[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”auto” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” ul_item_indent=”30px” custom_css_main_element=”.blog-toc ol, .blog-toc ul {|| list-style-type: decimal!important;||}||.blog-toc ul {|| list-style-type: disc!important;||}||||.blog-toc {||margin: 0!important;||}” sticky_enabled=”0″]Kids are back in school, and the Halloween costumes have been put away for another year. But this is no time to rest on your laurels; Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just around the corner, launching us fully into peak season! Is your warehouse ready to meet the increase in demand?<\/p>\n
We’ve rounded up 11 tips and tricks for a successful peak season in the warehouse that will keep your operations running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.<\/p>\n
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Contents<\/p>\n
You’re probably aware that peak season warehousing starts earlier and earlier every year. Back-to-school sales kick off in early August, and before the Halloween pumpkins are rotting on our doorsteps, the Christmas ads start on TV.<\/p>\n
November has just started, and if you haven’t been thinking about Black Friday or Cyber Monday yet, it’s time to get started. Recent reports<\/a> show that, due to the current economic situation in the US, consumers started thinking about, or have started, their holiday shopping already. In fact, half of holiday shoppers started their shopping before Halloween.<\/p>\n Now is the time to ensure your shelves are stocked with popular items and to get this year’s “must-have” gifts on your shelves. Review your historical data to determine what you need more of and the extra labor resources you’ll need in the coming months. Ongoing supply chain issues could leave you with empty shelves<\/a> if you don’t plan ahead.<\/p>\n If you haven’t started your search for more employees to meet the increased demands on fulfillment operations in peak season<\/a>, it’s time to start. Trying to hire more employees in the middle of peak season will only leave you scrambling, as it takes time to get new employees onboarded and trained. If you use warehouse robotics<\/a> or other specialized tools or equipment in your warehouse, you may need extra time for training, so don’t forget to consider these factors when working on your peak season labor planning<\/a>.<\/p>\n Not only will having enough staff available help you meet the increased demand, but it will also help improve safety for everyone by preventing overworking and employee burnout.<\/p>\n Take a look at our Warehouse Labor Planning Template<\/a> to help estimate the number of workers and labor hours you will require for picking and packing.<\/p>\n How long does it take for an employee to find an item in your warehouse?<\/p>\n As you know, the longer it takes to pick items, the longer it takes to get orders out the door. Inefficient warehouse layouts or putaway<\/a> methods can drastically slow down your order completion time, and as they say, “time is money.”<\/p>\n Before you bring in more inventory to stock your shelves for peak season, take some time to review your warehouse layout<\/a>. Make use of put walls, zoning, and walking path optimization<\/a> methods. Sometimes just rearranging the placement of your packing or shipping stations to keep all warehouse processes functioning with absolute efficiency can resolve bottlenecks in your operations.<\/p>\n Creating an intelligent scheme for where different products are stored makes every subsequent task\u2014picking, packing, and shipping\u2014more productive, and intelligent software systems can help with this process.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row disabled_on=”off|off|off” module_class=”center-vertically” _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#eef1f8″ background_enable_color=”off” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_stops=”#6717cd 51%|#0b0b0b 100%” width=”100%” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”42px|auto|45px|auto|false|false” custom_padding=”30px|40px|30px|40px|false|false” border_radii=”on|12px|12px|12px|12px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_vertical=”0px” box_shadow_blur=”10px” box_shadow_color=”rgba(74,75,109,0.09)” global_module=”3761″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_font_size=”30px” header_3_font_size_tablet=”30px” header_3_font_size_phone=”20px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.22.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”center” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”]2. Prioritize Labor Planning<\/h2>\n
3. Fulfillment Operations in Peak Season Warehousing and Optimal Warehouse Layout<\/h2>\n
Request a free demo to learn more about Logiwa WMS.<\/h3>\n