Whether you’re a brand new business owner or well versed in warehouse management, the need for supply storage is essential for the entire process. It may not seem like your products require specific needs, but a well managed warehouse facility can greatly increase your customer’s overall satisfaction. Here are all the reasons you should consider taking advantage of commercial storage spaces for your business.
Commercial Storage
As the name suggests, commercial storage refers to a designated space for business related items. These can range from smaller, individual storage units to large, heavily managed warehouse facilities. What separates commercial storage from self-storage usually has to do with amenities, facility management, and purpose.
Commercial storage spaces can hold anything from office furniture to products related to your company. Some may offer further amenities such as pickup and delivery while others may serve as a location for transportation of goods. For this reason, logistics often go hand in hand with commercial storage, making it an essential portion of the supply chain.
Types of Commercial Storage Spaces
Warehouse
When we think of commercial storage spaces, a large, professionally managed warehouse facility usually comes to mind. Not every business needs a warehouse, but they can be very helpful for companies that need to store away numerous products for future use. Warehouses usually include the convenience of logistics management and transportation services. These can get certain products to customers without the hassle of constant transfers.
Vehicle
Whether you own commercial vehicles or devices related to warehouse management, an extra space for larger items can come in handy. Commercial vehicle storage offers business owners a safe and convenient way to store company owned machinery. There are several options that are customizable to specific vehicles, whether you’re in need of an outdoor space or a temperate, indoor storage unit.
Office
Sometimes, having an extra storage space to keep your office belongings can help you stay organized and focus on other important matters. Whether you need to declutter your space or don’t have enough room for all your office supplies, there are plenty of spaces readily available for your belongings. These commercial storage spaces may not necessarily be warehouse level facilities, but they can be a nice alternative to unnecessary clutter.
Commercial Storage Amenities
Pickup and Delivery
Many warehouse facilities offer pickup and delivery services, a very convenient way to save time and energy. Ideally, a warehouse will offer complete pickup and delivery services along with inventory management. This means keeping an eye on your belongings, taking inventory of all your goods, and delivering your products in a timely manner. This can allow you to focus on other business matters without the stress of transporting your products at the same time.
Climate Control
Some warehouse facilities offer complete climate control, including designated areas for specific goods. For example, if your goods require refrigeration, the facility can place your items in a specific area of the warehouse. While some business owners don’t need climate control for their belongings, this can be incredibly helpful for goods that can’t be exposed to extra heat or cold.
Drive-Up Access
Sometimes, affordability can be a major issue for your business. While they can be very convenient, climate controlled spaces tend to be more expensive. If your goods don’t require climate controlled storage, drive-up access is a great alternative. Drive-up access can also be helpful for independent contractors or specific businesses that carry very heavy, intense equipment. Having access to a vehicle designed for heavy loads can be very helpful for transportation.
24 hour or Extended Access
One con of warehouse storage is that you won’t always have access to your goods due to limited business hours. However, in certain situations, this may be different. For example, commercial storage for office supplies may offer 24 hour access, a major asset for business owners. Otherwise, some warehouse facilities may include the luxury of extended hours that will have a team member available for assistance and access to your products.
Security
There’s always a risk of security issues when relying on others to take care of your business products, but certain facilities offer alternative measures to keep all your belongings safe. Some warehouse security measures may include 24 hour surveillance, gated or restricted access, consistent management, and several alarms.
Roomy Aisles
Nothing’s more annoying than traversing through aisles with little to no room for commercial vehicles of any kind. Whether you or your management team is using motorized equipment, you need a storage unit that can accommodate large items. This can help all kinds of equipment and commercial vehicles make it through the area without the risk of accidents, damage, or inconvenience.
Benefits of Commercial Storage
Location
Warehouse facilities are often centrally located for better flow of goods and transportation. This can allow you to access and manage any of your products at your convenience. In other words, you can be close to your business equipment in case you need to be on-site for an important transfer. This can also benefit the entire management team so they can work in a centralized, convenient location.
Affordability
Price of warehousing can depend on the facility, their amenities, and purpose. Even so, if you have to pay a little extra for optimal service, it will always be worth it. Plus, you can do some research and find a facility that offers plenty of services while offering an affordable price. Sometimes, full management of goods can make up for the expensive price of warehousing.
