Day: March 20, 2019

Five Important Fleet Safety Tips All Managers Need to Embrace

Fleet Safety for Managers
Fleet Safety for Managers

Fleet safety protects more than just cargo. It’s about keeping your drivers safe even when they feel rushed or pressured to meet the demands of the job. You can control some things at your location, such as by using terminal tractors to safely tow trailers around the lot. Managers should also be hands-on when it comes to safe dock areas and safe driving.

Time to conduct an in-house safety audit? Implement these five tips for fleet safety.

Safety orientations: Teach new hires and refresh veteran employees annually with a little classroom training. Everybody should know the best safety practices for their job as well as the workers they interact with so that everyone is on the same page.

Regular feedback: On at least a monthly basis, review your drivers’ and warehouse employees’ safety and performance records. This takes away the feeling of confrontation when you need to address things like customer complaints or aggressive driving.

Technology and equipment: Make use of fleet trackers, telematics, and boots-on-the-ground equipment like electric terminal tractors. Focus on solutions that are easy to use and which your employees will actually want to use.

Team effort: Ask top employees to host those safety orientations or conduct ride-alongs. Make safety a team effort. Offer prizes for clean safety records or other goals.

Corrective action: Make your policies well-understood, and follow through with corrective training for bad driving or reckless behavior.

Easier, Safer Trucking with Terminal Tractors

A disproportionate amount of worker injuries occur around the dock. The Electric Yard Truck’s safety features streamline the task of backing up trailers to the dock and towing them around the lot. They can be operated by non-CDL workers with easy speed control, braking, and steering.

To learn more about the safety benefits of electric terminal tractors, contact DJ Products.

Warehouse Management Tips: How to Be Prepared for When Predictions Fail

Be Prepared When Predictions Fail
Be Prepared When Predictions Fail

Technology has put more information than ever before in the hands of warehouse managers. Unfortunately, not everything is as reliable as quality warehouse equipment. Even the most knowledgeable predictions can fail to materialize.

How do you keep erroneous predictions from throwing operations off course? Follow these three helpful tips to be prepared for curves in the road.

Manage Costs Carefully

The boom in online retailing has been something of a mixed blessing. Sales have gone up, but profits are shrinking due to free shipping, competitive pricing and other costs of gaining customers.

– High-tech improvements are necessary but expensive, so focus on the long-term return on investment.

– Don’t be afraid to let shoppers bear some of the costs. Stricter return policies, free-shipping minimums and focus on high-value items are strategies to indirectly reduce costs while still providing customer satisfaction.

Maximize Square Footage

When is the last time you reviewed your warehouse layout? Do a careful analysis to identify dead space, optimize placement of high-volume SKUs and make any other changes needed to ensure full productivity of the entire footprint.

“Listen” to Your Customers

National news and market data provide an outlook on the general business climate, but it paints a picture in broad strokes that may not apply to your business. Take advantage of the detailed customer data that you have to watch for even slight changes that may indicate an upcoming positive or negative trend.

Cost-Effective Warehouse Equipment from DJ Products

Labor is your costliest and most important resource. Maximize productivity and reduce disruptive warehouse injuries with safe and efficient warehouse equipment like our best-selling CartCaddyShorty.

Visit our website and use our convenient chat feature to let our cheerful sales engineers find the best solution for your specific application.

A Look Ahead into Barcoding and Labeling Usage in Warehouses for 2019

Barcoding Use in Warehouses
Barcoding Use in Warehouses

The rise in E-commerce has resulted in customer demand for greater speed with less room for error. Reliable material handling equipment and accurate barcoding and labeling are necessities to stay ahead of the competition.

Here are the barcoding and labeling trends experts are seeing today. How does your system measure up?

Flexible Usage

Product demand, return volumes and seasonal fluctuations cause frequent changes in product slotting for maximum efficiency. Many barcoding and labeling systems are moving to materials that are easy to remove and reposition.

Advance Planning

When planning a warehouse layout, the barcoding and labeling process is often regarded as a secondary issue that can be handled on the fly. Putting it off until later can result in confusion, errors and delays. Make sure barcoding and labeling is part of the initial planning process for any new construction or renovations.

Color-Coding

Colored barcode labels are more visible, making them particularly helpful with tiered racking systems. Color-coding also provides consistency across a network of warehouses or distribution centers.

Environment-Specific

Different conditions present different challenges for barcoding and labeling. For instance, a label that works in ambient temperatures may be insufficient for freezer use. Consider the environment that labels will be used in and be sure they can stand up to the conditions.

Full-Service Suppliers

As warehouse space grows to accommodate inventory levels required for E-commerce, barcoding and labeling becomes more complex. Full-service suppliers can handle the project every step of the way, from planning and preparation to creation and installation.

Modern Material Handling Equipment for Today’s Warehouses

As a satisfied customer put it, our battery-powered tugs, movers and pushers are like adding another person to your warehouse staff. Contact DJ Products to learn more about our full selection of material handling equipment.