Building a new warehouse can be an exciting, yet stressful time for a company. The fact that you’re erecting a new building means that your company is growing and needs to expand its footprint to keep up with the growth. But there are also many challenges with such a project. This can include continuing to run your business running smoothly, maintaining your client base and keeping employees on board with the changes. To delve into these issues a bit further we’ve come up with an article that goes over the top considerations for building a new warehouse.
Consider Your Workforce
Ostensibly you’re building a new warehouse because you’re running out of room in your old one. This can be a godsend for employees who are tired of working in overcrowded conditions. That said, going ahead with construction without consulting your employees could lead to a wave of resignations. If your new warehouse is in an undesirable or far away location it’d be hard to blame employees who didn’t want to make the move with you. And if you leave your employees completely in the dark about your plans you’re only going to fuel discontent. Make sure to listen to employee concerns beforehand to ensure you don’t irrevocably alienate them.
Consider Your Location
It’s not only employees that need to get to your new confines, you also need to keep in mind your clients, suppliers and business partners. Building in a remote location can bring down your costs in the short term, but it could end up costing you a lot more in the long run. If your clients think you’re too far away you could end up losing business. A remote location could increase your shipping costs and weaken your relationship with suppliers. On the flipside, building in a busy urban environment may set you up for challenges with congestion, higher prices and increased competition. Try to consider every angle of your new location.
Consider The Costs
Understanding how much the entire process will cost from the outset will play a role in how smoothly the process runs. Building a new warehouse will cost a lot of money and you don’t want to be running out of cash halfway through the build. Make sure you thoroughly understand the budget and are prepared for overruns.
