January marks a significant moment in the supply chain calendar — a time to reflect on the past year and prepare for the one ahead. Drawing inspiration from Janus, the two-faced Roman god who looks both forward and back, this month brings with it unique challenges and opportunities for warehouse stocktaking operations.
January is a time of immense change at the warehouse level, driven by massive stock inventory replenishment – The largest stock restocking event of the year takes place, requiring precise space management. The post-Christmas stock returns surge – A significant influx of returns introduces unpredictability, as these cannot be forecast with accuracy and also any ‘Post-Season Stock Clearance’ – This adds additional pressure to already busy warehouses.
These challenges demand exceptional accuracy in inventory tracking and warehouse management, making it essential to ensure location visibility and optimise space.
The start of the year is also a critical period for retailers to plan ahead. It is now that the process of building plans and forecasting trends for the upcoming year takes place. It is also a time to review processes to identify areas needing improvement, as minor inefficiencies become glaring under January’s pressures.
Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) are valuable tools, but they can’t offer the full picture and are only as good as the information that goes into them. Retailers need to know how effectively their operations are functioning beyond what the system reports. Independent stock auditing services, like those provided by Orridge Supply Chain Services (SCS), can deliver objective assessments to validate inventory accuracy. They help identify discrepancies between actual performance and WMS outputs, uncover areas where processes can be refined to improve efficiency and also measure the impact of changes to ensure continuous improvement.
With time and resources at a premium, maximising efficiency is critical. Orridge SCS offers expertise to help you streamline your operation without the need for costly staffing increases. With an initial consultation available at no cost, it’s worth exploring how our tailored solutions could help your supply chain start the year stronger than ever.
Take the opportunity this January to ensure your operation is primed for the year ahead. A little planning now could save both time and money in the months to come.
