(Courtesy: Doug Walsh at flickr.com)
There are such a wide variety of issues on which a warehouse manager must focus. The fact that managers have to wear so many different hats in the day-to-day grind of coping with so many potential problems may be intimidating to some, for a good manager it’s a walk in the park.
Elements on which a manger must concentrate include:
· Organization. If not properly organized, a warehouse can look like a three-ring circus. Things that need to be watched include incoming products being put in the proper location, pickers spending too much time searching for products, forklift accidents, improperly trained employees, proper scheduling of trucks at the dock, making certain that a shipment is ready when the truck that will deliver it is in the dock, etc. It is imperative; actually it is more than imperative that a manager creates a system that assures that everything is running on time and that materials are in a logical and defined order.
· Receiving. There is always something that is being received at the dock. This delivery needs to be verified, inspected, and placed in the right storage racks. If there are damaged goods or goods that were expected but not included in the shipment, then this must be noted so inventory data won’t be affected.
· Streamlining the picking process. Your labor costs are going to be through the roof if your picking teams take to long locating and delivering products to the shipping department. You need to be sure that picking information and schedule is well organized so that time can be used most efficiently.
· Reorganizing when necessary. A manager can’t be married to a particular procedure or method of doing things. Always monitor how efficient operations are and be willing to consider and implement changes in the operation when it become evident that such a change is needed.
· Quality control. It is essential that shipments be packed properly. So it is also imperative that the picked items are inspected to assure that there is no damage and that the proper items were picked. When problems are found, then they need to be eliminated immediately. That means that damaged products must be removed and put into their proper place and inventory data must be changed to fit the situation. Wrongly picked items should be immediately returned to the proper shelf.
· Warehouse safety. It is essential that the working environment is safe. Make certain that due diligence is performed to assure that employees are safe from injury. Make certain that forklift operators are properly trained and that traffic lanes have been designated to assure efficiency and safety.
· Proper lighting. Make certain that there is sufficient lighting on the warehouse floor. Bright lighting will help prevent accidents and assure that employees do their job right.
· Training. It is essential that each and every employee is properly trained to do the work they are assigned and is also knowledgeable of safety issues so they know what to do when problems arise. Make certain that each and every employee is re-trained when necessary or on a regular schedule. Encourage cross training so that if an employee is unable to work, then another employee can fill in.
· Use software. Admit to yourself that neither you nor any other human being can adequately monitor operations without the use of software. Make sure that you take proper diligence to research and purchase the right software to monitor your inventory, labor, equipment maintenance, shipping, etc. You don’t have to rush into a purchase. Many software providers offer free trials. Consider whether an IT department should be included as a part of your warehouse staff or whether outsourcing this important specialty would serve you better and be more cost effective.
· Efficient delivery and customer service. Determine whether it would be best for you to rely on your own transportation or outsource it. Regardless of what option you choose, be certain that a shipment-tracking software program is also involved. This helps you and your customers determine where your products are in real-time.