Warehouse management is part of our daily work. Today, we will provide you with some warehousing best practices to improve warehouse organization, space utilization, safety, productivity and inventory control, thereby improving warehouse operation efficiency.
>>>The best practice of warehouse productivity
1. Better deployment of SKU
Some SKUs enter and exit more frequently. Frequently check the speed (frequency) of SKU entry and exit, and relocate the SKU according to the speed (frequency of entry and exit), and vice versa. Ensure that SKUs with high frequency of entry and exit are kept in a convenient and ergonomic position (waist height, end of aisle). Store the SKU that is often selected and used together as a kit.
2. Reduce the pain of labor
Calculate labor costs to find the best cost structure in operations. Do you often place more objects in the picking system? Spending too much money on workers' compensation? The investment in the automatic storage system can reduce the number of people you need in the picking operation, so that employees can be redistributed to other places.
3. Bulk picking, if possible
Batch picking allows one picker to visit the SKU location once to fulfill multiple orders or a batch of orders. This sorting strategy reduces the travel time and number of trips to the same picking location, thereby improving picking productivity.
4. Smart pass game
The order itinerary is realized from one area to another. Each picker only picks SKUs in its area and passes the order box to the next area when completed. Once the order enters the last area, it will be sent out. To increase productivity, please select orders into shipping boxes so that once picking is complete, these orders can be labeled and placed on the truck.
5. Standardize the route
Create a clear path through sequence selection and shorten walking time. Sequential picking does not require pickers to cross vertically or to visit the same storage location multiple times to complete orders. Reducing this repetitive work can increase productivity and eliminate unnecessary walking.
6. Make replenishment
Your warehouse should give priority to replenishment. Reduce shortages and reduce the receiving area too much for each other. Do the replenishment first, and then accept the new materials. This will eliminate orders that are in short supply.
7. Flexible arrangement of your employees: in the face of seasonal demand
Flexibility means being prepared for change. Design operations managed by a few employees and easily increase to many employees during peak hours. This will help you plan ahead for expected seasonal demand when you know what you need, rather than finding people at peak times.
8. Group inventory
Inventory is grouped by SKU shipment speed or scale, and SKU is matched with the correct storage method. Maybe you have some bulky goods that need to move quickly, and those may belong to the shelves in the front picking area. And your small and medium-sized goods may belong to the automatic storage area. Matching your SKU with the correct storage method will increase your warehouse efficiency.
9. Avoid shortage
Set a minimum quantity of safety stock to prevent shortage of parts, and automatically report purchases. If you set a minimum reorder quantity, you can regularly track inventory levels and automatically receive the new materials you need when you need them!
10. Learn to refuse
Develop a clear and documented return processing procedure to avoid bottlenecks in receiving and storage, as well as confusion that may be excessive due to returns.
11. Regular statistics
No one likes control freaks-----only manage inventory! Regularly track inventory quantities to ensure accurate levels and avoid time-consuming and expensive year-end physical inventory. Whether you count by month or quarter, if you want to track your inventory throughout the year, it will save a lot of trouble. Thank you control freak!
12. Make a plan
When it comes to your facility investment, don't be casual! Become a planner for your business. Planning flexibility and scalability. It may make sense to invest on the shelf today, but 5 years from now, you may find that your product line is changing or downscaling due to new lean processes. Are all shelves still necessary? Make long-term plans and goals so that you can easily adapt to future growth without major headaches or last-minute investments.
