Bottlenecks can interrupt business operations more than you might think. And when they occur, it can be a real issue.

But it also turns out that most of the most common problems have already been solved by businesses at the forefront of the industry.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Inventory Management Issues

Inventory management issues are the most common problems warehouse managers and owners face. These are extremely annoying and can lead to massive inefficiencies that threaten to derail the entire company.

You can usually tell you have problems with inventory management if you keep discovering stock discrepancies and delayed orders. These issues only usually arise if you have the wrong systems in place.

Start with a warehouse management system and use software to track items as they come in and out. Use RFID or barcode technology to monitor the flow of goods. Also, calculate Ti Hi so you know what’s coming in on each palette. Don’t use old-fashioned counting techniques.

Inefficient Layout

You may also be using the space available to you in the wrong way. If workers are spending all their time walking down aisles and trying to use underutilized storage space, you could find yourself in trouble.

The solution to this problem is to redesign your layout using various optimizations. These are handy when you want to place high-turnover items in specific areas, like near picking areas. You might also want to invest in vertical storage, as it can also be highly effective when you need to save or are involved in cross-docking operations.

Order Picking Delays

Order picking delays are also a problem. These can massively slow down fulfillment and leave customers feeling dissatisfied with the overall quality of the service.

The solutions to these issues include things like wave picking or zone picking. These allow you to deal with high-volume orders and segment your pickers so they can increase their pick rate over time.

Another option is to give workers voice picking systems. These have been shown to reduce errors and provide staff with more reliable guidance.

Receiving Bottlenecks

Receiving bottlenecks are also an issue. These can lead to various backlogs over time at loading docks, reducing stock availability. Goods tend to pile up where you don’t want them, or simply get misplaced as they come off the trucks and get put away.

You can fix a lot of these problems by using appointment-based receiving. The idea is to ensure that you have the people available that you need in order to process the delivery.

You can also get the suppliers on the other end to pre-fit RFID tags so you can process SKUs without delay.

Labor Shortages

Lastly, you will sometimes encounter labor shortages in business warehouse operations, you may not have the team you require to do all the work you want to do, which is a problem.

 The best solution for this issue is to work with a recruiter. If you can find an agency that can provide you with temporary staff when you need them, that’s worth its weight in gold.