The Client always expects that the product delivered to him is correct, without damages, in the correct time and at a reasonable cost. How many times have we heard "The Client is always right"; hence the reason why by not giving them what they want, they will simply find someone who can. Next we will develop this topic and why warehouses are of great importance in both industrial and commercial companies.
We are amazed at the speed with which business progresses today, in its sales, production and administration techniques. This increase has led to a growing mass demand for items for an increasingly demanding consumer in the quality and price of what they buy. All this goes hand in hand with the scientific investigation of consumer needs and habits, the discovery of new materials to produce and distribute them in the markets.
In the study of modern administration, the warehouse is a means to achieve potential savings and to increase company profits. Its functions are thought of in a more comprehensive way than sales, purchases, inventory control, production and distribution. The warehouse is also given the height it must have within the organizations in the selection of its personnel, from the boss to the last position in the warehouse, although in our environment the personnel who work in warehouses are frowned upon and considered very low level of instruction.
This has to change, because it is necessary to have good level people so that they can make decisions about the problems inherent to the warehouse area.
The concept that is given to the warehouse is: "Carry out the operations and activities necessary to supply the materials or articles in optimal conditions of use and with opportunity, in order to avoid stoppages due to lack of them or capital immobilizations due to excess stock."
The concept that the activities of the Warehouse keep a certain similarity to the Cashier area in companies, since the former maintains materials, supplies, and spare parts which represent a considerable amount of money deposited or kept in one or more premises under the responsibility of the personnel and head of warehouses; while the second, that is; Cash constitutes saving and safekeeping cash.
So why do warehouses exist? They exist for two reasons:
1. When there is an imbalance in the supply and production rhythms, and, 2. In distribution.
Regarding this last point:
a) When there is an imbalance in the rhythms of production and consumption.
b) When there is an imbalance in the time of the consumption period and the production period.
c) When the consumption areas are far from the production areas.
Warehouse Types:
- Finished Industrial Raw Material Semi-finished Products Separated Parts Spare Parts Tools and Tooling General Provisioning Products Distribution Warehouses Warehouses
Industrial Warehouses:
It comprises the set of warehouses of an industry to store raw materials and finished products. Within these industrial warehouses we have:
o Raw Material Warehouse: Stores raw materials that are directly involved in the composition of finished products.
o Semi-finished Products Warehouse: Dedicated to the storage of materials that have undergone some transformations in the production process.
o Spare Parts Warehouse: To store parts for after-sales service, in order to carry out repairs.
o Finished Products Warehouse: Destined for the storage of products to be supplied or delivered to customers.
o Tool and Tool Warehouse: Controls all aspects related to production instruments, such as tools, templates, dies, etc.; in our case it corresponds to a maintenance warehouse.
o General Supply Warehouse: For storage of supplies that are indirectly involved in manufacturing, such is the case of fuels, oils, lubricants, packaging material.
Distribution Warehouse:
Destined to store and sell articles, products, placed at the disposal of the consumer.
Deposits:
Place conceived and equipped for the goods placed in warehouses by treatment between the depositor and the depositary, this normally corresponds to the concept of Warehouse. It should not be confused with the one that is normally used to store the goods that are no longer used, that is, the obsolete ones, it is saved without criteria without order; this is the concept of deposit.
Customer service
When evaluating to improve customer service, you have to ask yourself "where is customer service always done, physically where do operations occur?"
This service is normally found in warehouses or distribution centers. It is there where the order to the client is attended and where the correct material is chosen or chosen, where it is packed and where it is dispatched to the correct address and with an opportune method. Figure 1 shows how the warehouse can impact customer service, the factors that often indicate responsibility when a deficiency occurs, and some suggestions for measuring or evaluating the level of customer service. Customer service is the true value of warehouses.
Many will believe that this requires numerous well-stocked warehouses with very expensive inventories, but on the other hand, the clearest trend is to have large and advanced centralized warehouses that reduce existing inventories and where service is currently being improved. to the customer, but more importantly, the total cost of distribution is being reduced.
The Storage Challenge
Many are unaware of the reality of storage and its importance in relation to product costs and internal or external customer service.
Here we will mention some conclusions in this regard.
- Warehousing is a labor together with an intensive labor force in the industry, there is a great opportunity to improve the productivity of the warehouses and the corresponding quality through active monitoring and with training and education programs for the workers of these dependencies..New construction is expensive; therefore, each warehouse must observe the storage and handling methods they are using to improve the use of space and make them more efficient. The pressure to computerize the warehouse is great and it is also an important key to improve the response time of requests, but the level of understanding of the need, benefits and requirements is low.Management must be careful to adopt computerization and do so after the goals and expectations of computers are clearly defined and above all understood. Warehouses are continually pressured by competition. Pressures to perfect Just in Time inventories are increasing but at the same time the variety of products is increasing; some warehouses increase their inventories but others reduce them. The common denominator is that everyone is undergoing change.some warehouses increase their inventories but others reduce them. The common denominator is that everyone is undergoing change.some warehouses increase their inventories but others reduce them. The common denominator is that everyone is undergoing change.
Storage Planning
The success of customer service can only be achieved by putting into action a plan that is based on a clear and consistent vision of how far storage can go.
Two fundamental types of planning must occur in warehouses:
1. Contingency Planning
2. Strategic Planning.
The first is a protection action plan against a future predictable change in requirements within an unforeseen time. This is necessary to:
o Reduce Teams
o Labor problems
o Increased Activities
o Discontinuity in the supply of material
o Emergencies
Good contingency planning should significantly reduce the need for administrative crisis. The second is an action plan prepared for a predictable future change in requirements and in a predictable time. This need is for:
o Deficiencies in the equipment
o Deficiencies in labor
o Equipment deficiencies
o Decline of growth
o Changes in the product line
o Reduction of Inventories
o Problems in the control of materials
A good strategic plan ensures that capital is budgeted for warehouse requirements in anticipation of needs.
Conclusions
Storage is a critical area for customer service. Unfortunately, many do not understand this or the role of warehousing, so a more active approach is required, where customer service is measured, evaluated and managed within the warehouse.
The customer always expects the right product, therefore the warehouse is an important tool for customer satisfaction.
Figure 1.
| CUSTOMER REQUIREMENT | FACTORS | MEASUREMENTS | ||||
| CORRECT PRODUCT |
|
Returns Item | ||||
| RIGHT AMOUNT |
|
Security Satisfaction Index Slope Index | ||||
| GOOD CONDITION |
|
Complaints and Claims Damaged Sales | ||||
| IN TIME |
|
Shipments / OrdersKeeping Promises |
Source: Frank Daly, Industrial Enginneering, May 1993, pp. 61-92
Bibliography: - Valdés Palacio Armando, Logistics Administration, Editorial AVP, 1984 1st. Edition. - Calimeri Michelle; Warehouse Organization, Editorial Hispano Europea. - García Cantú Alfonso, Warehouses: Planning, Organization and Control; Editorial Trillas, October 1988, 3rd. Reprint
