What are some of the most common warehouse problems?

Today we would like to talk about the most typical problems in the routine management of warehouses based on our experience and the conclusions we have drawn in meetings with our customers.

As we mentioned in a previous post, in recent years globalisation has irreversibly changed logistics, due to, amongst other things, our ever-increasing use of the Internet and big data.

These changes have had a direct impact on the way in which we manage warehouses, giving rise to new problems or aggravatingexisting ones.

The warehouse is no longer just the place where we store goods in any old order, it instead forms a vital part of customer service. It is the starting point for achieving customer satisfaction or the bottleneck that will generate complaints, returns, etc.

According to our experience, the most common problems caused by poor management are:  

Lack of control

Products do not have a fixed position in the warehouse and so workers have to search for them, thereby increasing handling time and the delivery deadline. 

Disorder

The aisles and areas allocated for operations by staff and mechanical equipment are not respected and they accumulate goods which should be returned to their specific locations.  

Lack of space

This is a very common and severe problem because it generates management deficiencies and implies the need to create new spaces or outsource the activity externally, with the resultant excess expenditure and loss of control.

One potential solution to a lack of space, if the company was forwardthinking, comprises the installation of storage systems that take full advantage of the space available and which have a large loading capacity, thus enabling more efficient warehouse management; such as the heavy goods solutions offered by Estanterías Record featuring conventional pallet racking or compact/drive-in pallet racking. 

Picking errors

Picking errors affect the accuracy of stock levels, which can have a direct impact on customer satisfaction when they cannot obtain a product that the system indicates as available.

Inventory problems

This is another one of the most severe errors. A company must guarantee that their customers can receive a constant supply of their products. A stock-out situation generates economic losses, instability in management operations and, of course, it damages the corporate image.

Poorly trained or demotivated personnel

The most valuable component in a warehouse’s operation are the people working in it. Careless staff selection or an inadequately trained and demotivated workforce can prove very severe because of a lack of productivity, stock shrinkage due to deterioration or theft, etc. This translates into longer delivery times, poorer service and financial losses. 

Warehouse design

Throughout our history, Estanterías Record has worked with companies that have bloomed because they have implemented good warehouse management practices, amongst other factors.

It is therefore essential that the design and functionality of storage equipment is well-suited to each company’s usage requirements and business structure.

Counting on a professional consultancy team who will provide appropriate storage solutions is of great help when developing your company.

Get in contact with Estanterías Record and we will work together to improve the efficiency of your warehouse.