Warehouse managers face many challenges, such as mechanical issues, workplace injuries, and shipping and receiving concerns. These can affect morale, causing employees to be less productive and more prone to mistakes. Unfortunately, warehouse problems are a fact of life in most warehouses. Even the best warehouse managers can't prevent them all, but they should use preventative measures to reduce the number of problems that occur and minimize the impact of those problems.

Inefficient Picking

By its very nature, a warehouse is a storage unit, so if the staff cannot find, retrieve, and deliver what is stored with speed and efficiency, it can cause problems for the business. Some of the reasons for inadequate picking could be from a lack of proper machinery and equipment. Forklift trucks are among the most valuable pieces of equipment a warehouse can have, but they can be a costly investment, especially for smaller warehouses with limited cash flow.

Solution

Fortunately, you can find moderately priced used forklift vehicles for most sizes of warehouses. The used equipment specialists aver at https://used-forklifts.net/ have dedicated order pickers to fulfill this task.

Inferior Use Of Space

Poor use of space in a warehouse can harm efficiency in several ways. For example, if there are not proper floor markings, it can be difficult for workers to find all the tools they need for their job. Furthermore, if there is inadequate lighting, this can also have a negative impact on productivity. For example, if there is insufficient lighting, employees will have to waste precious time and energy moving items around to see them.

Solution

The first step is to identify what problems are causing headaches for the staff. If it is poor lighting, then a complete overhaul of the lighting system might be in order. The team must have adequate lighting to do their jobs properly and avoid making mistakes. If the warehouse is not set up correctly, then it would make a lot of sense to make use of the incredibly versatile Portable Stack Racks for example. This will save your employees from having to walk further to accomplish their goals, which can result in things becoming disorganised and being stored in the incorrect way. A small staff survey can determine whether you can create new routes to minimize the distance that needs to be travelled.

Poor Inventory Management or Misreporting

Inaccurate Inventory is a widespread occurrence in warehouses that store a large number of products. This is one of the most common problems that a warehouse manager faces every day. The problem is, different types of inventory errors that occur in a warehouse can be complex to identify and are sometimes hard to solve. Many reasons may lead to inaccurate Inventory. One of the most common reasons is human error or theft. Whether they are warehouse workers or shipping clerks, employees can make a mistake about the number of items they have in stock and accidentally add or remove an item from the inventory list.

Solution

Although it can be arduous to solve this problem, it is far from impossible. You might need to do a complete stock audit to get back to the correct stock amount. This may mean having to write off any missing items, which can be a bitter pill to swallow, but knowing about it is far better than burying the problem. Numerous software solutions could assist warehouse operations by storing the data of each item in a central database and only allowing stock to be checked out once scanned. This could be a large initial expense upfront, but once you find out more about what it can do for you, you'll see that the long-lasting benefits are worth it. 

Furthermore, complete retraining of staff may be to help them to understand the importance of accurate Inventory. It is essential to train employees on the software they will be using to track stored merchandise to avoid future inaccuracies from occurring.

Insufficient Damage Control

Busy warehouses that deal with large quantities of goods and have to deal with rapid order turnaround can find inadequacies in their damage control efforts. This can range from staff injuries that cause human resource nightmares to damned products getting shipped out to customers, inevitably cause a public relations nightmare. Whichever way you look at it, it isn't great.

Solution

The first step is to find out what sorts of issues arise, for example, are employees getting injured regularly or are products getting damaged and returned too often? If it is the former, then updated training and new personal new Protective Equipment (PPE). If it is the latter, then education may also be required, along with a review of storage methods.

There is no such thing as an insurmountable problem, and you can remedy many warehouse issues with a positive attitude and willingness. Training is often the simplest solution, but there may be other times when a considerable reinvestment could be needed.