Eight Ways to Maximise Your Business with Storage

  With year on year budget cuts businesses of all sizes, from sole traders to multi-nationals, can no longer ignore unnecessary expense. Savvy storage solutions can result in huge savings on the costs of doing business. Amongst these ten tips you’ll find ways to maximise your business efficiency.

Cloud Solutions

Still storing paper copies of documents? Look for cloud storage solutions from providers such as Dropbox, iCloud, Microsoft, Google and others. Less paper means fewer filing cabinets, so you can use your floor space more effectively or even downsize your office and reduce rental costs.

Shared Office Space

Having got rid of giant filing cabinets, why not bring in another desk and rent it out to a fellow small business owner or freelancer? You’ll both benefit from smaller overheads, and possibly spark more business energy through the personal or social interaction.

Rethink Your Work Location

Storage space rental is cheaper than office space so switching your operational base could be a sound move. Carry out admin tasks from a home office, and rent a smaller storage room to hold stock and do packing and dispatching.

Flexible Self-Storage Rentals

Many self-storage units are leased on a rolling month-by-month basis, meaning it’s easy to change the size of your space as the need arises. For online sellers or retailers, seasonal stock changes can mean you need more space at some times than at others. Anticipate the change and enquire about larger or smaller storage rooms in advance.

Combining Storage and Work Spaces

Double up and use your storage room as a dispatch room. Choose a space that’s big enough to hold a desk and you can maximise business efficiency by getting everything done from one location.

Location, Location

Communications extend beyond a phone call or email. Choose a storage space with good road access, close proximity to the post office if you rely on mail order, and a large enough delivery area for articulated lorries if your deliveries are bulky.

Evaluate Your Needs

Would one large storage room be best, or would you benefit from two smaller rooms? Can you utilise your existing office space more efficiently, or do you need additional offsite storage? Careful consideration of how you can streamline daily business operations will lead to the most effective and economical solution.

Organise Your Space

Static storage, where you stack your boxes, shut the door and walk away, is easily managed. A more fluid workspace is needed for constant access to stored items. Leave room for packing and unpacking, and allocate an overspill area for unexpected deliveries or short-term storage of larger items. Keep quick turnover items at the front where you can reach them, and be prepared to rearrange items as needed to accommodate new deliveries.

With a little creative thinking and a new attitude towards storage, it’s possible to maximise business efficiency and save money at the same time.

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