Retail and e-commerce markets are booming, and this growth is adding an increased level of demand to warehouses and fulfilment centers. Many of the new e-commerce warehouses are bigger than their traditional counterparts, in order to handle the influx of product that comes with increased customer demand.
Running these facilities requires complex planning to account for all of the contingencies that may pop up at any given time. It may be tempting to look at ways that you can handle certain aspects yourself, such as product labeling.
Determining a labeling strategy is an important part of the planning process. Before you rush out to buy the necessary equipment for an in-house labeling system, there are a few pitfalls to these projects you should be aware of.
These are complex processes when you stop and consider how much inventory is being received, stored, and shipped through your facility on any given day.
In-House Vs. Professional Label Installation
In our experience, DIY labeling projects often hit a snag. Something unexpected pops up and causes problems in the logistics process. It’s understandable. These are complex processes when you stop and consider how much inventory is being received, stored, and shipped through your facility on any given day.
Cost is often a factor in this decision, and on the surface an in-house system looks like it might offer some long-term savings. But when these unexpected snags rear their heads, they can often prove costly themselves.
If you’re looking to make a decision on this topic, we’ve got some factors for you to consider.
5 Pitfalls to In-House Labeling Projects
Missing Your Project Completion Date
A project of this magnitude will certainly take some planning and preparation work, especially if you run a large facility. But unforeseen issues can often arise, slowing the completion of the project, no matter how well you planned. For instance, if locations aren’t properly marked, or workers aren’t able to complete the re-labeling project on top of their everyday tasks, it can inevitably result in project delays.
When planning errors arise, contingencies may need to be created on the fly. All this means that your project could run longer than expected. If this happens, what impact will it have on your operations in that time?
The Project Will Require A Lot of Manpower
If you’re going to use your warehouse staff to implement an in-house labeling system, it will certainly take them away from their present duties. It’s important to think about how this will impact day-to-day operations. It’s also important to consider whether they’ve been properly trained to understand what is expected of them in this project.
Conversely, temp workers will also need the proper experience to manage this type of project. You’ll need to make sure they’re trained with scissor lifts, for instance. It’s a project that requires a specific skill set and equipment expertise, that aren’t always abundant in the temporary work force.
The Up-Front Costs of Installation Material and Equipment
You may be lured by what looks like the cost savings of a DIY label installation project. But consider that a label supply company may be able to purchase durable label materials at a reduced cost, passing that savings on to customers.
The purchase of labels and equipment alone have been known to surpass the entire cost of a managed installation. You’ll also have to consider the additional labor costs, whether you use temp workers or your own. Make sure you have an accurate picture of what the end costs may look like, no matter which option you choose.
Accuracy Is Both Crucial and Challenging
You may have employees working on this project who have never done anything quite like this before. While on the surface it may seem straightforward, but to someone who’s never been involved with one, it can prove a challenging undertaking.
If one label appears out of sequence, that can be of significant consequence to your company. There would be label re-runs, the time and labor to remove the labels in question, and the installation of new ones. There may also be cost involved in a shipping mistake, especially if the inventory is of high value.
Companies can sometimes end up paying the cost of the DIY install on top of these mistakes. If a professional installation company is brought in at that point, the whole project can become quite costly. When you bring in a company that has experience with the type of project in your facility, it can all be more manageable from the beginning.
Installation Preparation
The conditions of your facility at the time of installation go a long way in determining how well the labels will last. For instance, if the beams, racks, or shelving are dirty, labels won’t stick as well. When the labels fall off for this reason, it can become a costly issue to resolve.
Warehouse humidity can be another costly variable to resolve. Moisture on the beams will prevent the adhesiveness of the label from working to its full capacity. Curling, crinkling, or peeling can become an obvious issue in these circumstances.
Application over the previous stickers can also pose problems for the adhesive. This can result in the label just curling and peeling off down the road.
These types of issues may be overlooked in the planning process, or by inexperienced workers who are executing the change. A professional label installation company can help you avoid any and all of these pitfalls before they result in costly issues to fix down the road.
You also get to avoid monopolizing the time of your current staff or hiring a temporary workforce to complete the project.
The Benefits of Going with a Professional Label Installation Company
A professional label installation company can help you complete this job on schedule, and with cost savings. Your company can dodge the issues described above. At Imprint Enterprises, we understand that it’s critical to use the most durable materials possible, and how to pass our savings on to the customer.
You also get to avoid monopolizing the time of your current staff or hiring a temporary workforce to complete the project. We’ll also help you with all the necessary warehouse signage to make the new installation as effective as possible.
If you’re ready to save time and money on your labeling project, contact Imprint Enterprises today! We’re an experienced label installation company, and we are ready to help you get the job done right the first time.
