flevyblog

Flevy Blog is an online business magazine covering Business Strategies, Business Theories, & Business Stories.
MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP STRATEGY, MARKETING, SALES OPERATIONS & SUPPLY CHAIN ORGANIZATION & CHANGE IT/MIS Other

Does Your Warehouse Make the Grade?

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Organization Design Toolkit (103-slide PowerPoint presentation). Recent McKinsey research surveyed a large set of global executives and suggests that many companies, these days, are in a nearly permanent state of organizational flux. A rise in efforts in Organizational Design is attributed to the accelerating pace of structural change generated by market [read more]

* * * *

When reviewing your operational performance, grade yourself on how your business rates in the following best practice areas:

1. Receiving

  • Does the receiving clerk keep a receiving log, indicating dock activity for each shipment by date? This log can prove valuable for reference purposes by purchasing, accounting, and in filing claims with carriers and suppliers.
  • Before unloading a truck, does the receiving clerk check to make sure that the shipment belongs at your dock? That it is at the right branch location? That the purchase order number is valid?
  • Does your receiving clerk sign the delivery bill properly? Is the document dated and signed each and every time? Is the number of pieces or pallets indicated on the bill physically verified before the bill is signed for that exact amount? Is any visible or potential concealed damage noted on the bill? Is the clerk taking advantage of STC (“said to contain”) when the bill indicates a piece count on stretch-wrapped pallets that are difficult to count?
  • Do the unloaded shipments sit on the dock for hours or days before they are checked in and put away?
  • Are receiving discrepancies noted clearly by line item on the packing list? Is the packing list signed and dated by the individual checking in the shipment?
  • Do return goods lay around collecting dust? Is there a clearly understood procedure for documenting why these items were returned? Is someone assigned to process the correct paperwork and send the item back to the supplier for credit?

2. Material handling

  • Are aisles free of congestion, allowing forklifts and carts to move about?
  • Is the next receipt being prepared for ahead of time?
  • Are bin locations being used to locate product?
  • Can the warehouse pass the “Temp Test? (The ability to bring in a new hire or temporary employee and ensure that this individual is productive within two the three hours.)
  • Is cycle counting being performed with any consistency? With challenges like multiple storage of overstock locations, congested aisles, and a warehouse without bin locations, many distributors make the mistake of giving up on cycle counting, citing that it is a waste of time.
Excel workbook
Accountants, accounting firms, and real estate property owners can all benefit from this cost segregation study (CSS) template. It makes the estimated benefit easy to figure out and has flexible assumptions for high level or detailed segregation analysis. You get a summary of cost [read more]

Do You Want to Implement Business Best Practices?

You can download in-depth presentations on 100s of management topics from the FlevyPro Library. FlevyPro is trusted and utilized by 1000s of management consultants and corporate executives.

For even more best practices available on Flevy, have a look at our top 100 lists:

These best practices are of the same as those leveraged by top-tier management consulting firms, like McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and Accenture. Improve the growth and efficiency of your organization by utilizing these best practice frameworks, templates, and tools. Most were developed by seasoned executives and consultants with over 20+ years of experience.

Readers of This Article Are Interested in These Resources


70-slide PowerPoint presentation
Organizational Design (OD) is a structured approach to aligning the structure, processes, and systems of an organization to achieve its strategic objectives and enhance performance. It encompasses various components, including defining the purpose of reorganization, determining supportive [read more]


 
Excel workbook
 
 
79-slide PowerPoint presentation

About Dan Belanger

Dan Belanger is the President of the Belanger Technology and Consulting Group. His background includes thirty years of solution based action in multiple business models including Distribution, Manufacturing, Warehousing, Facilities Management, Service, Retail, and Information Systems. He is well-versed in all aspects of business ownership, operations and management. Dan can be reached at 702-785-7331 or dan@danbelanger.com. You can also connect with Dan on LinkedIn here.

, , ,





Complimentary Business Training Guides


Many companies develop robust strategies, but struggle with operationalizing their strategies into implementable steps. This presentation from flevy introduces 12 powerful business frameworks spanning both Strategy Development and Strategy Execution. [Learn more]

  This 48-page whitepaper, authored by consultancy Envisioning, provides the frameworks, tools, and insights needed to manage serious Change—under the backdrop of the business lifecycle. These lifecycle stages are each marked by distinct attributes, challenges, and behaviors. [Learn more]

We've developed a very comprehensive collection of Strategy & Transformation PowerPoint templates for you to use in your own business presentations, spanning topics from Growth Strategy to Brand Development to Innovation to Customer Experience to Strategic Management. [Learn more]

  We have compiled a collection of 10 Lean Six Sigma templates (Excel) and Operational Excellence guides (PowerPoint) by a multitude of LSS experts. These tools cover topics including 8 Disciplines (8D), 5 Why's, 7 Wastes, Value Stream Mapping (VSM), and DMAIC. [Learn more]
Recent Articles by Corporate Function

  

  

  

  

  


The Flevy Business Blog (https://flevy.com/blog) is a leading source of information on business strategies, business theories, and business stories. Most of our articles are authored by management consultants and industry executives with over 20 years of experience.

Flevy (https://flevy.com) is the marketplace for business best practices, such as management frameworks, presentation templates, and financial models. Our best practice documents are of the same caliber as those produced by top-tier consulting firms (like McKinsey, Bain, Accenture, BCG, and Deloitte) and used by Fortune 100 organizations. Learn more about Flevy here.


Connect with Flevy:

     
  


About Flevy.com   /   Terms   /   Privacy Policy
© . Flevy LLC. All Rights Reserved.