measure them. Also embrace continuous improvement. Assess what works and what doesn’t. Tweak your processes, then repeat.

One area that deserves a close look is your quality control process that occurs right before orders go out. The Distributor Team says that the average cost to process an order is $45, but it costs another $100 when you have to send it out again. Although a business can absorb occasional errors like that, most can’t on a regular basis. Consider having more senior members of your team double-check the newer employees to avoid this money pit.

Warehouse Layout Services

Take a look at how your warehouse is laid out. Does it allow for optimal workflow? If not, where are the bottlenecks? Do you know how to fix those bottlenecks? How much money are you spending through inefficient warehouse layout?

Fortunately, we can help with your warehouse layout design needs. Culver Equipment uses the latest in AutoCAD software, with 2D and 3D technology alike, to streamline your warehouse planning for maximum efficiency, crucial to your bottom line. Contact us online or call us at 480-855-0088 today.