Top 10 Challenges Facing Warehouse Managers
Today, we are going to take a look at the top 10 challenges facing warehouse managers.
We have over 40 years experience in the material handling industry, and we would love to share our expertise and experience with you.
The post will outline the top challenges facing warehouse managers and possible solutions to help you fix them. So, let's get started now!
Safety is one of the biggest challenges facing warehouse managers
Top 10 Challenges Facing Warehouse Managers
Challenge #1: Keeping Your Staff Safe:
It is important for pedestrians and equipment operators to be aware of safety guidelines - Source: Global Industrial
The number one priority of a plant manager is to keep your staff safe and do all that you can to prevent injuries.
No one wants to see a worker injured. A worker who has been injured needs to be replaced, which means extra wages, training time, and possible downtime until the new person is ready.
Warehouses also have the difficult situation of forklifts and other material handling machinery and pedestrians moving around and working in close proximity.
Solution:
Encourage safe working practices among your employees. Provide training such as WHMIS and follow guidelines for handling hazardous materials.
You can also purchase forklift equipment that is ergonomically designed for the safety of your workers who are using it for long periods of time.
Make sure you also provide pedestrian awareness programs so that everyone is aware of the safe practices that need to be followed when people are walking around close to moving machinery.
Challenge #2: Reducing the Number and Severity of Accidents in Your Warehouse
Accidents are going to happen in your warehouse. One of the greatest challenges facing warehouse managers is reducing accidents and their severity.
This helps ensure that fewer injuries occur, less money is spent on covering damages caused by accidents, and less downtime is experienced due to accidents.
Solution:
Proper training on the safe operation of your material handling equipment can help to greatly reduce the number of accidents.
Providing incentives to employees for going "accident free," such as a bonus system could also be implemented.
Challenge #3: Optimizing Your Warehouse Space and Layout
Make the most of your warehouse layout
Another challenge facing warehouse managers is making the best and most efficient use of the warehouse space that you have.
This includes finding the optimum layout so that product can be moved and orders fulfilled in the least possible time.
Solution:
Managers need to enhance their "storage systems as well as racking and pallet patterns."
Pay special attention to your receiving areas to ensure that they have enough space for speedy deliveries.
You also may need to change the width of your aisles depending on the size and type of forklift equipment you use.
Challenge #4: Purchasing the Best Equipment
Selecting the best equipment that is ergonomically designed, has great safety features, is economical to purchase and operate, and will provide you with the most efficient operations is a real challenge.
Combine all this with the fact that you are probably on a very tight budget and you will have a very difficult task.
Solution:
Get advice on what your best choices are from a supplier that you can trust. For example, a propane forklift may be more cheaper to purchase up front, but a similar electric one will probably have a much lower total cost of ownership.
You can also ask for advice on the latest ergonomic devices and safety equipment such as lift tables, forklift spotter lights, bollard and guard rails. These devices installed in your facility can decrease the number and severity of any accidents.
Challenge #5: Accurately Controlling and Tracking Inventory
Accurately controlling and tracking inventory is another challenge
Another one of the big challenges facing warehouse managers is being able to accurately control and track your inventory.
Your product must always be placed in its designated location and be easy to identify. If information is manually being recorded, then there is a greater chance for mistakes, such as incorrect receipts and purchase orders.
Solution:
Implementing an online warehouse management software system can help to reduce these errors in inventory control. If you still must use manual tracking, then make sure that it is double-checked for accuracy.
Challenge #6: Making the Most of Your Product Picking Process
Time is of the essence in any warehouse system and, as a manager, you will be constantly faced with the pressure from customers to get their orders to them in the least amount of time possible. This is why optimizing your product picking is vital.
Solution:
Scanning SKU's or using an image capture instead of manually entering them will increase both accuracy and speed. Since pick paths account for 50% or more of your warehouse operations, create optimal ones so that product can be moved through your facility with the greatest efficiency.
Challenge #7: Dealing with Increasing and Decreasing Demand
![Forklift_dealers[1].jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5bf6c41789c1727b3aa7157a/1566574116225-3U4K7LVN4R8YAATTPLZL/Forklift_dealers%5B1%5D.jpg)
Consider renting equipment for your busier seasons
One of the trickiest challenges facing warehouse managers is dealing with fluctuations in demand. Different times of the year, the state of the economy, and even the weather can affect how busy your warehouse is.
Solution:
Use timely and accurate information to try and forecast what your future demand will be. Rent extra equipment for your known busier seasons instead of buying to save on capital costs.
Challenge #8: Controlling and Limiting Product Damages
As we have said before, accidents will happen and as a result, product will get damaged. This can become very expensive and really cut into your bottom line.
Solution:
Regularly inspect your pallets to make sure that there are no damaged parts that will make them unstable and break.
Train your employees on the proper way to load and wrap product. Install rack safety netting, pallet rack column protectors, steel guarding, etc. to protect both your product and your staff.
Challenge #9: Training
Another one of the constant challenges facing warehouse managers is to get your workforce properly trained for the jobs that they are doing.
Not only do you need to provide them with training to give them the particular skills they need to do their job, but also you need to provide them with general safety training.
Solution:
If you don't have the time or expertise to provide your staff with the safety training they require, you can hire professional trainers to do that for you.
Challenge #10: Knowing What Your Customers Want
80% of your profits will come from only 20% of your product
Most businesses work under the 80/20 rule or Pareto Principle, where 80% of your profits will come from only 20% of your product.
The challenge for the warehouse manager is to figure out what consumers are buying and ensuring your warehouse isn’t full of product that is just sitting there.
Solution:
Take a close look at the remaining 80% of your stock and try to determine what products are not in demand. You can get rid of the things that are not moving, and replace them with products that are in demand instead.
Wayco Understands the Challenges Facing Warehouse Managers
Wayco understands many of the challenges facing warehouse managers, and we would like to help you with the ones that we can.
That is why we offer the best forklift safety training programs and other safety training in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
Wayco offers a wide selection of training for individuals or groups. We can train in house or at your location. Some of our popular safety training programs include:
Our highly experienced trainers will instruct your employees in the proper practices of operating forklift equipment safely and other workplace safety practices. Contact us today to book your training sessions.
"We purchased a used fork lift from Wayco in January. It was extremely clean and in excellent condition when it was delivered. We have also had incredible ongoing service from the professionals at Wayco. Overall dealing with them has been an excellent experience."
