Welcome back to my list of Homer Simpson’s top 10 inventory management tips. Be sure to check out part 1.
I have a confession to make. I haven’t watched The Simpsons since I was in college, and back then I only watched a few episodes. My roommates were obsessed with that TV show, though, and they could recite nearly every line from memory.
As long as you can look past that little fact, we can have some more fun. So let’s continue!
Homer: [reading directions on a computer screen] “To Start, Press Any Key.” Where’s the ANY key?
6. Translation: Start with the basics to effectively manage inventory.
If you catch yourself looking for the ANY key on your keyboard, you may have a problem. If you’re smarter than Homer then you can start learning how to use inventory management software in your business. Fishbowl Inventory, the #1 inventory software for QuickBooks users, offers many learning resources to help you get started. These include training videos, user manuals, FAQs, wiki and a helpful support staff.
Homer: Oh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Fourteen percent of people know that.
7. Translation: You need real data to make smart decisions.
In inventory management, it’s not enough to go solely on gut instinct. You need to get the facts so you’ll know when to reorder products, how many to keep in stock, and which locations to send them to. A combination of QuickBooks inventory software helps you keep track of product sales, orders, locations and more. You’ll get all the information you need in handy reports, so you won’t need to make up statistics on the spot.
Homer: Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They’re about to announce the lottery numbers.
8. Translation: Stop dreaming and get to work managing your inventory.
Your inventory isn’t going to manage itself. You have to put forth the effort to keep up with the latest trends in consumer demand and avoid product shortages and overstock. You don’t have to do it alone, though. Inventory management software is designed to make the task of managing inventory easier and faster.
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
9. Translation: Don’t try to manage inventory, just do it!
Inventory management isn’t something you can “try” to do and expect to succeed at. It’s like Shannon Tucker pointed out in a comment on my blog post “Mr. Miyagi’s Top 10 Inventory Management Tips;” Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no try.” Make a commitment to use inventory management to its fullest so you can use your time more wisely and start saving money. As long as you get trained on how to use the software and hardware, you should be just fine.
Homer: If something’s hard to do, then it’s not worth doing.
10. Translation: If something’s hard to do, it’s all right to ask for help.
Inventory management isn’t easy. It’s a big job, even for a small business. As you grow from a startup to a small or mid-size business, you’ll discover that you can’t do everything by yourself. That’s why you hire employees and get new equipment and software to handle specialized tasks. The reason you should get inventory management software is because it helps you do what you otherwise probably wouldn’t be able to do – keep your inventory balanced without putting too much time into it.
Now that you’ve read this top 10 list, you are so smart. S-M-R-T, I mean S-M-A-R-T. Do you feel like an inventory management expert? If you’d like to become one, sign up for a free inventory software demo. And keep returning to the Fishbowl Inventory Blog to read insightful, entertaining blog posts like this!
Homer: [reading directions on a computer screen] “To Start, Press Any Key.” Where’s the ANY key?
6. Translation: Start with the basics to effectively manage inventory.
If you catch yourself looking for the ANY key on your keyboard, you may have a problem. If you’re smarter than Homer then you can start learning how to use inventory management software in your business. Fishbowl Inventory, the #1 inventory software for QuickBooks users, offers many learning resources to help you get started. These include training videos, user manuals, FAQs, wiki and a helpful support staff.
Homer: Oh, people can come up with statistics to prove anything, Kent. Fourteen percent of people know that.
7. Translation: You need real data to make smart decisions.
In inventory management, it’s not enough to go solely on gut instinct. You need to get the facts so you’ll know when to reorder products, how many to keep in stock, and which locations to send them to. A combination of QuickBooks inventory software helps you keep track of product sales, orders, locations and more. You’ll get all the information you need in handy reports, so you won’t need to make up statistics on the spot.
Homer: Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They’re about to announce the lottery numbers.
8. Translation: Stop dreaming and get to work managing your inventory.
Your inventory isn’t going to manage itself. You have to put forth the effort to keep up with the latest trends in consumer demand and avoid product shortages and overstock. You don’t have to do it alone, though. Inventory management software is designed to make the task of managing inventory easier and faster.
Homer: Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.
9. Translation: Don’t try to manage inventory, just do it!
Inventory management isn’t something you can “try” to do and expect to succeed at. It’s like Shannon Tucker pointed out in a comment on my blog post “Mr. Miyagi’s Top 10 Inventory Management Tips;” Yoda said, “Do or do not. There is no try.” Make a commitment to use inventory management to its fullest so you can use your time more wisely and start saving money. As long as you get trained on how to use the software and hardware, you should be just fine.
Homer: If something’s hard to do, then it’s not worth doing.
10. Translation: If something’s hard to do, it’s all right to ask for help.
Inventory management isn’t easy. It’s a big job, even for a small business. As you grow from a startup to a small or mid-size business, you’ll discover that you can’t do everything by yourself. That’s why you hire employees and get new equipment and software to handle specialized tasks. The reason you should get inventory management software is because it helps you do what you otherwise probably wouldn’t be able to do – keep your inventory balanced without putting too much time into it.
Now that you’ve read this top 10 list, you are so smart. S-M-R-T, I mean S-M-A-R-T. Do you feel like an inventory management expert? If you’d like to become one, sign up for a free inventory software demo. And keep returning to the Fishbowl Inventory Blog to read insightful, entertaining blog posts like this!