The last thing you need to be doing in this economy is stocking a truck too heavily or paying for excess inventory.

The last thing you need to be doing in this economy is stocking a truck too heavily. Not to mention paying for excess inventory or stuff that gets damaged or goes out of warranty sitting on a shelf. What’s just is bad is having a truck stocked without enough to make it a good chance you can make an immediate sale and do the work. Time wasted chasing parts is a killer and it can be a lost sale!

Goal:
Pull up to 80% of the homes you serve with a truck and truck stock that will give the tech an 80% chance they’ll have what they need to get the job done today.

First 7 Steps to Implementation:

1. Buy a truck that a tech can stand up in, such as a Sprinter, a Mini Box or a full-size Box Truck.

2. Create a truck stocking template and customize it to fit what you do by pulling either two months’ in peak season worth of invoices that list what materials that tech used (what the computer tracked as being used by that truck or that tech) or call the primary vendor and get help. Use the task list in the table of contents in the Operations Manual for the Trade(s) you do or use the flat-rate book.

3. Get help from your model or missionary tech so he doesn’t feel stuck with your design. And then have him test drive it for two weeks, so you can both agree on SLIGHT modifications.

4. With the customized list, layout the materials behind the vehicle on the floor first. Then prioritize what absolutely needs to be on the truck and what would be a “nice to have”.

5. Build the shelving on the floor of the warehouse first because it makes it easier to locate where you want to put the stuff first and adjust the shelving and bin location.

6. Once you like it, TAKE PHOTOS!

7. Install the shelving in the truck and begin.

Note: If the shelving is already in the truck you can simulate the shelving on the floor of the warehouse and then you end up with a shelving configuration that’s ready to go when you put the next truck on the road.

More to come next week.

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