Use stocktake labels to take inventory
Taking stock on a regular basis can make sure your business has a good grasp on stock levels, as well as drawing attention to any issues with inventory such as damage or missing items. It also helps employees who handle the stock and need to draw up reports and plan stock distribution. Taking inventory is generally a manual job, so stocktake labels can ensure goods aren’t counted twice.
Here are a few more steps you can follow to most effectively manage your inventory process.
Find the right time
When taking stock it’s advisable to find a time that won’t disrupt usual business. This could be late at night or before business begins in the morning, or it could take place during slower times of year when you have more spare time.
Organisation is key
Taking inventory is a vast and, at times, overwhelming task. To avoid error and to make sure everything runs as efficiently as possible, you will need to make sure your most organised personnel are heading up the job. Arm them with all the tools they need, including stocktake labels, sheets, clipboards, pens and calculators.
If you have a very large quantity of stock, you may want to organise teams to tackle the task. Each team should be headed by a supervisor and everyone should be totally clear on exactly what is required of them and what the final outcome should be.
Avoid counting stock twice
Counting stock twice can result in an inaccurate stock take, meaning you don’t have a proper grasp on how much stock you actually have. This can result in disappointed customers or leftover stock which you are unable to sell. Using stocktake labels can stop this from happening, so you can be sure that each item of stock has only been counted once.
Record everything!
Never ‘guess’ how much stock there is just by looking at it. It may make the process run faster, but will mean an inaccurate count which never pays in the long run. Make sure every item is counted as a single before being marked with stocktake labels and recorded on a stock sheet.
Take action if discrepancies arise
If you begin to notice that stock is missing or certain stock isn’t selling as it should be, quickly take action! This is your chance to address these issues head on, drawing up plans to stop it from happening again in the future. If you have a security issue, increasing security checks and checking on goods in storage can work to counteract it.
At Hague we have over thirty years of experience creating stocktake labels for some of the biggest businesses in the world. Find out how we can help you with all of your label needs by getting in touch! We’ll arrange a free consultation to discuss your requirements in more detail.