If your business relies on a warehouse, it’s important to make sure that it’s running in the most efficient way possible.

With a properly run warehouse, you’ll be able to make sure you save money, get orders out on time and retain customer loyalty. Follow these quick tips to get your warehouse operating smoothly.

1. Make the most of the warehouse space you have, even if it’s a small space. Layout the space wisely to make staff tasks easier and speedier to complete. Consider seeking a new rental warehouse space if you can't get everything to fit properly, as you don't want to risk injury from cramming things in.

Using the space in the warehouse in a more effective way will mean you don’t need to expand to a larger space, saving you some cash.

2) Make sure each aisle and storage area is clearly marked with what is stored there, so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. Put in place logical picking routes with heavy duty plastic dollies (if required) to keep staff moving easily through the warehouse.

Store items that sell fast near the front, where they’re easy to get to. Slow sellers can go nearer the back, in smaller quantities.

3) Choose the right delivery options. Offer a reliable delivery service, with tracking to keep customers loyal. If deliveries are often late, damaged or missing altogether, customers will soon get fed up and take their business elsewhere.

4) Keep your warehouse clean and tidy. A tidy space is easier to move around in and you’ll reduce the risks of injuries from trips, slips or falls. Keep in plenty of cleaning supplies, from a specialist company like premierhygiene.co.uk, to make sure you keep on top of cleaning.

5) Keep your warehouse well lit in all areas. Warehouses often have dark spaces, but this can lead to accidents while working. Install plenty of bright lighting to help staff stay safe as they work. Brighter lights can also help people to feel more awake and alert as they work too.

6)Conduct regular inspections to make sure everything is safe and running as it should be. A regular check means you can catch and correct any issues promptly. It could be that you need the services of Industrial Electricians Melbourne and other areas, or perhaps you need cleaners to come in once a week for a deep clean. Either way, these tasks can prevent things going wrong and causing delays.

7) If your warehouses use heavy machinery or dangerous chemicals, make sure you implement and abide by any safety regulations. Some cleaning chemicals can be dangerous, so make sure they’re stored safely and staff have access to any gloves or goggles they may need to handle them. Consider the use of drum liners and other similar storage mediums for chemicals within large industrial drums, which can help with reducing the cleaning process and streamline the disposal of harmful chemicals. For machinery, add rules like safe walkways to avoid accidents with forklifts, and make sure all staff wear hi-vis jackets.

8)As new stock arrives, make sure it can be unpacked in a designated area with plenty of space. Check in new stock promptly, and check orders are correct and undamaged. Get it stored away in the right place to reduce warehouse clutter and the risk of stock going missing before making it to the correct shelf.

9) Keep order picking processes as simple and streamlined as possible. Keep only one kind of product in each area so things don’t get mixed up. Give sale items, top sellers, and new stock their own space so it’s easy to find what you want quickly.