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Why You’re Always Out of Stock (and How to Fix It with Smarter Procurement)

Why You’re Always Out of Stock (and How to Fix It)

4 minute read

Your new starters have just turned up for their first day. They're ready to work - and you’re already paying them for their time.

But you’re out of PPE. No boots, no gloves, no hi-vis. Work grinds to a halt, and safety takes a hit.

The fix? Smarter procurement systems and the right supplier.

We’ll cover it all in this guide, including:

The hidden cost of stockouts
How to prevent them for good
What to expect from a reliable supplier

THE REAL COST OF STOCKOUTS

Running out of PPE isn’t just a supply issue - it’s a safety issue.

According to Worksafe, the costs to UK businesses a year include:

£49 million for not providing PPE
£65 million for not enforcing PPE use
£252 million for PPE-related accidents

Stockouts also lead to:

Extra spending - Emergency orders waste time and money.
Failed PPE audits or fines - Missing PPE puts compliance at risk.
Safety risks - Workers might borrow, make do, or work without PPE.
No PPE on day one - New starters are unprotected and can’t start work.

WHY DO YOU KEEP RUNNING OUT OF STOCK?

There’s usually three main causes of stockouts:

TOO MANY SUPPLIERS

Juggling what’s coming in from different suppliers, each with their own systems, catalogues, and delivery methods, is hard work.

It also means:

Safety risks
More admin
Less control
Order chasing

You’re often left asking:

Is it the right item?
Has it turned up yet?
Who’s ordered what?

The end result? Chaos.

OUTDATED ORDERING

How can site managers find the right safety helmet or safety boots when they’re tracking all their orders by email?

Ordering PPE through emails or spreadsheets slows everything down.

It also leads to:

Order errors
Missing items
No live updates
No approval flows
Long email chains

The result? Scrambling for emergency replacements.

NO STOCK TRACKING

Ordered double hi-vis jackets just in case? Boxes of gloves cluttering up store rooms? It’s what happens when you can’t track stock.

This means:

Project delays
Running out of essentials
Overstocking the wrong gear
Guessing instead of forecasting
Safety risks and wasted money

If you don’t know what’s been used, how do you know what to order next?

HOW CAN I PREVENT STOCKOUTS?

Preventing stockouts is easy with the right supplier and smarter systems.

QUICK WINS AT A GLANCE

Make sure you look at these key things:

Simplify your product range.
Switch to one trusted supplier.
Use tools with real-time tracking.
Track deliveries and approval flows.
Forecast demand with usage reports.

SMARTER INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

Choose a supplier that offers tools that do all the hard work for you.

A system like MY-SMI® gives you:

Custom catalogues
Real-time stock levels
Better spending controls
Order and delivery tracking
Hierarchy and approval flows

DEMAND FORECASTING MADE EASY

Use past order data to predict what you’ll need, and when.

With forecasting, you can:

Spend less
Plan ahead
Reduce waste
Avoid last-minute orders
Get new starters what they need

DID YOU KNOW? SMI customers have access to the MY-SMI® portal for usage reports and easy demand forecasting.

STREAMLINE YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN

Simplify your range and switch to a single source supplier.

It leads to:

Clearer spending control
Consistent gear across sites
Better safety and compliance
Faster ordering and fewer returns

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN A SUPPLIER?

Suppliers aren’t created equal - choose yours carefully.

Here’s what we’d look for:

High-quality, long-lasting products.
Fully compliant PPE and workwear.
Fast, reliable stock when you need it.
Sector expertise and tailored catalogues.
Eco-friendly and inclusive product ranges.
Smart ordering systems with real-time spend control.

WHY PARTNER WITH SMI?

At SMI, we can help you fix stock issues for good.

Here’s how:

97% stock availability.
Tough, compliant gear that lasts.
Inclusive and eco-friendly ranges.
5PM order cut-off for next-day delivery.
Fast-branded workwear with 2-day dispatch.
Own delivery fleet in key regions for extra reliability.
25,000+ products across PPE, tools, footwear, hi-vis, hygiene, and more.