Ordering supplies is an essential function of any operation. A business cannot run without necessary supplies, and supplies cannot be purchased if the business is not running. Therefore, making your ordering process as efficient as possible is key. This includes putting one person in charge, setting a budget and sticking to it, evaluating the budget periodically and keeping track of inventory.
1. Put One Person in Charge
Things can get tricky when you have multiple people ordering supplies. Things can be overlooked or more supplies than necessary might be ordered. You should have one person in charge of ordering. If you work for a larger company, you might need to have one person over-ordering with others working below him or her. The important thing is to have a go-to person about ordering concerns or issues.
2. Set a Budget and Stick to It
You should not look at your ordering budget as a “buy if needed” policy. You need to have a strict budget that is reasonable. You do not want to go without needed supplies, but you do not want to break the bank buying things that you do not need at the current time. Consider seeing if you can cut costs by choosing products that are sold by a different manufacturer than you typically use.
3. Evaluate the Budget Periodically
Just as it is important to have a budget, it is important to evaluate it periodically. If your ordering employee comes to you many times with complaints of not having enough funds for essential items, it could be time to look at your spending habits. See if there are areas you can cut back on or if it is time for an allowance increase.
4. Keep Track of Inventory
Keeping track of inventory is essential for not ordering unnecessary supplies. This can mean keeping track of masks and gloves for medical offices, rf directional couplers for manufacturing industries or amount of ingredients for fast-food restaurants. You also do not want to pay for rush shipping just because you forgot to order something when you were running low.
Managing your company’s finances is imperative to a healthy operational status, and managing your orders more efficiently is one of the key ways to do this. For those considering changing the current system of ordering, follow these tips to get everyone on board with a better way of managing supplies.