Logistics and proper warehouse management are integral components of an overall larger picture: managing the supply chain effectively. Supply chains Get everything we use to the proper places in a decent amount of time. But sometimes issues pop up along the supply chain, bottlenecks prevent certain shipments from getting to their destinations, and inventory management concerns prevent proper fulfillment of orders.
When this happens, the results can be catastrophic. In 2020, most industries experienced inventory problems, and it’s only continued from there. Now, getting forecasting, demand, and control right are key focus areas. Myriad other problems can occur as well, which will require attention to keep inventory flowing smoothly. Here are five common inventory problems and how to overcome them.
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Stockroom Management
Managing your stockroom requires nuance, finesse, and great attention to detail. To do it as effectively as possible, you need to manage your stock room effectively. One of the best ways to do this is to implement powerful inventory management software. With such inventory management software, you can see you’re on hand balances in real time and make important decisions to control stockroom flow. With the power of software on your side, you can also set up purchase orders, create requisitions, and handle all of your P2P processes much easier and more efficiently. Having an inefficiently run, disorganized, or overflowing stockroom is bad for business so using the proper tools to ensure it doesn’t become an issue is critical for an organization’s continued success.
Wasteful Spending
Wasteful spending can be a big problem at any warehouse. Some companies tend to purchase more items than they really need. This leads to overstock in the warehouse and the storage of unnecessary materials/products—and eventually wasteful spending. Poor forecasting and misjudging demand can lead to this issue. When companies buy more product and anticipation of future sales then they need, this leads to increased costs for storage and more wasteful spending. While the costs might seem minimal on the surface, even small amounts can add up quickly.
Forecasting your demand better and more accurately is the key to preventing this type of wasteful spending. You also need to closely monitor your stock levels before buying new stock. Understand what your customers need and supply it rather than trying to maintain an excess amount of stock. Using tight inventory controls and automation software can help with your efforts as well. Finally, make sure you have a clear plan in place for what to do if your stock levels get a little bit too high. A little bit of proactivity will go a long way and don’t forget to use tools such as inventory management software to help prevent wasteful spending, overstock problems at your organization.
Fulfillment
When the supply chain falters, it isn’t just the consumers who suffer. Fulfillment is an essential part of the inventory management process. So, fulfillment problems can have a significant impact on inventory management. For example, if products are not being delivered to customers in a timely manner, it can lead to an increase in the amount of stock that needs to be held in your warehouse.
If products are being delivered but there is a high rate of returns, it can lead to an increase in the number of items that need to be ordered from suppliers. These are all problems that need to be handled by inventory managers, but they’re far from the only ones regarding fulfilment in most industries. Damaged inventory can be a major fulfillment issue, and so can incorrect inventory. Your customers want to receive quality products and the right product. So when you’re managing your warehouse, you need to be able to retrieve the correct kinds of products. This goes for storing them as well.
Spend Risk and Visibility
A key performance indicator for most logistics operations is understanding spend risk while striving to prevent fraud. Preventing fraud and theft is critical to ensuring operational success. And software helps you measure that. Spend risk is any spending that might be considered risky, unnecessary, or superfluous at the organization. It can also provide insight into potential fraud issues throughout your inventory processes.
By utilizing a strong inventory management system, you should be able to keep track of things properly. This can also help you avoid potential theft or damage to goods while they’re inside your warehouse, ultimately reducing potential fraud or theft at all levels of the organization.
Efficiency
Whenever the world talks about the supply chain and its numerous problems, efficiency usually ranks somewhere near the top. This goes hand in hand with wasteful spending. The last thing your company wants to do is inefficiently purchase/store/use raw materials, fuel, or deal with damaged goods. But efficiency goes deeper than that. Using software to maintain the efficiency of your stockroom, spend risk, and entire operation is critical to ensuring you don’t suffer any supply chain issues or customer dissatisfaction throughout all of your inventory management processes.