Adaptability
Commercial storage will always be designed for you and your business. The goal is to always make the process as seamless as possible so you can focus on other responsibilities. Your business may not be the same a year from now, or even five years from now. A good facility will understand your business needs and be willing to work with you in case of sudden changes.
Commercial Storage for Businesses
Retail
It may seem strange to use commercial storage for retail, but it can actually be very beneficial for your business. When there’s a large amount of products in a designated area, things can pile up quickly. Part of a positive customer experience is having a clean, organized shopping space. A commercial storage facility can help keep unused products in a safe, centralized location. When they’re ready for sale, they can be delivered to your store location.
Pharmaceutical
When selling and distributing important medical products, it’s important to have a reliable space to store extra supplies. Examples of stored pharmaceutical goods include medical equipment like gloves or syringes, consumables, and marketing materials. For overflow storage of office and lab items – a reliable storage partner is crucial.
Restaurants
When serving customers, it’s important to declutter your restaurant space and leave room for positive camaraderie. You won’t always need a ton of chairs, but it’s never a bad idea to have some readily available in case of a busy business period. The options are limitless when it comes to commercial storage, particularly when it comes to restaurants. When the seasons change storing outdoor seating and furniture allows restaurants to monetize outdoor space without cluttering during cold months.
Logistics Companies
Logistics cover a wide range of business practices, so having commercial storage is essential. You’ll need to make decisions based on your inventory, products, and management. Fully optimized, climate controlled facilities may be necessary for your business. On the other hand, drive-up, outdoor warehouses may be just enough. It’s best to overview your business’s needs and figure out where to go from there.
Independent Contractors
Independent contractors and home service providers often work with materials that are heavy, intense, and large. It’s important to find a commercial storage space that accommodates your equipment without damage or insecurity. Outdoor, drive-up access facilities of any kind tend to be the most popular with business owners of this field. Even so, a well managed indoor facility can be just as beneficial for similar reasons.
Logistics
Logistics is a term that refers to the overall process of storage, management, and transportation of goods. Logistics covers a wide variety of responsibilities pertaining to distribution and supply management. Most commonly, logistics includes identifying potential suppliers and distributors to determine their overall effectiveness. In other words, fully optimized logistics means that your business has a higher chance of succeeding.
Significance of Logistics
Transportation
A fundamental aspect of logistics includes transportation of products from warehouse to consumer. This includes decisions on whether to transport your goods by land or air, choosing the best carrier, and keeping track of potential travel regulations. A transport manager will be essential for tracking shipments, record-keeping, and billing management.
Order Fulfillment
Have you ever wondered what goes into the process of receiving a package? How do they label boxes? How do they know which product goes where? This is all part of the order fulfillment process of logistics. Essentially, order fulfillment is the packaging and labeling of items before transportation. This makes sure each product goes to the right customer and that they receive their package in a timely manner.
Materials
Logistics can even include calculating the potential cost of raw materials from certain suppliers. This can include add-on service costs, backorder delays, and competition rankings. It’s important to have a good understanding of everything that goes into manufacturing in order to produce the best product.
Inventory Management
Inventory management is important for demand planning and trending seasons. For example, one of your products may not be as popular during the winter months, but once the summer rolls around, it will be important to be fully stocked. This means that profits steadily increase while inventory is regularly replaced. On the other hand, taking inventory of products in lesser demand can help you decide on discount prices and other investment opportunities.
Supply Chain
While they aren’t exactly the same, the supply chain and logistics often work in tandem. A good way of looking at it is that you can’t fully optimize your supply chain without logistics management. Since logistics initiates the process of moving goods from one place to another, the supply chain heavily relies on its success. Essentially, logistics is a process of transactions, meaning that the supply chain slows down without its support.
Warehousing
Much like the supply chain, warehouse management fails without the full optimization of logistics. In fact, a lot of logistics happen within the walls of a warehouse facility. Managers must be aware of climate needs, proximity to transportation, and docking facility requirements. They also decide what products need to be prioritized and what supplies can wait for a certain period of time. For example, perishable goods always need to be prioritized above all other products.
OnDemand Storage
Have you been looking for a commercial storage facility that will meet all your business needs? OnDemand Storage is ready to help! We’ve had the pleasure of serving pharmaceutical companies, restaurants, logistics companies, and even cabinet manufacturers! We understand how important it is to provide a safe, professional, and convenient storage space for your products. To learn more about our commercial storage services, please contact us today!
