Downtime… the dreaded word that no plant manager or business owner ever wants to hear. But what does downtime mean for supermarket distribution centres? Well, in such environments, time is precious and tight deadlines are often adhered to. So, downtime can mean a whole world of trouble for businesses.
From missed delivery slots to a damaged reputation, the impact that downtime can have on supermarket distribution centres is severe. So, what actually is downtime? And how can you ensure that it isn’t a regular thing? If you’re not sure, don’t worry. This post will outline everything you need to know and will present helpful guidance on tips on reducing downtime costs.
We’ll cover:
- What is Downtime? A Recap
- What Does Downtime Mean For Supermarket Distribution Centres?
- How Can Downtime Severity Be Reduced?
What is Downtime? A Recap
Full or partial downtime can seriously impact business – especially if it’s a regular occurrence. Downtime dramatically decreases production output and can even bring it to a standstill. Overall, it’s the halt of operations as a result of a series of consequential events. For example, a nasty accident or power outage.
Sometimes, downtime can’t be helped. Severe weather conditions can cause power outages, or global pandemic outbreaks can leave businesses unable to open – as well all know too well. However, it can also crop up from poor practice within factors you can control. For example, your distribution centre floor may be too dirty, increasing the danger of hazards and causing a severe accident.
While experiencing downtime, businesses can’t operate as they intend to. This means that deadlines will have to be delayed and all incoming revenue will stop. Therefore, for supermarket distribution centres who work to such strict deadlines, downtime is one of the most costly issues that they could possibly face.
It’s a HUGE cost for businesses. Not only will businesses be in a period of standstill with no revenue incoming but they’ll also have to pay for the issues to be resolved. Not to mention, dispose of any stock that’s been hampered by the delay in production.
What Does Downtime Mean For Supermarket Distribution Centres?
Missed Deliveries
Supermarket distribution centres work on two-way deliveries throughout their operations – mass stock coming into the centre and certain store deliveries leaving the warehouse. Therefore, there’s little room for leeway and super-tight deadlines have to be worked towards. Downtime can have a massive impact on the ability to meet these deadlines.
Should they delay one delivery, it’ll have a knock-on effect throughout the process and they’ll be left trying to catch up throughout the day. That’s only if they’re a little bit behind too. If they actually miss delivery windows, they’ll have to reschedule them for another time, which will leave centres way behind schedule.
If severe downtime strikes, it can be a huge problem for the delivery of stock to the centre and regional stores. If distribution centres can’t operate, it means that nothing can come in and nothing will leave. Therefore, the supermarket will be left trying to find other arrangements for the storage of stock due to be delivered.
Plus, it’ll mean that regional stores aren’t receiving their scheduled deliveries. This can result in stores being left without ample stock of products until centres can reschedule the deliveries and get their operations back up and running.
Decreased Productivity
If supermarket distribution centres enter partial or full downtime, they’ll experience a significant decrease in productivity. Think about it, if your operations are out of action, there’s no way your business can be operating productively. Plant managers and business owners prioritise productivity at all times, so this is not welcome news whenever it comes around.
Time is precious at the best of times, nevermind if you’re not firing on all cylinders. Downtime means significant delays with clients and frustrations when trying to deliver their stock. If your partners are trying to deliver fresh produce, downtime can cause these deliveries to be a complete waste of resources, time and money. Plus, you’ll have to foot the bill too.
In the worst-case scenario, your team members may not be able to work at all. This means that businesses will be paying full wages while not bringing any money in to fund these. So, you’ll have to dig deeper into your pockets and cut into your bottom line to bridge the gap.
Productivity has a direct correlation to profitability. If you’re not operating as productively as possible, you’re therefore not operating as profitably as you can.
Damage to Reputation
Partners and clients understandably allow a few occasional mistakes to cause disruptions to your processes. After all, your whole operations are based on people and human error creeps into all walks of life. Plus, some downtime causes are out of your hands and you can’t possibly do anything about them.
However, if you’re experiencing constant downtime as a result of poor practice, your suppliers will soon get fed up with this. Remember, if they can’t deliver into your distribution centres, then their product sales from your stores will be hampered. Whenever there’s something out of stock in the supermarket, people don’t automatically blame the distribution centres, they blame the brand, don’t they?
If constant downtime is affecting your relationship with your suppliers, they may pull their products from the store. While this is a huge problem and will result in a loss of revenue for your business, the problems don’t stop there. It’ll also damage your reputation and other potential suppliers may bear this in mind before agreeing on any terms with you.
How Can Downtime Severity Be Reduced?
Train Staff Appropriately
Within your supermarket distribution centre, there’ll no doubt be countless processes that team members have to adhere to for things to run smoothly. So, a comprehensive onboarding process and training regime needs to be in place to bring them up to speed quickly.
Otherwise, you could be leaving yourself wide open for things to go wrong. Especially, if they’re handling heavy machinery too. Operating machinery when you’ve not been trained properly is a recipe for disaster and an accident waiting to happen. To avoid the risk of any avoidable downtime, ensure that your team members are trained accordingly.
Thoroughly Clean Your Workplace Regularly
When handling food and drink products closely, there are bound to be spills and other mess created. Plus, pair that with operational dust and debris and the chances of a team member having an accident due to the hazards increases dramatically.
You may not think that cleaning your workplace is that important but trust us, it is. Not only does it reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls while easing the mind of your workforce, but it can also have various knock-on benefits throughout your business.
Whilst deep cleaning may not be your favourite task to carry out, it’s essential and every business must put a thorough cleaning process in place – especially when working with food to adhere to hygiene regulations.
Businesses can make their lives easier by investing in the right equipment. Industrial floor cleaning machines, in particular, scrubber dryers and floor sweepers are essential for carrying out a thorough job in quick times. With the time saved, you can focus on meeting your deadlines and ensuring that everything runs as smoothly as possible.
Keep Staff Morale High
It’s no secret that happy workers are more willing to work harder than unhappy ones, right? Well, by keeping morale high, you’ll keep team members more focused and motivated to achieve their end goals. Workers will be more willing to work hard and give their everything during each shift.
It’s when workers become complacent that mistakes start to creep into their work. One lapse in concentration can spark the simplest of mistakes that can, unfortunately, leave your business on its knees. Keep morale and productivity levels high by showing that you care and offering incentives.
Choose the Right Industrial Floor Cleaner For Your Business to Reduce Downtime
As we’ve highlighted, ensuring that your business is regularly cleaned is essential to reducing downtime levels. Supermarket distribution centres can become messy quickly and extra care must be taken when working around food and drink products to reduce the risks of cross-contamination. Warehouse cleaning should be a main priority – FACT.
In order to carry out the most thorough job that you can, you need to invest in the right machine to meet your business’ needs. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach that works for different businesses, so you must consider your options carefully before choosing your machine. If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve produced a free Ebook that outlines everything you need to know about industrial floor cleaners operating in the food and drink industry. From key tips and guidance to machine recommendations, it’s all in there. Grab your copy today.
