Tis the Busy Season, Tips to be Prepared
It’s the holiday season and in the material handling industry this means it’s also the busy season. Orders are coming in tenfold, you’re trying to ship items out as fast as possible, and the one thing you don’t want to happen is an equipment breakdown that stops your whole flow of operation. To help your operations run smoothly, you need to be aware of what impacts your process, including when your suppliers are available, so that you can plan and prepare. Here are 3 tips to keep in mind throughout the holidays.
1. Keep your projections up-to-date
Have you ever forgotten to buy your gifts ahead of time and find yourself rushing the week before to purchase them? This is a common occurrence with holiday shopping, but it should be something you are prepared for with order fulfillment. Ensure your projections are accurate so that you’re working to match order needs that are yet to come and that projections are broken down to the daily level.
2. Ensure your materials meet projection needs
Check your list twice as the projections you have created won’t mean anything unless you have the capabilities to fulfill them. Projections drive both staffing needs and raw materials that go into creating the product. Hire in advance along with checking with your suppliers on raw material availability.
3. Keep the operation running smoothly with maintenance
Materials for your equipment are just as important as materials for your product because your product will be at a standstill if your equipment breaks down. Start by doing a maintenance check before the busy season starts, but also check with your suppliers on material and support availability. Doing so will allow you to know if you need to purchase materials ahead of time to prepare for maintenance needs or if they will be available to assist if a problem occurs.
As a supporter of the materials handling industry, Stellana would like to emphasize this last point. Product cannot be moved if your forklift has tire or load wheel issues. As a friendly reminder, Stellana will be closed and unavailable to ship December 25 through January 1. Ensure your forklifts are ready by calling us today at 262.348.5575 or connecting online.
Happy Holidays!
