7 Signs It’s Time To Hire A Warehouse Manager

If you’re a seller whose sold enough products to fill (or partially fill) a warehouse, life is probably going pretty well. That is, unless you’re also the person keeping track of inventory, organizing special products, managing additional workers, overseeing picking/packing, making dinner for yourself/the kids, and in general just trying to make it in life. You’re probably exhausted. If you’re a seller feeling overwhelmed with responsibility, it’s time to hire a warehouse manager. Here are 7 signs to look for if selling is becoming more than a one-man or one-woman show.

• Zero work-life balance. Life as a seller doesn’t always adhere to a 9-5 workday, but that doesn’t mean a healthy schedule shouldn’t exist either. If worklife is dipping into a 24-hour job it’s time to call for backup.

• Packing orders yourself. This isn’t to say you’re too good to pack your own products, but packing orders on top of the other 100 things on your list takes away from running a business. Hire a warehouse manager to oversee distributing activity, picking, and packing.

• Mis-shipments are occurring. Although you may have a small team working together to keep things in order, mistakes happen. If mis-shipments start to occur they can trickle into a multitude of problems. Managers oversee the timely dispatch of products.

• Perpetual physical reallocation of stock. Sellers are wasting valuable time if they’re constantly physically moving stock around in a warehouse. Warehouse managers systematically plan and organize goods that may involve special requirements.

• Angry customers knocking at the door. To avoid customers showing up to your house with pitchforks and torches, hire a warehouse manager to respond and deal with customer communication.

• Too little & too much communication.  It’s essential for a seller’s team to be in sync. If too many emails go unnoticed bad customer exchanges will follow. Warehouse managers work to manage teams of workers and deal with personnel issues. Additionally, if administrative tasks are piling up while your business suffers, warehouse managers can manage administrative duties to ensure productivity targets are met.

• Products go missing. If you’ve got a substantially sized warehouse, doubled by a not- so-great inventory system, it can be easy for products to go missing or even stolen. Warehouse managers can also serve as security to protect the building and stock.

It’s okay to ask for help, especially if the livelihood of your business is on the line. Let someone else take the reigns so you can maintain integrity in your brand and vision. Hiring a warehouse manager can lead to a ton of positive growth.