Jamilla P.
Store Popular SKUs Together
So, the first thing you gotta do is get all your popular SKUs—those items that fly off the shelves—grouped together. I remember when I was helping out in my buddy’s warehouse, we had a bunch of mid-range kitchen gadgets. They were all mixed in with less popular items. The result? I had to run around like a headless chicken! Seriously, it was chaos. But when we started putting those bestsellers together, it was like the clouds parted. It made picking orders so much smoother.
Pay Close Attention to Product Slotting
Now, don’t overlook product slotting! It sounds technical, but really, just means thinking about where items are placed. I once picked an order for some home improvement stuff, and guess what? All the screws were way in the back while the hammers were up front. Talk about a time-waster! If you keep the heavy stuff near the loading area and the lighter items towards the back, it saves tons of energy.
Batch Single-Line Orders
Here’s a little gem for you—batch those single-line orders! When we had a spree of customers only ordering one of a thing, I learned it was way more efficient to take them out all at once than to go back and forth. Think of it like hitting two birds with one stone. You grab a bunch and then sort it later. Just make sure you tag everything well, or you might end up mixing things up. Trust me, I know this from messing it up before!
Ensure the Right Paperwork Is Associated with the Right Order
Gotta talk paperwork too! A few times, I got so into the picking that I forgot to grab my order sheet. Ended up delivering the wrong stuff! Whoops. Keeping track of paperwork might sound boring, but it’s super important. Make sure the right slips are going with the right order, hun. You’d be surprised how many mistakes you can catch when you double-check.
Structure Pick Lists for Efficient Packing
Building an efficient pick list? Key for packing! When I first started, my pick lists were all wonky and not in any logical order. It was a hot mess. Then I figured out to list items based on their location. Like, all the small items in one area on the list, all the heavy ones in another. It was revolutionary—I could pick and pack in half the time! Who knew planning could save so much sweat?
Maximize Hit Density
Alright, let’s talk hit density. When you’re picking, it’s not just about grabbing one item here and there. You’ve gotta think about how many orders you can grab in one go. I once picked a bunch of orders, and some of them had similar items. Should’ve thought a bit more strategically, I could have combined those hauls. Remember, smarter cuts down on how often you’re walking that warehouse floor.