Delivering goods to consumers can be a challenging task for growing businesses. For this reason, many product-focused businesses employ pickers and packers at their warehouses to assist with fulfilling orders. The following article will walk you through the pick and pack process, while also offering helpful tips when it comes to using shelves, pick bins and even fully-recyclable storage units to improve your facility’s productivity.
What is the pick and pack process?
The pick and pack process is a procedure used by businesses to efficiently fill incoming orders from consumers. Companies that can efficiently and accurately complete customer requests will benefit from increased client satisfaction and a positive brand reputation, making it crucial for warehouses to have an effective process for handling their orders.
The pick and pack process begins when businesses receive an order from the consumer. Many fulfillment centers use special software to convert incoming orders into packing slips that list what products have been purchased by the customer. These slips can be physical printouts or entirely digital, depending on the company’s preferences. Barcodes are placed on the slip and the warehouse’s inventory to assist employees with finding the correct items for the consumer.
After the workers pick up what is needed for the packing slip from specific organised storage units, they can bring the items to a designated packing station. All orders are then securely boxed, sealed, and labeled at the station to ensure the goods safely arrive at their delivery location. Finally, employees sort the packaged orders at the fulfillment center’s loading dock for carriers to take by the end of the shift.
What is pick and pack shelving?
Pick and pack shelving, such as the fully recyclable PALLITE™ PIX™, is a type of storage solution businesses may use in their warehouses to create a more productive work environment. The design of these storage bins typically consist of several deep trays or pockets that have a pick-face or open front, almost like workplace pigeon-holes, which allows workers to quickly access the necessary products for completing customer orders. The storage unit’s size can also be adjusted to accommodate the fulfillment center’s current capacity.
Incorporating pick and pack shelving into a warehouse helps companies reduce the pick times of workers. Shelves and other handy pick-friendly storage units, such as PALLITE™’s range of PIX™ SLOTS, allow for better warehouse organization and optimization, enabling staff members to immediately find and obtain the products on their packing slips, resulting in reduced walk sequences and improved worker accuracy when filling a customer’s order.
How to arrange warehouse shelves
The layout of a warehouse can also significantly impact its productivity, companies must be careful how they arrange their shelving units. The best method for deciding where to put shelving is to consider how the arrangement will complement the facility’s flow of inventory. Understanding the proper order of operations used by the fulfillment center can reveal the ideal location for the shelves.
The way products move through the warehouse should be straight and uncomplicated, naturally leading from one designated space to another. Items delivered to the facility from the receiving area need to be stored before getting picked for orders. Placing the shelves between the receiving space and packing station will provide businesses with an efficient arrangement for their warehouse.
Another helpful tip for determining where to incorporate warehouse shelving is to seek input from employees. Those who work in the facility will have direct experience with the layout and may notice potential improvements the company can make to the locations or shelving and pick bins. Using the advice provided by staff members can also lead to a happier workplace for your team.
The pick and pack process is a crucial aspect of any e-commerce business that will enable a warehouse’s productivity and maintain good floor organization. Companies looking to elevate their fulfillment centers efficiency should introduce regular reviews of their pick and pack shelving layout to ensure a competitive ROI and good profitability.
