What Are The Four Key Work Activities In Warehouse Operation?
Warehouse operations vary with industry, but all of them have several commonalities. This statement rings true when you look closely at the key activities of a warehouse. Here is a detailed explanation of these activities.
Key Warehouse Operations
Warehouse activities revolve around five activities: pick, pack, ship, receive, and put away. Mastering these is fundamental to activities that help reduce costs and deliver the right product to customers.
Receiving
It’s the first step of warehousing and where everything begins. Receiving includes responsibilities such as receiving the correct item in perfect condition and at the right time. Failing to do so affects the subsequent activities. But that’s not where the “receiving” process ends. It includes the responsibility of looking after the goods received. Properly received items prevent sending out damaged goods and taking liability for them.
Optimize
Software such as labor management and dock scheduler allow you to allocate the right resources to procure goods. It reduces time and improves efficiency by predicting upcoming shipments.
Put-Away
Now that you have inspected the goods, it’s time to transport them to the warehouse and put them in the right location. Failing to do so will result in time loss and damaged productivity. Putting away goods adequately has several benefits, including the ones mentioned below.
- Cargo is stored efficiently
- Travel duration is cut short
- Ensured safety of employees and goods
- Space utilization is maximized
- Easier to find and track cargo
Optimize
Software and mobile app solutions direct warehouse workers to put cargo in the right location. These solutions allow efficient tracking without entering the warehouse once the items are stored in their designated spots. Moreover, you can track stock without manually going to the location.
Pick
Picking is the costliest warehouse activity comprising 55% of your operational cost. Therefore, optimizing this process allows you to cut costs, minimize errors, and improve efficiency drastically. Sending the wrong order to the wrong customer can lead to dissatisfaction which causes delay and lack of trust.
Optimize
Product tracking solutions embedded in wearables allow warehouse workers to navigate well and reach the right product. Optimized tracking solutions cut down the time to search for customer orders in the warehouse and minimize human error.
Packing
Packing ensures the products picked in the prior process are ready for shipment. The core responsibility of the packing process is to ensure products reach their destination in optimal condition. Therefore, packing needs to be lightweight and product-friendly.
Shipping
The final warehouse process ensures the right product is sent to the right customer. Therefore, it’s the most critical process that affects your company’s brand image.
Optimize Packing and Shipping
Packing software can track how much material is required to pack specific products comfortably. As a result, these software solutions reduce costs and consume the right amount of packing material to maintain the integrity of the product.
Likewise, shipping software can make your life easy and reduce costs by utilizing optimal resources. Moreover, mobile apps can also allow shipment tracking on the go and share loading instructions.
Warehouse Storage And Installation By Industrial Products Plus (IPP)
Warehouse activities can make or break your business. If you are looking for a robust warehousing solution, reach out to Industrial Products Plus (IPP) or visit their website for more information.
IPP provides a complete array of material handling products, in addition to in-house installation and permitting to complete our customer’s specific storage needs.