To stay competitive, warehouse providers are enhancing their offerings with desirable features. These added perks make small warehouse spaces more functional and efficient, which can significantly improve your business operations.

Don’t Get Stuck With Bottom-of-the-Barrel Warehouse Providers

During the first two quarters of 2022, the warehouse industry experienced supply shortages amid rising demand. Rentable small warehouse spaces became scarce as vacancies across the country reached a record low of 3.9%. While availability is increasing with new warehouse construction, choosing the right provider with quality features remains crucial.

Features Every Small Warehouse Space Should Have

To find the best small warehouse space, look for one that offers valuable features. Essential aspects include on-site amenities, modern technology, flexible space options, and an efficient layout.

On-Site Amenities

Look for small warehouse spaces that offer free amenities — as in they’re already bundled into your rent price. Don’t pay extra for add-on features that come complementary with some warehouses.

The most useful on-site amenities include tools for moving products. Loading docks, industrial racking, and warehouse equipment makes it super easy to receive, move, and store their goods.

Other amenities provide operational support. Most businesses need a place for conducting administrative tasks, so make sure your small warehouse space offers conference rooms, lounges, and kitchens for collaboration and comfort.

Practical amenities support the protection of products stored in the warehouse. On-site security and limited access to individual warehouse units prevent the theft of goods from the facility.

Shared small warehouse spaces should also have management available to address any concerns or questions tenants may have.

Updated Technology

Opt for warehouse spaces equipped with the latest technology. Essential tech features include secure Wi-Fi, network-connected scanners, and warehouse management systems (WMS) that provide real-time inventory tracking and automated reordering.

Room for Growth

Moving from a home-based business to a small warehouse space is the first step to expanding your company. Most rentable warehouse spaces provide options for growth by offering several storage size options — for startups, growing businesses, and more.

Changes in operations may require a business to move up or down in the amount of warehouse space rented. Your provider should offer the flexibility for you to do this with short-term contracts. 

Efficient Interior and Exterior Layout

The interior and exterior layout of the warehouse should supply efficient movement of people and products. Outside, the loading dock area should allow shipping trucks to comfortably reach it. The area around the loading docks should include space for trucks to turn around, back into the docks, and pull out of the area, even when other trucks are present. Proximity to major highways is another desirable feature as it reduces shipping times.

Inside the warehouse, tenants should have easy access to the loading dock area for sending out products or picking up shipments. Warehouse equipment at the dock eases the movement of boxes or pallets from the docking area to the tenants’ storage spaces.

Floor plans inside the warehouse spaces depend on the items stored and the size of the space. Small warehouse spaces with racking should have enough room for people using material handling equipment to move comfortably and safely. The ideal layout of a small warehouse space is one in which the time needed to stock items or to pick products off the shelves is at a minimum.

Improve Your Operations with the Right Small Warehouse Space to Rent

Whether your business needs access to loading docks, industrial-grade racking, conference rooms, or 24/7 security on-site, you’ll find it all at WareSpace. Every one of our small warehouse spaces have all the same amenities, giving small and large businesses the tools that they need to succeed. Is your business ready for full-featured small storage space?

To compete for tenants, many warehouse providers offer extra perks. These added features make rentable small warehouse spaces more functional, allow for more effective use of the space, and enable better business operations.