Managing deliveries at your electrical supplies business
If you’re a business with a lot of supplies, taking receipt of them, checking them and then managing them is an inevitable part of your business operations. But it’s not what you’re in business for — it’s an overhead, not an income stream — so you want to manage your deliveries as efficiently as possible so you can concentrate on the more profitable areas of the business. Our tips will help you reduce the time and money you spend on managing deliveries so you can improve efficiency – and your bottom line.
1. Order in bulk as much as possible: When it comes to ordering in stock, buying in large quantities can be a lot more cost-effective and convenient in the long term for your electrical supplies business. Whether it’s batteries, cables, tools, transformers, switches or sockets, having components delivered in bulk will reduce the amount of time you spend managing deliveries and stock control, as well as enabling you to take advantage of discounts offered for economies of scale.
2. Keep a spreadsheet of what you’ve ordered and when it’s due to arrive: Have you ever had that moment of annoyance, when you suddenly realise that something you’ve ordered didn’t actually get delivered and now you don’t have it when you need it? Maybe it’s a necessary component, core range of in-demand electrical items, or a customer’s purchase that now won’t be available to them by your promised delivery date. Keeping an up-to-date spreadsheet, or managing your supplies through a project management platform, will help you avoid those “Did it ever arrive?” moments. Being able to have a quick and easy overview of which deliveries you have or haven’t received, when they’re meant to arrive and — crucially — when something important needs to be ordered in advance, will give you a head start on knowing which deliveries you may need to chase, so you always have the stock you need.
3. Delegate to somebody who loves detail: Staying in full control of your electrical supplies inventory can be tricky – especially if you have deliveries of many small parts to your warehouse on a regular basis. As your business may be accepting packages which contain thousands of industrial staples, screws, wall plugs or other assorted fixings, staying in control of what you have in storage and which deliveries are soon to arrive can be a lot of work. That’s why making a detail-loving member of staff responsible for keeping a close eye on quantities, or employing somebody to handle the flow of your incoming deliveries and outgoing inventory, can give you more confidence that no mistakes are being made, as well as freeing up your time to focus on more important matters.
4. Build a relationship with your preferred suppliers: Whoever you order your stock from, having a better understanding of how they work can be beneficial for your business. If you tend to have overlapping deliveries of different electrical supply parts from multiple producers from around the world, it can quickly become difficult for your warehouse employees to keep track of what’s coming or going. Talk with your suppliers about the ways they can combine upcoming deliveries, or even where they may be able to match current rates you have with different suppliers to help further simplify where you are receiving stock from.
5. Never miss a delivery again with a parcel box: Stock and supply deliveries can sometimes be unreliable, due to supply chain problems, borders and custom delays. This can make it difficult to know when employees will need to be available to take receipt of new deliveries, or risk missing the packages. By installing a secure parcel drop-off location for your deliveries, such as the Penn Parcel Box, your electrical supply parcels can be safely delivered at any time, without the danger of opportunistic package thieves, or having to arrange for additional staff to be available at short notice. What’s more, staff don’t have to down tools every time there’s a delivery; instead, they can streamline their work to sort several deliveries at once. Weather-proof and theft-proof, the Penn Parcel Box offers practicality for business owners that helps streamline your stock supply, limit the risk of loss, and even positively affect your bottom line from the time saved chasing missed and lost deliveries!
If you’re a business that regularly handles a lot of supplies, being in control of your deliveries can give you more freedom to focus on the areas of your business that make money. For more information on how the Penn Parcel Box can help you to focus fully on your business as demand and returns increase during busy periods, get in touch with our friendly team on 01424 429 641.