For the retail industry, the holiday season is the busiest time of the year. There is a huge spike in sales recorded every year on Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Though having their origin in America, these two shopping festivals are now celebrated globally where people shop until they drop. On the contrary, it creates immense work pressure on the warehouses that deal in inventory and stock analysis.
The day after Thanksgiving is marked as the busiest season for the e-commerce industry which continues till January. This hectic season calls workers to work in shifts. Though Rotating Telehandler will come down to rest for a certain time period, the forklift is the only companion when it comes to setting and managing the stock movement 24*7. It is the time when the warehouse workers and the forklift operators must report on time for their duty without fail and keep auditing every part of the forklift for its longer efficiency.
Tips for Warehouses to Combat with the Shopping Season Trends
Since there is a drastic change in shopping trends during this hectic season. Warehouse owners have to be prepared for the rush as there’s no alternative. It means getting the right equipment (forklift), in the right quantity proportionately to the stock levels they deal with. Dieci Ontario shares a few tips for retailers to manage their warehouses for a smooth workflow and maintenance of the inventory.
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Schedule Maintenance slots for Your Forklifts in Advance:
Do not forget that the forklifts should be in good and running condition when you deal with inventories during this season. As they will be used frequently for placing stocks, you cannot afford to have any inconsistencies that can make the machine inefficient or stop working at any crucial time.
Since every machine needs maintenance for its longer life, the same is the case with forklifts. They follow a routine check-up as per the schedule where the entire machine is scanned using the checklist and rectified for any fault that exists. This will prepare the forklift for a longer run and remain efficient even in the busiest time.
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Hire or Purchase a Forklift? Decide in Advance
Hiring or purchasing a forklift is a crucial decision during the holiday season. Though it depends on your needs and the voluminous work, it is better to decide in advance where you need to hire or buy a forklift. You need to have a plan on how you can manage the inventory and the number of forklifts you need extra.
If the work is only seasonal i.e., only for the holiday season, then hiring a forklift is a better decision as it is economical and covers the insurance cost. However, if you need it throughout the year as per your work pattern, then purchasing a forklift is better for long-term use. However, most of the warehouses hire them on rent as it is a seasonal workload to overcome.
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Staff Training and their Availability:
Handling the ruckus of Black Friday shoppers is not easy. Consumers who purchase online or offline products have no idea about the hidden pressure on warehouse operations. There are situations when immediate and prompt decisions are taken to manage the effective movement of the inventory. Such situations demand decision-making skills and rigorous training to handle the entire system.
On the other end, you need to assure the availability of staff to manage the work on every hierarchical level. Though it is the holiday season, the shortage of trained staff can unbalance your entire work system. Keep them posted in advance of the no-leave policy and hire more staff to make your work easy. It is important to keep your staff levels in streamline to avoid hassles. Fine-tune your staff for the long run.
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Implementing work processes to maintain Delivery Schedules:
When pressure increases, there is a high probability that the entire work process gets affected. From inventory management to delivery of the product to the customer, every step is synchronized and operates under a definite process. If the structure breaks, it is difficult to follow the delivery schedules and the entire system can crash.
To avoid such a situation, it is better to define and implement the entire work system beforehand. It will be easy for everyone in the hierarchy to resolve or combat any issues in the process as they are experienced enough to handle any uncertainties.
This holiday season is ready for a higher influx of orders and stays ahead with advanced strategies, pieces of equipment, process structure and staff to manage your warehouse effectively.