How retail warehouses can benefit from a goods lift

If you do not already have a good lift in your retail warehouse and have been trying to weigh up the pros and cons in order to decide if this is an investment that you should be considering, then read on. Here, we delve into some of the reasons that your retail warehouse can benefit. 

Whether you are looking to install a goods lift or a mezzanine floor lift in your warehouse, there are a fantastic range of benefits that will more than justify the cost of the installation. 

Reduce manual handling

Goods lifts are an invaluable addition to warehouses, the retail sector and stockrooms. They are necessary for those areas where there is a need for the frequent transportation of stock, goods and other large and heavy items that may need to be moved between floors for the smooth running of a business. 

Goods lifts reduce the requirements for the manual handling of a range of different goods. By reducing the need for goods to be handled manually you are reducing the risk, and also the frequency of the types of injuries that can occur as a result of manual handling. Additionally, it can also reduce the risk of other accidents that may occur. 

Improve efficiency

It goes without saying that a goods lift allows for the transportation of a larger amount of goods in one load than is possible in one manual load. This means that you will be able to improve the rates of efficiency within your workplace through the reduction of at least part of the manual transportation process. This improved efficiency can be translated into savings across both time and cost for your business. 

Reduce overall costs

When you improve your efficiency as a result of a reduction in manual handling you can also reduce your workforce. Where it may have been necessary to have a team of individuals working in your warehouse to manually handle all of your deliveries and stock movements, you can reduce the workload and therefore the workforce through the use of a goods lift. If, however, you want to increase the amount of business that you process as a result of improved workflow solutions within your warehouse, then a goods lift will allow you to do this. You can still keep the same number of employees to handle the movement of goods that a goods lift cannot assist you with. 

Important considerations for your goods lift

If you have particularly heavy periods of use for your goods lift, and this is particularly likely when your business is retail, then it is very important to ensure that you have a regular programme of servicing and maintenance in place. This will ensure that your lift is working properly at all times and that it is unlikely to break down and cause a backlog in your warehouse. 

During periods like Christmas, or when your company is running a sale or special promotion this is particularly important. It will ensure that business continues to flow in a smooth manner. When your goods lift breaks down and you are not able to keep up with the demand to move goods as a result of resorting to other measures it has the potential to result in customer dissatisfaction. This may have a negative impact on your business with the loss of customers and even negative online reviews. Ultimately, this may steer potential customers towards your competitors instead. 

If you are looking to invest in a goods lift in order to help streamline your business, then do not take shortcuts that mean not having a servicing agreement in place.