How often do you review your business processes?

It’s only human to be reluctant to change; why change anything if there are no ‘problems’?

But while there may be no glaring problems, those small ‘mistakes’ are symptoms of a silent and much bigger problem. That shipment that was recorded as being picked for delivery but didn’t leave the building till the next day; or that package that just cant be found in the WMS, are all potential catastrophes.

The standard excuse of ‘no time’ is offered and often accepted, but you should know that all these issues chip away at your business credibility and bottom line. Every business should plan for a quarterly business audit where KPIs are checked and strategies defined.

At Monarch Shelving, we can’t help with staffing issues, but storage and packing are right up our alley.

We know getting processes right is a major problem among warehouses in the UK.

One example of this, is the use of outdated packing strategies. Is it possible to pack stock faster? Can your packers be more accurate and efficient to boot You’ll find that 80% of the time, you can, if you follow these steps:

• While packing may seem straight forward, it’s easy to mess up. All it takes is a momentary distraction and the wrong part gets sent to the wrong customer. Remember that if the shipment is wrong in any way, the customer will return it and request a refund.

By letting packers know how important they are, you can foster an atmosphere of excellence among them. Staff should know that they will be judged on the accuracy of their work. While speed is of the essence, packers also need to be careful handling of the goods in question. Broken and damaged goods reflect poorly on everyone.

To get the best out of your packers:

1. try to minimise staff turnover in this section.
2. set packing guidelines for different types of stock and make sure they stick to it.
3. hold regular meetings to remind them of best procedures.

• Is your warehouse a maze? Do your staff waste time moving from one point to another? If you don’t address this, you are throwing money down the drain.

While your business may have increased in volume, after a few months of operations, you should re-examine your distances and look for the shortest and safest route between between crucial points. Like the path between the picking section and packing section, or from packing to the loading dock; the first step towards efficient movement is to:

1. Carry out a time-in-motion study to find out how much time is spent between locations. Start with distance from picking bays to packing benches; and from packing benches to sealing machines. What about from sealing stations to loading docks?
2. Chart out paths that safely take staff from point A to B in the shortest time possible.
3. Show staff the routes and explain why it’s important they use them

• Speaking of saving time, how about the equipment available? Are your pallet jacks and trolleys in perfect working condition? Or do staff hang around waiting for the ‘good’ tools to be available before they can work?

How about the packing benches?

It’s one thing to have packing benches; it’s another thing to have the right ones for the job. In general, a packing bench has one primary use but you can get more mileage out of it by adding extensions to it.

Some of the most useful include:

1. Installing an overhead lip for small items like envelopes and boxes.
2. Installing mini shelves at eye height provides storage for small tools.
3. Attaching a plastic wrap dispenser or heat sealer to the end of the bench.

All these are added to reduce the need to move packed goods from one bench to another, when all the packing can be done in one spot.

• Taking all the data from above, you can devise an efficient packaging workflow for each work station. From compiling a detailed list of equipment available at each station to documenting the procedure used for different packages, you can devise a functional plan for your packing stations.

An overarching plan based on current data allows you to maximise the efficiency of each section in your material handling process.

One more tip; if the stock you ship doesn’t need to carry your branding, you can save time by NOT stripping off the packaging it arrives in. This is especially useful if you ship them out in the same quantities they arrive in. If requested, many wholesalers can ship goods in plain packaging devoid of logos.

Improving efficiency is often regarded as a humongous effort, but it can start with these seemingly ‘small’ tweaks. Even the packing section can be adjusted to improve efficiency, save time and reduce cost.

Let Monarch Shelving help you achieve maximum efficiency in your distribution centre. Contact us today for our range of standard and louvred packing benches. Need special extensions? We can customise stations to your exact needs too. Contact us today!