How to Navigate a Supply Chain Breakdown During Peak Season
While prepping for the peak season can be a stressful time of year, the disruption created by the ongoing supply chain breakdown is adding additional stress to manufacturing, distributing, and retail clients alike. Now, navigating the peak season requires maximum preparation and minimum hurdles. By developing a supply chain plan, your company can help reduce risk, get organized and be peak-season ready no matter what comes your way.
Plan for Peak Season
One of the most important keys to surviving a supply chain breakdown is by establishing processes for your company before one occurs. While many of these steps are applicable year-round, being prepared is doubly beneficial during supply chain kinks. Here are a few ways to better handle a season with struggles.
Off-Season Alignment:
Whether it’s cleaning warehouse floors, updating restroom facilities, refreshing building paint, or even upgrading lighting needs, using the off-season to address any outstanding deferred maintenance needs is not only a great way to prepare for the coming rush, but it also puts your facility in a state of readiness for supply chain obstacles. Preventative maintenance, like scheduling inspections, is also essential since it allows you to get out in front of any potential unforeseen issues. Boosting workforce morale with a clean, updated environment is great for employee retention, and is an ideal way to help them feel good and increase productivity during strenuous periods.
Organization:
Maintaining an organized workplace also plays a major role in your business’ efficiency. Having a clean working environment can mean the difference between bottlenecks and end of year bonuses. Adding a floor scrubber or industrial vacuum can remove debris, lower safety concerns and promote a position of cleanliness within your company. Ensuring your cleaning supplies are stocked and accessible can also help with your company’s readiness to meet obstacles associated with the peak rush.
Labor Efficiency:
Like the overwhelming majority of employers, maintaining operational efficiency despite the shortage in labor is crucial to market success. Start adding those seasonal bodies to your workforce now in order to avoid last-minute candidate settling. Additionally, by adding the right tools, like forklift attachments, electric hoists, gantry cranes, winches, pallet jacks or other efficient material handling equipment, your employees can get the job done right the first time—saving employees and you valuable time.
Order Early:
With inventory delays difficult to predict, ordering early for end of year sales drivers like Black Friday and Cyber Monday can be a smart and safe plan. Start by creating an ordering schedule and adjusting lead time and days of stock, then start ordering in advance of when you’ll need the product.
Create Slotting Zones:
Strategic placement and development of product and material slotting zones within your warehouse helps create a smooth collection of items from shelves to the shipping dock. Smart storage options like bins, totes, commercial shelving, and wire units assist in product organization. Optimizing product distribution zones enables more orders to be fulfilled from pre-determined sections of the warehouse, rather than across various and scattered areas in the distribution center. Positioning best-selling items throughout the warehouse can also aid in avoiding overloading a conveyor’s capacity. Designated slotting zones can also be created for delayed shipments, so they don’t interfere with fulfillment traffic. Creating positive workflow within your facility by designating directional paths with warehouse signage can help eliminate congestion and maximize employee efficiency, reducing downtown and speeding up order processing.
Peak Season Assistance:
Looking to stay prepared for your peak-selling season? Whether you’re in sales or distribution, Global Industrial has the products to help you stay ahead of the supply chain curve. We invite you to view our online list of quality products or connect with one of our sales representatives by calling 1.888.978.7759.
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