The growth of your computer hardware company may have compelled you to increase the volume of your production. Expanding a computer hardware factory is the easiest part of taking your business into the second stage of growth; it is what you do after the new facility is in place and you have the capacity to meet consumer demand that will determine your ultimate success.
Here are a few of the services that you should invest in after such an expansion:
1. Construction clean up
The construction crew that developed and built your new facility may have done a fine job with the layout, spacing, and structure. Clean up and disposal services may have been part of their contract. But before you move any of your equipment into the new facility you should hire a professional construction clean-up service.
A superficial or mere surface wipe down of the newly constructed building will not do. A building site contains dirt, dust, grime, and debris everywhere. Such particulate must be removed. Otherwise, it will get into computer chips, electronic boards, and the other products you make. This can lead to defective merchandise, increased consumer complaints, and a tarnished brand.
The professional clean up must also be done to protect your workforce. You must do all that you can to prevent slip and falls owing to wet spots and injuries caused by leftover nails and screws.
2. Shipping and freight negotiation
If you have increased your production capacity, then you must make the appropriate arrangements for shipping. You will need to reduce shipping costs. You may find it useful to hire a firm that specializes in negotiating shipping and freight costs. Even if you leave the actual negotiation to the experts, you should know the factors that will be considered. Here are some actions to take and issues to bear in mind:
-You should assess the possibility of switching to a different mode of transport to reduce your shipping costs. It may be cheaper to work with parcel carriers such as FedEx or UPS. Or, it may make more business sense to combine a parcel carrier with trucking and air shipping vendors.
-Carriers need to fill up the empty space in their trucks, planes, and ships in order to make a profit. If you can make a commitment to shipping a certain volume each day, week, or month, you can leverage that to lower costs.
-If you cannot make a commitment to a specific volume you will ship at a given time, then you should make that clear. Otherwise, the shipping companies you partner with may add surcharges and other fees.
All of these matters can be worked through by a professional negotiating service. It is just a good idea for you to keep an eye on what they are promising and what you are receiving in return.
3. Increased security
Beefing up security is also a good idea. Your expanded site will no doubt include new and advanced equipment. That is a capital investment that must be protected. This is best done by adding security cameras and other surveillance devices. You may also want to hire a private security firm to protect your facility against vandals.
Your expansion will result in the increase of your online sales over time. It is important that your customers—especially small business customers who use credit cards—trust your website enough to put their card details on it. You must work with a high quality IT security firm to get the best protection for your website.