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Christmas is one of the most demanding times of the year for suppliers, retailers and warehousing and distribution firms. As such, and with a wealth of competition, you need to make sure that you’re staying head of the game when it comes to supply chain management over the festive period. With this in mind, here’s everything you need to know to make sure it all goes off without a hitch:
What supply chain issues will you experience at Christmas?
When it comes to supply chain issues at Christmas, there can be some additional challenges that pose themselves that won’t make an appearance at any other time of year. This can make it difficult for warehouse managers to keep up demand whilst simultaneously making sure that the customer receives excellent service. So what issues can present themselves at Christmas, specifically, when it comes to supply chain management? Let’s take a closer look:
- Increased demand – it’s the time of year when increased demand is almost a given. Consumers will buy more at this time of year than at any other, according to Deloittle. As such, you’re going to experience an increase in demand and sales, so make sure you have everything on hand and ready to go before the festive season hits
- Additional refunds – with an increase in sales comes an increase in refunds, naturally. The two issues often go hand-in-hand. Make sure that you’re staying on top of any refunds requested and issue them as and when they come in to avoid backlogs and, subsequently, complaints
- Staff shortages and temporary staffing – while temporary staff can keep up with staff shortages, you need additional workers at Christmas, but this isn’t always a reliable solution. Instead, start hiring for seasonal staff members earlier in the year to lessen the risk of staff shortages and increase the number of employees you have on hand
- Increased problems as a result of human error – when the pressure mounts and you have seasonal and temporary workers on hand, it opens the process up to an increase in human error. One way to combat this is to switch to an automated WMS
6 tips for efficient supply chain management at Christmas
There are multiple things you can do in and around your warehouse to try and keep up with seasonal demand. As a result, you can ensure efficient supply chain management. From planning in advance to having the right warehouse equipment on hand to get the job done, here’s how you can manage your supply chain effectively this festive season:
1. Be organised
When it comes to meeting demand at Christmas, together with being able to ensure efficient supply chain management at the same time, the secret is found in the planning and organisation of your operations. Think carefully, months in advance, about how you can make sure that every ‘t’ has been crossed and every ‘i’ has been dotted. How can you plug potential holes in your plan? A great way of doing this is to get your workers’ input also.
This is because they’re the ones who work during these busy times. So how can their roles be made more streamlined and time-effective? Ask them how you can help when it comes to the upcoming festive season. Your workforce will be sure to give you some pointers. Take those grievances and work the solutions into your plans in good time. You’ll soon see a positive shift in how operations are carried out when Christmas hits.
2. Address employee shortages early
When it comes to managing your supply chain at Christmas, take staff shortages into account. While you can’t accurately predict the shortages you’re going to experience, there are things you can do to prepare for it. This means that you aren’t left with a workforce that is too small to meet demand. One of the things you can do is to hire additional seasonal, temporary staff members over the festive period.
3. Provide sufficient training to all before the season begins
Your workers need to be fully-trained and up-to-date with everything they need to know about warehouse operations. This can include: how to operate equipment and how to manage the stock and inventory. This helps to ensure that stock levels are high, order picking is efficient and that shipping is quick. As a result, you’ll have happy customers throughout the Christmas season.
4. Have the right equipment on hand in good time
Ensuring great Christmas supply chain management this season comes with having the right equipment on hand to do the job. If you do, then you’ll be sure to complete tasks in a quick, timely and efficient manner every single time. Do you just have forklifts or do you need other pieces of material handling equipment, like reach trucks, order pickers, pallet trucks and more?
Do you need to temporarily expand your fleet? No problem, look to warehouse equipment hire, including forklift hire, from us here at Multy Lift. Not only do we have a complete range of brand new machinery and second-hand warehouse equipment to meet every budget, but we also offer warehouse equipment rental for long and short-term hire. We can tailor your rental contract to your exact needs. This is just another reason to look to Multy Lift for all of your material handling solutions this Christmas.
5. Prioritise your stock
You should look to prioritise your inventory and organise it in accordance with the demand it gets. You can do this by taking a look back at last year’s data. See what sold well and what didn’t. If it’s a hit with your customers year-on-year, then move it to an area that is easy to get to. In addition, make sure that it’s well stocked. If it rarely gets sold, then place it towards the back of your racking. Also, only order the amount that you think will get you through the season. Prioritise the items that make you the most money, essentially.
6. Ensure excellent inventory storage, management and safety
This point carries on from the last one, somewhat. This is due to the fact that you should be ensuring excellent organisation of your inventory in your warehouse. You can do this by constructing additional warehouse racking, if necessary, to take on any extra stock. Alternatively, you could also benefit from mezzanine flooring if you’re looking to maximise space throughout your premises.
Multy Lift is pleased to provide material handling solutions to customers throughout the UK. With over three decades of experience to draw upon, you’ll always be able to count on us to deliver high-quality warehouse equipment, forklift hire, commercial cleaning equipment and more. If you’d like further information, get in touch with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team today – we’re always pleased to hear from you.
