Where Does Your Company Keep the Supplies?

Of all the jobs I’ve worked in, most seem to have scattered organization when it comes to essential items like shipping supplies or other office supplies. Normally, this doesn’t cause any sort of disarray among the employees or some sort of other catastrophe for the business itself. But there’s just something to be said about the business at large if small and simple things like having a dedicated area for basic supplies is too hard to do.

It’s kind of like how your house tells a lot about you as a person. If it’s always messy, you’re probably the same type of person in any given scenario: scattered, unorganized, uncaring. Well, wouldn’t you agree that a business that has their supplies scattered around in different places doesn’t have their place in order?

This kind of disheveled take on organization unveils a lack of caring that can mean worse things for the company as a whole. If a manager doesn’t care too much about having to pay for another pair of scissors, they probably see it all as expendable. “Don’t worry, we can get another pair” is probably the worst phrase to utter in this scenario, too, considering it shows complete lack of care for the business’s expenses at large.

From my experience, though, the good companies (i.e., successful companies) have a dedicated space (usually a closet or cabinet) for their office and shipping supplies. This alludes to a larger sense of order and accountability than the other stores I’ve been a part of. Walk in closets are the absolute best space for these sorts of supplies, too, because you can make it sort of a warehouse of supplies that can last the entire year or longer, meaning you aren’t waiting around for something to be shipped to you or a worker to go pick up materials. Instead, it’s all available in the closet, and you only really need to do large orders of supplies once or twice in any given year.

For something as simple as supplies to be so hard to nail down for companies is a mystery to me. It honestly astounds me that the time of day isn’t given to everyday items that find use in many situations. If those can’t be handled, the bigger ticket items like company cars, building utilities, and warehouses are almost certainly out of whack, too. It’s always the minutiae that paint a bigger picture of everything else going on.

The Best Tips To Save Money On Shipping Expenses

There are many tips to save on shipping costs. These are sometimes dependent on the weight of the package and how the package is shipped. It is often cheaper to ship to a business than a residence. Many of these tips are detailed below.

Safety

Fragile items have different requirements. They need to be shipped with a safe and reliable service. Reducing the size of the package will reduce the price of the shipment. Some services offer better prices for a lower weight. Make certain the box is appropriate for the package and avoid bulky packaging whenever possible to save money on a quality service.

Multiple Carriers

Always choose the best carrier for each package. The prices of each carrier are determined by different factors including weight, destination and dimensions. Some carriers charge a residential fee while others do not. When all the options are considered the result is a substantial savings over time.

Flat Rate Boxes

Flat rate boxes are one of the less expensive options because they offer discounted rates. This works especially well for heavy packages because the rate is based on the size of the box and not the weight.

Zone Skipping

Zone skipping is when all products shipping to a specific country and zone are consolidated and sent in a single freight shipment. This works especially well for extremely large or heavy products being shipped overseas. This method will provide a considerable savings.

Freight Shipping

Shipping by freight is an excellent option for very large orders. The customer must be in agreement because different freight trucks are often used. This means the entire order may not arrive at the same time.

The Negotiations

Most carriers will negotiate their rates with business. Once the agents understand they are competing with other carriers they will generally offer pricing a lot more competitive. The prices are determined by the shipping volume. These carriers will provide shipping supplies including bags and boxes for free. This lowers the cost of packaging. Continue negotiating as the business grows and the volume increases.

The Professional Organization

If the business is a member of a professional organization a discount may have already been negotiated with the carrier. Make certain all carriers are checked for the possibility of a pre-established discount.

The Box Size

Knowing the size of the box is critical for both ground and freight. When the boxes are light and small it is cheaper to ship ground. The heavy and large boxes should be shipped by freight. Ship as many boxes as possible by ground because this is the least expensive option.

Outsourcing

Outsourcing shipping can be less expensive. This eliminates any fees for warehouse rentals and personnel. The delivery is reliable and these companies receive a special bulk rate. This will help reduce expenses over the long run.

The Label Printer

Purchasing labels and packaging slips is expensive. A label printer enables a company to print their own labels, save money and increase the speed of fulfillment. Some of the carriers allow customers to print labels and offer preferred rates. The savings are nice both internationally and nationally.

The Insurance

Packages are rarely lost. This makes paying for insurance ineffective. The insurance costs will be much higher than the total of the few claims. It is also advantageous to ship packages with a boring appearance to deter any theft.

The Year Of The Pandemic

Have you ever stayed in your house alone for a long period of time? No seriously, what’s the longest you’ve stayed at home for? Whatever it used to be, I’m sure that record was recently broken thanks to our dear friend COVID19. No one really expected this pandemic to happen, but everyone is dang sure that it happened (actually, some people disagree with that simple fact somehow) and now we have to live with the repercussions of this crazy time. Our economy has taken several wide turns and keeps going from good to bad to worse to better. Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on at this point. I’m just some dude trying to make it through each day without getting COVID. Luckily for me, I am now completely vaccinated and can take on the day again. Before that, though, I found myself at home pretty much all the time. 

Pretty much everything I did, I did it at home for about 6 months. There might have been a point in time where I would have thought it would be great to just stay in my house for 6 months and chill out. Wel, I am here to tell you that it just leads you to a spiraling dark pit of depression. That is a bit of a joke, but I was definitely ready to be done with COVID lockdown. I had to work from home during that time, because my company did not want us coming into work.

I was grateful that I got to keep my job over COVID, because a lot of people ended up losing their jobs and not being able to afford things like groceries or their rent. What a scary time to find yourself out on the streets! While I was grateful to still have a job, working from home was not easy for me. I found it really hard to stay motivated and to do my work while I sit at home, because home has always been a place of leisure for me. Consequently, I wasn’t nearly as productive from home as I am in the office, but my boss and coworkers didn’t seem to notice too much. Maybe they were in the same boat that I was.

Other than work, I mostly just sat around at home during my free time as well. I mean, besides a walk outside here and there, where else did I have to go? Pretty much everything was closed. So what did I do with all my time sitting on the couch? Mostly Netflix and online shopping - these are not super healthy choices for hobbies, but hey, I did the best I could. Honestly I found that I was tired most of the time, so I didn’t feel like doing anything that required a lot of energy. By ordering stuff online, I could still get the stuff I needed that I would have gotten in stores if they weren’t all closed. I accumulated a mass of cardboard boxes and shipping supplies in my house because of all the stuff I was ordering on a regular basis. I mean, I had so much shipping supplies I had to buy another garbage can to be able to keep up with it! I am very thankful for COVID to be over and I can try to get back to my normal life.