What a difference a few months makes and now we can clearly see how being organised actually makes far more space. The orders are flowing and there are no overstocked positions which was a problem before. This forces the business to run smoother knowing there is limited storage space and should also help the bottom line.
The biggest difference has been the service providers we have partnered with on the logistics side and they have already proven their value not only in the savings we were looking for, but also through the excellent services they provide.
Stock take used to be a nightmare which always ended up with me doing it on my own by chasing everyone away. This used to take me a few days and now it will literally take a few hours and one can see at a glance if there are any issues like theft which I highly doubt and will more likely be a administrative error if there are any shortages. Spot checks happen daily on a few random line items and has been a good habit to maintain no matter if you are busy or quiet.
The business is already profitable with a complete turn around since February and is exactly where we are supposed to be giving us 3 months to get to this point. This is not difficult if you know what you are doing and have a willing team to follow instructions and learn at the same time.
In the past the warehouse used to be chaotic wondering where the next container would fit and now could accommodate 10 tomorrow if required without any worry what so ever. This ultimately means the turn around time on new stock is instant with no downtime.
Next month we will see the material arrive for the manufacturing of trampoline mats and punch bags which will require myself to get involved and ensure a smooth operation. The trick is to start slow and then slowly increase the production each week adding staff members as you go along. This way you can resolve any problems straight away removing staff who are are not fit or skilled enough to do the job. There has to be a bench mark hit offering a certain standard and number each day and I already have that number in my head and it will not be shared with others.
Humans are funny when it comes to thinking they are doing enough getting into a comfort zone that does not allow the numbers to ever increase. When I was running the bicycle plant we went from 500 bikes per day to achieving 5000. This took around two years to achieve and it was all about tinkering with the system adding a little more each week.
Personal skills improve along with the knowledge and what a seamstress can produce today could easily double within 24 months. The plan is to get this manufacturing process up and running with enough knowledge to replicate the same facility in Europe/UK within 12 months. The brand owner is based in the UK and the long term plan is to link up with them offering a manufacturing facility. This has not been mentioned or discussed yet, but in my head this is where we are heading.
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