You probably do have in place a system by where stocktakes are done yearly, if you do not you definitely should.
What most people do is divide the shop into discrete locations (often by department) and stocktake each section separately. What we suggest is that you divide up the shop into many small manageable locations, so that one person can doa section in an afternoon. By keeping the locations to a manageable size, means you won’t be tempted to skip a large location because it’s too time consuming as all locations take the same time. It also means that if there is a slow period noon a spare staff member can be used to do a stocktake.
Now as the locations are slowly being counted, the stocktake is coming together. Another advantage of doing this although it makes the stocktake longer is that some locations should be checked more often then other areas. This method allows you to do that.
Furthermore, while you are counting you can also clean too, as you are doing a location stocktake beside checking whether or not the stock is there and fully accounted for by you in your point of sale. You are also checking other items in that location that aren’t supposed to be there. In a sense while you are checking one location you are checking other locations as well. It also allows you to systematically check the shelves and labels are correct. I suggest that you count from the top shelf and work your way down and work from left to right.
Now the locations should not be counted in a logical order but in a random sequence for each location. This has security advantages.
A well-planned stocktake done like this will result in minor disruption, give you accurate stock quantities, which can enable you to make informed business decisions.
Our point of sale allows you to do this.
