Faster order fulfillment/ faster order picking productivity

Order Fulfillment Systems for dramatic increase in order picking productivity

The job of a warehouse manager is not easy.  He or she is accountable for many elements within the four walls of the warehouse to ensure the the order fulfillment operations running as efficiently as possible.  There's people to manage, equipment No one knows better that “the customer is always right”.  Customers’ demands determine what order picking is required in the warehouse with the internet has putting customers in a stronger position today: they want everything “on demand”.  The effect of this demand results in a fulfillment warehouse having to:

• carry a greater variety of products
• add more warehouse inventory
• order pick faster
• increase order picking speeds 
• ship items quicker

Demand for Faster Order Picking

 The increase in customer demands means that the distribution center needs to work even harder... if not smarter.  A successful warehouse fulfillment center needs to:

• Ship faster than the competition
• Store and provide new and popular products faster than the competition
• Gain a payback that goes to your bottom-line year after year
• Reduce operating costs related to order picking system, and labor

Having the capability to fulfill orders faster not only means retaining a customer, but beating the competition for better bottom-line to the business.  That is why optimizing order picking in the warehouse for faster order picking , faster shipping and 100% accuracy (as a goal) is crucial.
Many companies use two scenarios when picking:

• discrete picking
• batch picking

Discrete Order Picking

This picking method is the most basis method that most warehouse operations start with.  It is simple and it works.  Discrete picking is when an order selector picks one order at a time, moving around the entire warehouse until that order is complete, then starting on the next order.

The negative part of discrete order picking is that it is the most time consuming method to fulfill an order.  Imagine you walking through the entire warehouse for each and every order!  There is a lot of time wasted in walking the pick path.

Batch Order Picking

The next common phase for a warehouse operation to go through is to batch all their orders in groups based on their pick locations.  Typically the orders are put into a system to organize orders by the item type and/or pick location.  By picking multiple orders at the same time, you will greatly reduce the walking time of order picking and increase order picking productivity.

The negative of batch picking is that if done in a semi-manual method (paper picking), it may result in a lot of pick errors.  It would be less confusing and more efficient if batch picking is used along a order fulfillment software system.

With new technology on the market today, it makes sense for serious warehouse operations to consider using warehouse order fulfillment software systems.  Typically, these systems allow the warehouse operation to:

• pick multiple orders at a time
•  reduce travel distance and
• increase warehouse picking productivity
• gaining virtually 100% picking accuracy

Order Picking Productivity Tip

60% to 70% of the cost to pick a product is travel time and distance between picks.  Reduce travel by combining orders and you will increase productivity while decreasing warehouse order picking costs.
Cluster picking

To increase warehouse picking productivity, a warehouse manager needs to focus on increase picking speed and accuracy by decreasing pick path travel and combining picking activities in the warehouse.

FastFetch has proven to be one of the best order fulfillment systems on the market.  FastFetch allows you to improve your order picking productivity which means you have faster order picking rates, perhaps your fastest pick rates ever!





 
With FastFetch you are able to increase the pick speed 2 to 3 times that of other systems.  Specifically, you will be able to:

• Cut travel distance by picking multiple orders all in one trip
• Reduce number of stops to pick items with batch picking/ cluster picking
• Eliminate picker “wait time” with dynamic pick zones
• Eliminate scanning high velocity items with pick to light system

FastFetch optimizes order fulfillment by reducing travel distance/ pick path

FastFetch is a patented order fulfillment technology like no other.  It’s unique software allows you to gain many benefits to your order picking operations to give you the competitive advantage you want and need to grow your business.
With FastFetch’s order fulfillment technology, great focus is made on reducing the most labor intensive portion of the order picking process; cutting down the distance that order pickers travel.

How do you increase order fulfillment rates?

FastFetch order fulfillment systems works with your existing WMS, ERP of host system to:

• Reduce travel distance
• Batch pick multiple orders all in one trip
• Eliminate wasteful time handling paper pick tickets
• Cut down time of looking for a location/ pick bay

So what does faster order picking/ fulfillment it mean to you?

Your order fulfillment operation will enjoy faster pick times, virtually 100% accuracy and faster shipments… all this with a significant reduction in overhead costs and labor costs.  Whether you are currently on a paper pick system, hand held scanner system, pick-to-light, voice pick or a combination, you will gain significant order fulfillment advantages.

