Introduction
Turnaround speeds are a key performance metric that warehouses track year round. Turnaround speed matters even more during the busy season. Ecommerce and shipping demand rises greatly during the holiday season.
Meeting fulfillment speed expectations while maintaining accuracy and efficiency is a challenge managers solve every year. This blog covers possible solutions to optimize warehouse fulfillment for faster turnaround times.
Streamline Warehouse Layout and Workflows
Streamlining your warehouse layout and workflow will optimize for faster turnaround times. Placing high-demand SKUs closer to packing stations can reduce travel time for pickers and packers.
Using cross-docking or flow-through methods can minimize storage time and create faster turnaround times.
Establish one way traffic paths to prevent bottlenecks and accidents. Be sure to audit the layout before the busy season rush to pre-empt inefficiencies.
Leverage Technology for Smarter Fulfillment
Use warehouse management systems or WMS to optimize picking routes and order batching. Automation tools such as conveyor systems, barcode scanners, and voice picking can increase efficiency and create faster turnaround times.
Real-time tracking for visibility across inventory, staff and order status.
Flex Staffing With Temp Labor and Staffing Apps
When turnaround times get squeezed with order volume spikes. Traditional temp agencies near me often can’t provide warehouses with the flexibility in warehouse temp staffing that they need.
Using warehouse job apps like Bacon over traditional temp agencies give warehouses the flexibility they need to meet seasonal demand.
Staffing apps give managers access to a local pool of temporary warehouse workers who have been background checked. Warehouse managers post the shifts they need filled on the platform and workers choose the shifts they apply for. It is easy to pick up warehouse shifts and cover staffing gaps with Bacon.
With Bacon, warehouses can build a bench or reliable workers through ratings and the Bacon Score. Warehouses can staff warehouse shifts with temp labor that they have used before and that they know.
Most importantly warehouses can flex labor up or down based on real time demand. When demand is high warehouses can find warehouse workers to get the work done. When demand slows, managers simply don’t post on the app.
How On-demand Staffing Apps Simplify Hiring
- Find warehouse staff quickly
- Post a shifts and instantly hire picking and packing workes
- Avoid getting “temp-fished” with unreliable staff
Optimize Picking and Packing Strategies
Optimizing picking and packing strategies can also optimize warehouse productivity for the busy season. Using picking methods such as wave picking, zone picking or cluster picking can be beneficial.
Using labor wisely is important. Find pickers and packers efficiently through on-demand apps. Assign new temps to simple tasks such as taping and boxing. Have experienced staff handle complex picks.
Monitor, Measure, and Adjust in Real Time
Track KPIs like order cycle time, error rates, and labor cost per unit. Adjust as you come up on problems or roadblocks.
Daily stand ups can help adjust shift coverage based on yesterday’s performances. This ensures that workers are where they need to be.
Have a continuous improvement mindset. Small tweaks yield big results over time.
Conclusion
The key strategies for optimizing fulfillment processes are layout, tech staffing and picking/packing.
Staffing apps make a difference when it matters most. Allowing warehouse managers to find the temp workers they need when they need them.
Warehouse managers start preparing now, before the busy season rush hits.
