Managing seasonal fluctuations in a supply chain

Regardless of the product line, a majority of businesses experience seasonal swings in their customer demand. The most common one being the hustle and bustle of the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Then, once the new year has begun, many businesses enter a slow season due to reduced consumer spending. It is important for businesses to properly prepare for these fluctuations to ensure productivity. Many companies choose to partner with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider to help optimize their supply chains during these seasonal influxes. At NOTS Logistics, we have a wide variety of clients that depend on us to keep their supply chain running efficiently year-round.

Managing Inventory

Inventory management is the most critical aspect of a successful supply chain. In a perfect world, demand would be steady year long, making managing your inventory a breeze. However, when there are upswings and downfalls in demand, the process can be quite challenging (if you are unprepared). At NOTS Logistics, we work with our clients directly to understand their supply chains entirely. Then, we can properly prepare for high and low seasons. Our state-of-the-art inventory management system allows us to track our customers’ inventory accurately 24/7 and troubleshoot easily when necessary. The system allows us to see shelf counts, incoming products and outgoing shipments all in real time. This data is critical in tackling busy and even slow seasons.

Workforce Management

During busy seasons, you may need to hire more workers, which can be a daunting process. However, with NOTS Logistics’ workforce management services, we handle the interview, hiring and training processes for you. We will select superior candidates, from drivers to tuggers, to stack your workforce for your hot months. Our team can also cross-train your staff across all departments, so that people can help out where they are needed. We also can help you with scheduling to ensure that every shift is properly covered. Then, we can assist you in scaling your labor force back during your slower seasons.

Warehousing Space

If you utilize a public warehousing space, we can ensure that you have enough space dedicated to housing your inventory during peak seasons. A clean, organized warehouse is imperative during high demand seasons to prevent mistakes. Our warehousing team will stock your products in the most efficient way to make the most of the space. Then, we can help you downscale your warehouse space during slower seasons to cut costs.

When you partner with NOTS Logistics, you can rest assured that your supply chain is in the best of hands during all seasons. Contact us to learn more.