The madness of holiday shopping may be over, but post-peak can be just as chaotic if you aren’t prepared. Here are 3 things to consider in your post-peak season.
1. Returns processing
Return processing is one of the most trying challenges for many retail and eCommerce vendors after the holiday season.
For some retailers, return rates can reach as high as 30 percent during the holiday season, leaving them with a logistic nightmare in their warehouses.
Although the holiday peak might be over, factoring in returns processing is a critical part of operations at the beginning of the year. A performance staffing model can help maximize the efficiency of the returns process. A staffing partner can help you create SOPs for processing returns and managing overflow in your post-peak season.
2. Scaling down your operation
The post-peak season can be a difficult time to gauge your workforce needs. With the potential of a high volume of returns and the unpredictability of production, it can be difficult to know how many workers you need each day.
To avoid making post-peak feel like a guessing game, work with a trusted staffing partner. They can help you predict and scale up or down based on your needs, so you don’t have to worry about the heavy lifting.
3. Preparing for next year’s peak
One of the most critical, but often overlooked, part of post-peak is starting to plan for the next peak. It may seem far away now, but you should be taking stock of how this year’s peak went. Make a list of this year’s successes and failures. Take note of the busiest days, weeks, and months, along with which days you used the greatest (or fewest) amount of workers.
Creating a calendar to note when you had your largest production levels is a smart tactic to accurately forecast for the coming year.
Use our post-peak checklist to determine the success of your season and to start preparing for next year.
SIMOS can help you navigate your post-peak season and beyond. Contact us today to get started.
