There are many businesses that require distribution and warehousing services and some prefer to take care of everything themselves
. However, there are a few aspects of this complex task that require your attention before you start work on your distribution and warehousing services. Here are the 5 top tips for effective distribution and warehousing.
1.Space
Making sure that you have appropriate space is essential. You dont want to end up with warehousing thats inappropriate for your requirements. Take the time to work out how much space youll need and consider all your options. You dont want to end up with not enough space or too much space.
2.Costs
Making sure that you understand the costs involved in warehousing and distribution is also essential. You will find that the more stock/inventory you have, the higher the costs are likely to be. However, you can sometimes find flexible warehousing solutions that offer good pricing for your needs.
3.Distribution Vehicles
Make sure that you choose appropriate vehicles for your distribution purposes. If you dont need a 7.5 tonne lorry dont get one! Consider the kind of things youll be moving and work out the appropriate vehicles required. You can either lease vehicles or consider buying them outright. You can even outsource the distribution side of your business if you prefer giving you the ultimate flexibility.
4.Employment
You will need to consider the staff requirements for distribution and warehousing. You will probably need full-time warehouse staff and drivers for distribution. This can be costly so you will need to work out your best options. Again, this kind of thing can be outsourced if you choose but quality could be an issue if you don't do your research.
5.Management
You will need to work out how you are going to manage your distribution and warehousing. Chances are you will need a logistics team as well as a logistics manager. Sort out the requirements for management before you begin work on anything. Its also usually a good idea to use the same people who set up the distribution and warehousing system to run it once its ready.
As you can see, there are a few things you need to think about in order to set up an effective distribution and warehousing system. You can outsource the entire process if you prefer and this usually leads to cost savings as well as a reduction in staff requirements.