Doing inventory count can be a very stressful and tedious task. Counting store merchandise can take up a lot of time for some businesses and might require closing store for the time being. However, even if it is something that you do not want to do, you still have to do it. You have to check your inventory and have a system ready for it to maintain inventory accuracy.

Another way to have an accurate inventory is to hire an outside firm to perform the counting. There are pros and cons in hiring a third-party but generally, it is more advantageous even to small businesses.

Here are some reasons why to choose an outside company to do inventory

Cost

Small business owners hiring an outside company can cost a lot. Outside-count companies can be costly but if you look at it in the long run, you can reduce cost by scheduling your inventory count during off-peak season. The end of the calendar year is the busiest time for doing inventory.  The nearer it is to yearend, the higher the demand.  Even if you are a small business, you can still hire an outside count company for your inventory and schedule it during the off-peak season so you can save some money.

Control

One of the advantages of having an outside company inventory count control is that you can easily ask for support from the company when you need one. You can be sure that you have a trustworthy inventory team.

Scope

Small business owners may be forced to hire an outside inventory count company due to their inventory count scope. Some businesses do not have enough employees to perform an inventory count. A good thing about this is that workers from the outside company and the employees are more accountable when they know that others are watching.

Familiarity

Keeping inventory counts in-house is good because employees are familiar with the products. However, having an outside company inventory is important because inventory must be organized to avoid mistakes and confusion.

Reduce missing inventory

Every time you count your inventory, you will sometimes see things that are not there.  There can be several things that affect these such as theft or shoplifting.  In-house inventory is important as well as an outside company because an unbiased third party can lower risks for theft and counting errors.

Choosing an inventory company

It is important to choose a reliable inventory company because it will be the one to count your inventory. They must be trustworthy to handle your company.

Managing discrepancies

If there are any discrepancies, take action right away and inform the third party company doing the inventory. Discrepancies are usually related to bad math or human error so make sure to document the entire procedure and automate the system to minimize mistakes.  If you are manually entering products into a system, use a barcode scanner instead.

Regardless if you are a small or big company, handling inventory management is a challenge.