Some businesses may choose to utilize new employees in the shipping and receiving area, though they may be better served to allocate professionals to handle these challenging jobs. Experienced people who understand and know the products rarely mix objects which might seem the same but are quite different and they really know how to stock bins and shelves properly and hence, work a lot more efficiently.
It is a great idea if you have new staff to start them out by filling orders. This provides them with an excellent opportunity to learn the products, paperwork and customers as well as any electronic inventory system which may take some getting used to. Furthermore, it is really easy to check their efficiency by going over their work orders once they are packed for delivery.
The next suggestion is to schedule the truck arrival, as you truly do not want all trucks to arrive at the same time. By being organized and scheduling arrivals, you will eliminate too much waiting time in the yard and also eliminate pressure on shippers and receivers. The more effectively you could plan the arrival of your trucks, the less dock doors you will need to work that will truly save you money on utilities in the long run.
If you are able to, operate different shifts for shipping and receiving. One method is to receive goods in one shift and separate the shipped products to another shift. Organizing yourself in this way can enable you to lessen the staging area needs by 50%. You might also be able to eliminate time-wasting bottlenecks within the warehouse. In addition, by separating your shipping and receiving, you will know which shift to look over if any discrepancies occur down the road and could keep track of orders more effectively.
Speed up the unloading process. This will really help you out because the longer a truck sits at your door for loading or unloading, the more congested your yard could become. According to research, approximately 60 percent of mass merchants could unload trucks in under 60 minutes, while approximately 20 to 30% of the grocery business performs at a similar standard. Make time to watch and time operations in order to see how your facility measures up overall.
Floor maintenance is important as floor defects can cause forklift operators to take detours or slow down. This can result in a reduction of efficiency. Potholes or uneven floors or deteriorating floor section seams also result in wheel wear and vehicle damage. In some situations, really damaged floors can cause product damage and loads tipping.