There must be that one perfect picking strategy for your supply chain operation, right?

You know, the one that’ll make everything run more smoothly, more quickly, and with fewer mistakes.

That’s not very likely, according to picking order system specialists.

It’s much more likely what’ll work best for you is a hybrid form of two or more picking strategies, customized to roll with the give and take of your supply chain operations.

There are six variables that can help you form an effective overall plan:

• the unit of measure(s) you stock in your inventory (pallets, cases, etc.)
• how you store that stock (floor stacking, pallet flow, etc.)
• areas that might possibly be automated (carousels, for example)
• how orders are released for shipping
• how orders are picked (usually linked to how orders are shipped), and
• order picking technology in place (bar-coding, pick by label, etc.)

The best place to start, once you’ve identified these values, is to take a closer look at how the order picking techniques mesh with the units of measure and/or SKU system in place.

Experts also recommend that procurement pros not lose sight of replenishment processes. If replenishment practices are sound, other functions can be quickly undermined.

Finally, work to identify where the bottlenecks occur in your current processes. Ask for feedback from workers and even other departments. Work on improvements to minimize those bottlenecks, which in turn improves picking efficiency.

Tags: floor stacking, pallet flow, picking, shipping, SKU, supply chain