Improving efficiency is always a primary concern for businesses, and there are a lot of ways you can do that. But if you want to make big cost savings, you should take a look at the way that you load vehicles for deliveries.
So many businesses waste money because they pack their orders badly, which means fewer items go in each vehicle and they have to cover the cost of more deliveries.
Not only is it bad for your bank balance but it’s also bad for the environment, so finding ways to be more efficient with your order packing is essential.
This is especially important if you are shipping to the EU post-Brexit because it is likely that you will encounter problems and face extra charges.
The fewer vehicles you send, the easier it is to manage those complications. So, how exactly can you improve the efficiency of your order packing to save money and be more eco-friendly?
How much of your truck is filled with products and how much of it is filled with unnecessary packaging? If you use excessive packaging on items, you’re wasting a lot of space and that costs you money.
So, take a look at all of your product packaging and see if there are ways to streamline it. Even making small reductions will add up to a lot of saved space when you have a full truck.
However, remember that the packaging services a purpose and it’s there to protect your items. Only reduce packaging if it doesn’t compromise the safety of the item because an increase in damaged items will cost you even more money.
People often have trouble with small, awkward shaped items because they can’t slot in as easily as simple boxes. The best way to get around that is to use stackable plastic crates for those items instead. You can multiple items in each box and then stack them on top of one another to make the most efficient use of the space.
This also gives them more protection, so it’s the ideal solution for small, fragile items that are usually difficult to transport. You can pack these crates before they go on the truck, so when it comes time to load up for deliveries, it takes no time at all.
When you send out deliveries, you want them to be as quick as possible so your customers get the best service. Minimizing route times helps you save money and your customers are happy because they get their orders faster. Using route planning software to eliminate waste is one way to do that but you should also make sure that you pack things in the right order.
It’s not always possible because of the shape and size of items but you should always pack in the order of deliveries where you can. This makes things much easier for your drivers because they can easily access the next item.
Making these simple changes to your packing system could save you a lot of money and reduce your impact on the environment.
