The more inventory a dental practice holds, the more difficult it is to manage. And the more difficult stock becomes to manage, the less time practices have to focus on their patients. Are you looking to enhance both productivity and profitability? An inventory management system with approval functionality can be the solution.
Implementing a comprehensive inventory ordering and tracking system creates consistency, no matter the size of the practice or the number of locations. Inventory management can become overwhelming without set protocols, and routine inventory tasks can spiral out of control if not effectively managed.
An effective inventory management system offers uniformity for a more streamlined ordering and tracking process. More importantly, from a multi-level control perspective, there is easy access to review all orders to ensure the budget allocated for each practice remains a top priority. With an approval process in place, each dental team member knows where they stand regarding what should and can be ordered. This approach offers team members the ability to focus on their specific roles in the office and not overthink or be concerned about where to obtain approval for inventory orders.
Setting baselines for what products and supplies are acceptable to order will increase productivity and ensure that orders above a specified amount are sent to higher-level management for final approval. Inventory management with approval functionality streamlines processes and changes the entire thought process around what supplies actually need to be ordered. Without an approval system process, it can be challenging to know what team members are ordering for the practice. An order approval protocol eliminates unnecessary ordering, helps track the delivered items, and ensures offices receive exactly what they purchased.
Another benefit associated with an inventory approval system is reducing the possibility of human error when ordering supplies. As ordering and tracking can become an overwhelming and time-consuming task, automating these processes ensures greater accuracy and fewer mistakes.
Ordering, tracking, and storing inventory is expensive, so proper inventory management is essential for the bottom line. Software solutions exist to keep inventory information automatically up-to-date, offering the ability to make well-informed decisions when placing orders. No matter how long the practice has been operating successfully, there’s always room for growth — but you have to be willing to make the necessary changes to ensure the practice is reaching its highest potential.