This post is provided by Jason Dirkham

Thanks to the recent economic and public health crisis, the entire business world is being tipped on its head. We haven’t had disruption like this since WWII. But now companies are in a frantic scramble to survive. 

The main consequence of social distancing is the growth of the warehouse industry. Remote sales, work, and distribution means that demand for giant goods-holding facilities is on the rise. Many small and medium-sized companies are discovering that they’re indispensable for their operations. 

But as an SME, how do you actually go about picking suitable warehouse facilities? 

Check out the following tips. 

Choose Flexible Storage Options

SMEs rarely purchase their own facilities outright. Instead, they rent the space they need from existing suppliers in the marketplace. 

Some warehouse operators will try to charge you for specific “units.” In other words, if you want to rent from them, you’ll have to purchase certain chunks of space. 

Unfortunately, though, those chunks might not actually align with the needs of your enterprise. And so you could wind up with too much or not enough. 

Other warehouse providers take a more granular approach. Instead of making you buy a set amount, they charge you more granularly. Consequently, you never have to pay for the space you don’t need. 

Make Use Of Efficient Technologies.

Warehouses today are much more than big boxes in which to put things. They come with a host of technologies, designed to make them better. For instance, sites like https://www.arlynscales.com/floor-scales/pallet-floor-scales/ explain how many companies now use floor scales to quickly measure goods in and out of facilities. These work with standard pallets, so there’s no time-consuming loading or unloading. 

Other warehouses have complex conveyor belt systems to move goods around, making it easier for pickers and packers to do their jobs. Some even have robots carrying out tasks – very futuristic. 

Pick A Warehouse Close To The National Network

Warehouses tend to be close to major routes, both road, and rail. That’s not by chance. It’s so that distributors can quickly transport products out of the warehouse facility to other locations across the country. 

Warehousing close to the national network saves a lot of time and money. Doing it lets you reduce your transport costs, according to https://smallbusiness.co.uk/how-to-choose-a-warehouse-facility-as-a-small-business-2416387/. 

Look For Partners To Improve Your Warehouse Efficiency

Warehouses aren’t standalone facilities. They work in tandem with the rest of the logistics ecosystem. That’s why it’s so critical to find a good logistics partner as early in the process as you can. You want somebody who is able to provide an end-to-end service to customers, connecting your distribution facilities to your target market. That way, you can boost efficiency.

Use Economies Of Scale

Lastly, you’ll want to find a provider who is already delivering warehousing services on a large scale to other businesses across the economy. Economies of scale allow them to push down prices to levels far lower than you could get from other smaller operators. Larger networks also enable local collections and distribution, getting goods to customers faster.