The Essential Checklist to Read Before Hiring a Warehouse Setup Consultant
With today’s warehouse labor shortage and turnover, rising wages, and fast pace of fulfillment, you cannot afford inefficiency in your warehouse. A poorly designed warehouse will cost you money, reduce your margins, and may create safety concerns.
Streamlining your workflow, ensuring seamless throughput, and configuring your space with the right material handling equipment will make a significant difference, producing:
- Increased efficiency: Streamlined workflows, improved space utilization, and optimized picking routes significantly reduce time spent on tasks and increase operational efficiency.
- Cost reduction: An optimized warehouse design leads to lower labor costs, reduced energy consumption, and decreased inventory holding costs, resulting in substantial savings for the business.
- Enhanced inventory management: Better visibility and control over stock levels improve inventory turnover rates and reduce the likelihood of stockouts or overstock situations.
- Increased storage capacity: Effective use of vertical space and appropriate racking systems maximize storage potential, allowing the warehouse to accommodate more inventory in the same footprint.
- Faster order fulfillment: Efficient pick paths, organized inventory locations, and streamlined packing areas expedite the entire order cycle time, leading to quicker deliveries and improved customer satisfaction.
It takes years of experience in warehouse design and setup to create an optimal plan. Hiring a warehouse setup consultant can help you maximize your storage space and achieve these benefits.
Before you hire a warehouse setup consultant, review our warehouse setup checklist to make the right choice.
A 10-Step Warehouse Setup Checklist
This checklist will help you prepare and find a warehouse setup consultant to customize your space.
- Define Your Objectives
- Outline your goals for the warehouse setup or optimization
- Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) you want to improve
- Determine your budget and timeline for the project
- Assess Your Current Situation
- Analyze your existing warehouse layout and processes
- Identify pain points and areas for improvement
- Gather relevant data on inventory, throughput, and space utilization
- Research Potential Consultants
- Look for consultants with experience in your industry
- Check their credentials and certifications
- Read client testimonials and case studies
- Evaluate Expertise in Key Areas
- Warehouse layout design
- Material handling equipment selection
- Inventory management systems
- Process optimization
- Engineering and permitting knowledge
- Discuss Engineering and Permitting
- Inquire about the consultant’s experience with local building codes
- Ask about their familiarity with engineering requirements for warehouse structures
- Ensure they can navigate the permitting process efficiently
- Request a Detailed Proposal
- Ask for a comprehensive scope of work
- Ensure the proposal includes timelines and milestones
- Review the proposed methodology for the warehouse setup project
- Consider Communication and Collaboration
- Assess the consultant’s communication style
- Determine how often you’ll receive project updates
- Discuss how they plan to involve your team in the process
- Examine Their Technology Stack
- Ask about the software and tools they use for warehouse design
- Inquire about their experience with automation and integration
- Determine if their technology is compatible with your existing systems
- Discuss Post-Implementation Support
- Ask about training for your staff on new processes or systems
- Inquire about ongoing support after the initial setup
- Discuss potential future optimizations or expansions
- Check References
- Contact previous clients to gauge their satisfaction
- Ask about the consultant’s problem-solving abilities
- Inquire about the long-term results of the consultant’s work
When you are designing a warehouse plan, you cannot afford to make mistakes. It can be costly to make changes after the fact, and living with a poor design can be even more expensive over the long term. A warehouse setup consultant can help you avoid these problems and produce an optimal configuration that produces sustainable results.
Conesco Storage Systems: Your Warehouse Setup Consulting Experts
No matter what you need for your warehouse, fulfillment center, or distribution center, the experts at Conesco Storage Systems have the experience and expertise you need. Conesco provides warehouse planning, engineering and permitting, and material handling consulting for all sizes of facilities.
As one of the nation’s largest new and used material handling equipment suppliers, we have access to top brands and a wide range of quality used equipment. We can build your optimal configuration, create the stamped engineering documents, and guide the permitting process. After approval, we can also be your project managers, overseeing the installation and providing expert labor for safe and fast installation. We also handle teardowns, transitions, moves, and decommissions.
Call Conesco Storage Systems at (303) 690-9591 or request a free consultation. Let us show you how we can amplify your space, improve efficiency, and save you time and money with warehouse setup consulting services.