While, we would like to simply say that FastFetch order fulfillment systems is the best voice directed picking system on the market, we’d like to explain why we think it is so. FastFetch is a 3-in-1 directed picking technology that combines voice directed picking, pick to light, and bar code scan picking. In side by side comparisons, it is obvious that:

• FastFetch is 2 to 3 times faster than other voice directed picking technology
• FastFetch batches orders to reduce pick times (whereas typical voice directed picking doesn’t)
• FastFetch downloads “next best order” to replace offloaded order (whereas typical voice directed picking doesn’t)
• FastFetch constantly is optimizing picks to reduce travel distance and increase picking productivity (whereas typical voice directed picking doesn’t)

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5 Common Regrets of Order Picking

Over the years I have seen many mistakes in the way that many have set up their order picking system. To help you avoid these same mistakes, we have a short video on the 5 Common Regrets of order picking. 

1.       Not maximizing order picking productivity

You will be able to increase order fulfillment productivity and through put by doing the following:

a.       To increase order picking productivity you want to cut travel distances as it is the majority of your labor costs (60-70% of your total paid labor costs)

b.      To reduce the distance traveled by order pickers, you will need to reduce the stops at pick bays

c.       You should also batch pick when possible.  Batch picking is when you pick multiple orders all in one trip.

By being able to reduce the distance of walking, you will be able to increase time spent on actual order picking instead of walking all over the warehouse.

2.       Not being virtually 100% accurate

Many operations believe that they must pick one order at a time to have error free order picking, but this is false.  There is a better and more efficient way.  If you confirm your picks throughout the picking process, you can gain the accuracy you want, while ensuring high pick productivities.  How do you gain virtually 100% picking accuracy?

a.       Pick to Light: Instead, pick to light systems uses a computer to direct lights at pick locations (on carousels, carton flow rack, shelving storage, static shelving and batch picking carts, and others) to indicate the items and quantities to pick.  Once order pickers complete the task indicated by the light modules, they simply push a button to confirm their picks. 

b.      Voice Directed Picking: Order pickers are directed by voice where to go and what to pick.  Pick verification is done by speaking the SKU identification number for each pick.

c.       Bar code scanning: Bar code scan systems offer 1) very fast data entry of information and 2) extremely high input accuracy.  This is valuable if you are handling extremely costly products and/or need 100% order picking accuracy. 

3.       Inflexible order fulfillment system

Many times, order fulfillment systems were created for the existing needs of today, not tomorrow.  With the ever-changing business environment, having an order picking system that is not easy to change and doesn’t easily adapt to business needs can be a problem.

a.       Flexible system: you want a system that easily expands to your business growth.

                                                               i.      Add more light modules for your pick to light system

                                                             ii.      Reconfigure your entire system

b.      Multiple Modes of Operation with FastFetch pick to light, voice directed and bar code scanning system:

                                                               i.       Pick from bay

                                                             ii.       Put to bay (put-to-light/ reverse logistics)

                                                            iii.       Pick then distribute

                                                           iv.       Pick then re-pick (2 phase picking with dynamic slotting)

                                                             v.       Conventional Pick to Light (pick to box on conveyor)

c.       Batch pick by Cluster Picking:

                                                               i.      Pick many items into one order

                                                             ii.      Pick one SKU into many different orders

4.       Unreliable order fulfillment system

a.       Hardware that is prone to wear and tear:  Pick to Light hardware that uses buttons that break instead of senors that don’t break or wear out.

b.      Not having a back up plan if the main system fails:  If you are relying on pick to light alone, you are in trouble if it fails.  Having a system that has a “back up plan” like bar code scanning available if pick to light fails is the better way to go.

c.       Expand without degradation to your system

5.       Lack of Good Reporting System

A good order fulfillment reporting system will give you web access to real time information on the following important reports:

1.       Status of your orders: Know when your orders have been pick and what products have been sent out of the warehouse

2.       Status of pickers: Know what they are working on and what they aren’t working on

3.       Status of products: Know what products are in inventory and what has been sent out of the warehouse

FastFetch allow you to gain the follow benefits:

1.       Cut walking distance

2.       Reduce stops to pick items

3.       Pick items in clusters: common items are picked for multiple orders at one time

4.       Maximize space on Carts

5.       Pick most urgent (oldest) orders first

If you’d like more information please contact us at www.fastfetchusa.com, call (714) 496-4499 or email us at Nikki@fastfetchusa.com