Order management practices and clear communication with your warehousing staff will ensure you have plenty of viable, non-damaged stock to fulfill your company's orders as they are generated.
Order Management Objectives
Using a consistent approach when assessing the amount of stock you have on hand or determining when the manufacturing of products is needed will prevent shortages or having an abundance of products that won't sell within a specific timeframe. Being mindful of not producing too much product is especially critical in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Product lines that contain perishable items should be assessed carefully.
There should be careful records kept that indicate when products are sold. The dates that orders are generated should be kept on hand. This information will help you determine the demand for a particular product. You will be able to pinpoint any increases in orders at various times of the year. Carefully-recorded information that pertains to manufacturing and sales will also indicate if there is a definitive decline in sales that is associated with one or more products.
Using a software program that is designed to aid with order management will help you streamline your recordkeeping responsibilities. If you have access to this type of program in your main place of business, plus supply your overstock warehousing staff with the same program, you will be able to keep track of inventory and manufacturing details from both locations.
Transport, Assessments, And Storage Needs
If your warehousing provider offers a transport service, it is their responsibility to make sure that manufactured goods make it safely from the point of origin to the location where you keep overstock. As a business owner, you should have access to how products will be transported, the thermal preservation methods that are used while inventory is en route to an offsite warehouse, and the handling methods that are implemented when products arrive at the storage facility.
Your warehousing provider can furnish you with transport details, including the proposed length of time that it will take to transport items. Once products are offsite, they should be visually and manually checked in. This will aid with identifying any damages that could result in products being unsuitable for use when filling orders.
Being transparent about the types of storage that your products require will ensure that they are placed within an area where they will not be subjected to damage. Products that require regulated temperatures should always be stored inside a room or area where temperature control is implemented.
Contact warehousing services to learn more.
