Service Van inventory control
- Thread starter chris1971
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Note pad and a pen?
You could get some kind of bar code maker and scanner so you can keep track of those little quarter 20 nuts (check with service desk at local Home Depot).
By chance, do you use one of those color coded keyed time clocks?
All kidding aside. Stock your truck with what you think you'll need, and hire guys you can trust.
(keep a list of what comes off the truck to go back on)
You could get some kind of bar code maker and scanner so you can keep track of those little quarter 20 nuts (check with service desk at local Home Depot).
By chance, do you use one of those color coded keyed time clocks?
All kidding aside. Stock your truck with what you think you'll need, and hire guys you can trust.
(keep a list of what comes off the truck to go back on)
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
When you get this figured out let me know. I have an emloyer and two employees that will sign up for training.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
The key to keeping the trucks stocked is to keep the shop stocked. At the end of each day, if the guys installed two receptacles and a switch, then they need to put those back on the truck before they go home at the end of the day.
As for the misc items (wirenuts, screws, etc) they should check those to and make sure that they have a good supply. I don't think those need to be replaced every day, but they should be checked that often.
As for the misc items (wirenuts, screws, etc) they should check those to and make sure that they have a good supply. I don't think those need to be replaced every day, but they should be checked that often.
K8MHZ
Senior Member
- Occupation
- Electrician
The contractor I work for the most has everything in his truck. Somewhere. Usually it takes less time to zip down to the supply house and buy the part than it would be to actually find it in the truck. Much less work, too. He likes to put the heavy stuff on the top of the pile.
:lol:
handy10
Senior Member
- Location
- western suburbs, chicago
My old boss used to say there is no difference between "don't have it and can't find it". He was wrong in one respect you don't waste time looking if you don't have it.
1) You need an accurate inventory of every item on the truck
2) You need to list every item you use and restock daily it from that list
3) You need to inventory and adjust at least once a year.
This works for 95% of the stuff we use.
Wire is tough because you don't restock it by the foot. I suppose you could write it up as a percentage of a roll (25' of romex = .10) and track it kind of accurately.
Wire nuts, screws, tape etc can be difficult too. If you spendtoo much time accounting for 10 cent items, you may be going backwards.
2) You need to list every item you use and restock daily it from that list
3) You need to inventory and adjust at least once a year.
This works for 95% of the stuff we use.
Wire is tough because you don't restock it by the foot. I suppose you could write it up as a percentage of a roll (25' of romex = .10) and track it kind of accurately.
Wire nuts, screws, tape etc can be difficult too. If you spendtoo much time accounting for 10 cent items, you may be going backwards.
PetrosA
Senior Member
- Location
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
One company I worked for had us list EVERYTHING we used on the job sheet, including wirenuts, washers and screws. The plus side of it was that using our job sheets we could pretty much restock the truck at the end of the day once we got to the shop.
Nowadays I don't keep a stocked shop for a number of reasons, so I try and come up with good ways to stock the truck in a visible way. For shelves, rows and labels might help. I really like the Stanley organizers with the clear plastic tops and I have both the thick and thin ones for anything small. I keep an assortment of devices and plates in the most commonly used colors, but I try and buy what I think I'll need for each job and leave the stock for overflow and emergencies. I don't stock things like fluorescent tubes or oddball bulbs - they're too bulky and I'd soon need a 5-ton box truck
Nowadays I don't keep a stocked shop for a number of reasons, so I try and come up with good ways to stock the truck in a visible way. For shelves, rows and labels might help. I really like the Stanley organizers with the clear plastic tops and I have both the thick and thin ones for anything small. I keep an assortment of devices and plates in the most commonly used colors, but I try and buy what I think I'll need for each job and leave the stock for overflow and emergencies. I don't stock things like fluorescent tubes or oddball bulbs - they're too bulky and I'd soon need a 5-ton box truck
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- Semi-retired engineer
I don't know that there are good answers to these kind of questions. I think part of the answer is that everything should have a place in the van and part of the job when a guy starts in the morning is checking the fluid levels and making sure all the stuff that is supposed to be in the van really is there.
if the bins are properly labeled it won't take more than a few minutes.
if the bins are properly labeled it won't take more than a few minutes.
Worked for a user back in 82'. This thread keeps reminding me of him. He made a phone call from the "Concord" to tell me to go home after being 2 minutes late one morning.
I left working for him..........but I heard he was crying and smacking the hood of his corvette saying why-why-why..... when his shop unionized. No love lost there.
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