Outsourcing the warehousing and distribution needs is beneficial for companies. These days, a third-party warehouse also offers fulfillment services at affordable rates. It helps you grow with its flexible pricing per square foot. During the peak season, you may need more space while off-season you will need less. When you hire a warehouse to do all your fulfillment work, you only pay for the space you use.
Choose the right warehouse partner to ensure efficient operations and good profits. Before you make a selection there are certain things you need to consider. Some warehouses are better due to their size, management, staff, and software, while others may not be good for you due to their bad management and lack of cleanliness. It is viable to learn who is running the better facilities and if there are any requirements that you need to fulfill. It is advisable to pay a visit to the warehouse before you rent the space out. If you are in another city have a representative go over and check the nitty-gritty for your peace of mind.
The first thing you need to check is how organized the place is. Are things labeled so they can be found easily? You need to check to see how the inventories for other clients are handled. There are processes that warehouses follow, and you need to check through these processes. Many facilities work efficiently, and they have zero complaints from their clients while others are still trying to get organized due to lack of experience. The more experienced companies in Michigan run better fulfillment centers. They are competent enough for your business.
If a warehouse looks well organized and clean to you then you can proceed to discuss the rental rates. The facility has to take precautions to avoid cross-contamination in foods. All food grade warehouses have dry storage, refrigerated storage, and frozen storage that has to be kept well maintained. Effective management ensures the space of the warehouse stays clean throughout the day and week. Those who follow high standards need to be your choice. Besides cleanliness, you also have to make sure there are no pests on the property. If the air conditioning and the freezers work well there is no way you will find rodents or other pests there. Mold and mildew grow in places that are humid due to faulty bad air conditioning. Your food will rot sooner is such warehouses. So, look for a food-grade warehouse with a nice environment and friendly staff.
All businesses work for profits. Safety and security is an important aspect of warehousing that also needs to be checked. Choose a warehouse located in a safe area that follows reliable safety standards. These days almost all businesses have surveillance cameras for safety reasons and no unauthorized personnel are allowed in the storage areas. Food grade warehouses also follow such safety procedures and have cameras in place that monitor the movement of people coming in and going out of the facility. The risk of pilferage is thus reduced to zero. You need to make sure the warehouse you are interested in has a good security system in place.
City codes are important and need to be followed by all businesses. All storage facilities that store food-grade products need to abide by Food and Drug Administration standards. The inspection certificates need to be up to date. The warehouse has to have a license to operate its business and also has to be insured. When your shipments move from one place to another, they too require insurance. In case some unexpected event takes place with your goods you will not have to bear losses.
Good inventory management ensures the items you need to ship are there and you do not have to wait to ship these items. Hence maintaining proper par levels is important. Your warehouse needs to update the inventory software soon as a new shipment arrives and when items are shipped out. You can check your inventory using their online software.
To expand your supply chain, you have to have a reliable food grade warehousing partner that also does all the fulfillment work. This third party has to be well established and with modern refrigeration units and freezers, so you do not have to suffer from losses caused by the decomposition of food items. For shipping food, they also have to have refrigerated trucks.
By outsourcing all your warehousing and distribution work you will be left with nothing much to worry about except for business development. Many food distributors are benefitting from the logistic expertise of trucking companies in Michigan. They have been able to expand their supply chain with their help. Delivering fresh goods on time every time will help win the trust of the buyers and get repeat orders. Your market will expand if your rates are lower than the competition. When you save on warehousing and transportation costs you will be able to offer better pricing and stay competitive in the market.
