The dock is a key part of any operation. It is the critical interface between the inside and outside, for product coming and going. It can either be a chokepoint and a source of pain, or it can be a model of efficiency that reflects your entire operation.
Let's look at a few of the warning signs that your dock is becoming a chokepoint:
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There is frequently a lineup of trucks in your yard.
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Drivers complain about the wait times at your docks.
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Carriersare getting testy about making pickups and deliveries at your site.
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Your customers are unhappy, and are penalizing you because of late deliveries.
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Staff are constantly on the phone with carriers, making appointments and answering queries about where drivers are.
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Internal clients, like sales or purchasing, are calling to find out where product is. And you don't know the answer.
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Staff are working too much overtime, but also seem to have a lot of downtime when there are no trucks arriving or leaving.
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Safety is compromised because people are in a hurry. Mistakes are made. Debris builds up. Maintenance may be skipped.
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There is lots of paperwork: Daily, weekly, monthly reports, truck manifests, driver detention invoices… it builds up and takes too much of your time to manage.
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You don't have any insight into carrier performance.
You don't need to be experiencing all these problems for your docks to be operating inefficiently. Even exhibiting one or two of these symptoms means there are steps you can take to streamline operations, and enhance efficiency to improve productivity and cut costs.
The following Practical Guide offers helpful pointers on how you could improve your dock operations and what kind of system could fit your needs.
