Running a business is a lot easier when it is selling merchandise at full value. However, it can be hard to do that when the company has merchandise that is damaged or defective in any way. It is possible that you are ruining your company’s goods without even realizing it.
Does Your Supplier Have Adequate Quality Control Standards?
If your company has its goods made by a third-party, you may have little to no control over what the final product will look like. Therefore, it is critical that your supplier makes quality a priority. Otherwise, items could come from the factory with rips, holes or stains. They could also have missing labels or emblems that are located on the wrong part of a golf club, shirt or other product.
Does the Roof Leak?
A leaky roof could cause water to seep into a warehouse or other area where your goods are stored or displayed for customers. Water can cause mold to grow on food when it drips from commercial roofing and result in yellow streaks on clothes or other merchandise. In some cases, water will ruin the packaging that an item comes in, which may mean that you can’t sell it to a customer. If your storefront or warehouse has a small leak it can lead to big problems.
The Lack of Inventory System Can Lead to Expired Merchandise
Inventory that is hiding behind a pile of boxes or underneath a pile of office decorations may be hard to spot by the typical employee. If it is left in storage for too long, it could spoil or otherwise be unsuitable for customer consumption. Items that were meant for sale during the holiday season may not sell as quickly or at all during other times of the year. Therefore, you could be forced to take a loss on an otherwise quality item.
Employees Aren’t Washing Their Hands
Employees should not touch anything unless their hands are clean. This means that they should wash their hands after using the bathroom or cleaning up a spill. Failure to do so could contaminate food or lead to stains or other marks on clothing or other material goods. Workers who don’t follow basic hygiene rules could cost the company additional money as a lack of cleanliness could lead to fines levied by health inspectors.
There are a multitude of ways that merchandise could be ruined that you may not have thought about. This is why it is important to implement thorough standards throughout the organization that motivate everyone to do their best each day.
Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.
