Even if there are many businesses that start workers in the receiving area, they would be much better off to assign pro's to deal with the put-away jobs. Qualified people who truly understand and know the products seldom mix objects which are similar in appearance but are quite different and they really know how to stock bins and shelves properly and therefore, work more effectively.
The best suggestion for new staff is to start them out filling orders. This provides them with an excellent chance to learn the products, clients and paperwork as well as any electronic inventory system that might take some getting used to. Furthermore, it is very easy to check their efficiency by going over their work orders once they are packed for delivery.
As you do not want to have many trucks arriving at the same time, the next step is to plan truck arrival. By planning arrivals and being organized, you will eliminate pressure on shippers and receivers and also eliminate too much waiting time in the yard. The more effectively you can schedule the arrival of your trucks, the less dock doors you will need to work which would really save you money on utilities in the long run.
Operate with different shifts for shipping and receiving. If you can, receive products during one shift and separate your shipping to a different shift. Organizing yourself in this manner could allow you to reduce the staging area needs by 50 percent. You might also be able to get rid of time-wasting bottlenecks within the warehouse. Also, 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 efficiently.
If the process of unloading is sped up, this will really help you out as the unloaded truck could congest your yard. According to studies, about 60 percent of mass merchants are capable of unloading trucks in under an hour, whereas about 20 to 30% of the grocery industry performs at a similar standard. Make time to watch and time operations in order to see how your facility measures up overall.
Maintain your floors as any defects in the floor's surface could cause a lift truck operator to take a detour or slow down. The uneven floors could really reduce efficiency. Uneven floors or deteriorating floor section seams or potholes also lead to vehicle damage and wheel wear. In some situations, really damaged floors could lead to product damage and loads tipping.