In the pool and hot tub business, there are multiple inventory challenges.
You manage the swings between what’s in stock in the height of the season and in the off-season. When you have multiple warehouses and retail locations to track, any issues are magnified.
You constantly wonder: “Do we have what we need for the installs we have scheduled?" - or - "Do we have what we need for our standard maintenance work and future installs?”
You might be feeling a little anxious just thinking about these questions.
You need a reliable method of how to keep track of inventory across multiple warehouses and retail centers ......so you keep your business moving forward. How can you always know what’s in stock across multiple sites? You don't need to be a wizard! And, you don't need to keep a physical or digital ledger. That old-school method just won’t cut it.
Keeping up-to-the-second knowledge of inventory only happens through a comprehensive system that tracks it all for you. With a cloud-based, integrated retail and service software system in place, everyone from your front-line retail sales team to the out-in-the- field service team knows what is where at any given moment.
It’s frustrating and nerve-wracking when you don’t have a simple way to keep track of your fluctuating inventory....... now you can breathe easy. Let's touch on a few things that an all-in-one software system can provide and how you can keep track of all your inventory across multiple warehouses without losing sleep!
Get all your SKUs in one Digital Location
Someone needs a part ...and you carry the brand. You know it’s around somewhere, but where? When you can look up an item and see its image, price, and number of units in stock, that knowledge is power. You need software that breaks your pool and hot tub inventory down among all the different locations you manage. You also need a system that imports SKUs automatically and keeps them handy for customer-facing employees and back-office number-crunchers. The right digital tool helps you set up automatic reordering that can be changed to the season you are operating in. When you have all the SKUs in one robust system, you easily manage the natural ebb and flow of your seasonal business.
Know what is part of an Existing Order and what is in the Pipeline
Keeping track of what is on a shelf somewhere is a challenge with inventory that is dynamic. You want to know what SKUs are part of a project that is in the works, what is on a van getting ready for installation, and what is in one of your warehouse facilities, ready for sale. With the right software, you learn how to keep track of inventory across multiple warehouses, including the location, quantities, and what is already attached to an existing order. A superior system gives you the ability to plan for future stock requirements for any given item by generating inventory turn rate reports.
These layers of information about your dynamic inventory is powerfully valuable. You’ve probably experienced - or heard a horror story - similar to this: a customer needs a new thermostat installed in their hot tub. There’s one in inventory right here in the main warehouse, so you can schedule the service call right away. But wait—that thermostat is the last one available for that model, and it’s being used for another job. You find this out when the service rep goes to pick up the parts they need and finds no thermostat for your newest customer. What was a simple service call turns into a series of apologies, renewed promises, and doing everything you can to avoid a cancellation. Nobody wants that to happen.
More and more business owners are looking for a solution to inventory snafus...like the one above. A recent Forrester Research study determined that 53% of retail operators plan to invest in an order management system within the next year.
Ensure Pricing and Margins are Accurate
Managing cash flow is critical with a seasonal business. You don’t need your warehouses packed to the rafters during the off-season. And, you need to know where things are, what they cost, and how to get them if a customer needs it right now.
Keeping track of inventory means keeping track of pricing to manage cash flow. With an integrated POS and service management software system, the price will always be the price for a given inventoried item across locations.....no guesswork involved.
Your pool and hot tub enterprise needs to keep track of inventory across multiple warehouses, retail locations, and service vehicles via enterprise-level software. Having all of this information supports every aspect of your business, from retail to accounting and service.
Knowing where stuff is shouldn’t be a battle. Now, it doesn’t have to be.
Evosus helps pool service companies grow by giving them the visibility they need across multiple locations and between the retail and service sides of business.
To find out how Evosus can help you gain the level of visibility needed to help you scale your business, feel free to contact us today!
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