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.

Sure, maybe if you’re 10,000 or so cases of inventory per shift, then you might want to slap the cash on the barrelhead.

Otherwise, you can get by with far less.

By adding something as simple as a basic layer of automation — such as an oval conveyor belt — you can reduce the required head count for getting product from the shelves to the shipping area. The whole concept pays for itself in about 30 months, experts say.

There’s still a manual sorting system, fed by by the re-looping conveyor belt with access to picking areas. The key is batch picking, which saves time and money as trips are logically consolidated.

The consolidated cartons are put on a conveyor belt, which feeds into the looping system. Then, as the cartons slowly chug by the packing area, workers pull what’s necessary for each order. They build each order — manually — then label and stack the packages on nearby pallets. From there, the packages easily pass through the loading area and out of the building.

If packers miss an item or two, the product will be re-circulating shortly and the packer can pull what’s needed without leaving his or her spot. Everything’s at his or her fingertips, without making additional picking trips.

Experts say a system like this save can quickly pay for itself, as it will free the time four to six workers would otherwise rack up in labor costs. Those workers can be deployed in other areas.

The return on investment can be accelerated, by increasing the workload of the packing process. Such growth can occur without requiring any additional expenses.

Why isn’t this approach finding more favor?

Consultants and system sellers have a vested interest in selling you the biggest package possible. Hardware providers prefer larger projects, which lead to larger profits.

Chances are, there’ve been changes in demand, inventory flow and even finanical needs. By taking a close look now at your situation, you’ll already have the answers when the paper-pushers come knocking.

Here’s a plan:

• Start with a layout of your inventory/stock area. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but you should be able to identify aisles and areas.
• Over the course of two or three days, track the trips made. Could be for picking, stocking, or even returning items to stock.
• Analyze the results. Are your highest-traffic needs in your most-accessible areas? Are there high-hit destinations that are beyond lower-interest spots?
• Finally, get feedback from the people on the floor. Share the floorplan/map and results. Ask for suggestions about moving inventory from the slow lane to the fast lane, and vice versa.

Are items slotted where the should be, in light of changing business demands? Do you need a staging area for picked inventory? Should you relocate your staging area, to be closer to high-traffic areas?

And on a more practical note, are there now-popular items that workers have to lean over or climb a ladder to pick? You can reduce the incidence of ergonomic injuries and save the time of always having to find a ladder by shifting these items into more-reachable spots.

By examining your materials flow, it’s much easier to identify inefficient trips and repetitive actions. Asking the people who “walk the walk” every day for suggestions will increase efficiency and boost buy-in.

Three big factors driving that need: Smaller inventories, faster turnaround, and belt-tightening costs.

Your best defense? Start preparing for tomorrow’s orders today.

Sounds pretty tough, especially if you’re not 100% prepared to meet today’s challenges, much less 24 hours into the future.

But you might surprise yourself, experts suggest. Anything you can chip away at today that’ll give you a leg up tomorrow will be a big help.

There are many benefits: It’s easier to run your own operation, you can increase cooperation with other departments, identify processes that could use a bit of improvement, and even help you arrange staffing to reflect immediate needs.

There are four tactics that can help you get a jump on the next day — and ease the pressure you’d otherwise face:

• Convince some customers they can stagger deliveries. There’s a “got-to-have-it-now” mentality that keeps everyone on edge. Work with those customers to help them get a little more ahead. You can save them overnight shipping costs by working on a longer timetable — which also makes planning easier for you.
• Don’t get locked in by automation. One of the biggest promises of automating processes is slashing the time it takes to handle Inventory functions. Don’t fall into the speed trap. A system that retains a degree of manual function also provides greater flexibility for you to schedule tasks.
• Find safety in numbers. OK, maybe not safety. But those single orders going out can kill you. Work with customers, Production, Sales to save picking and processing time. It’s more efficient to stack up a few orders for a batch, then ship that, than it is to work on a one-at-a-time basis.
• Create islands in the stream. Scan your inventory for like items — same shipper, same customer, etc. — and set up a small workstation to handle shipments. You’ll be able to pull this Inventory aside and package it for common shippers, and even make picking and packing a one-step process for those items.

Who knows? Maybe you won’t need that crystal ball after all.

There’s always a need among businesses, especially when times are tight, to make sure they’re working up to potential.

The best way to do that is to compare your achievements with your peers, industry expectations, or even your own standards.

Sure, you know in your gut if you’re doing well or not. But how can you demonstrate for higher management that Purchasing and Procurement is hitting on all cylinders, and improving as you go?

By measuring what you do, you’ll do more than establish a means of comparison. Benchmarking is also a key element of ongoing improvement and innovation. It promotes better communication between departments and a healthy sense of competition that can improve a company’s overall efficiency.

Fortunately, you don’t need to hire a pricey consultant or purchase a complex software package to set up your own benchmarking system.

Four basic steps — easily handled in house — will set the stage for you and get things moving:

1. What do you need to measure? Identify the key processes you want to track and how you’re going to achieve that. Examples: Picking efficiency, order management, returns for damage, etc.
2. Come up with a plan. It certainly doesn’t have to be complex. Determine how you’re going to gather, record and evaluate the information.
3. Determine what you’ve learned. What areas merit extra attention? Rank them by importance, so you can focus on only one or two projects at a time. Otherwise, it could become overwhelming.
4. Phase in the changes. Train workers, set new achievement benchmarks, provide good working examples — these are all ways to begin applying what you’ve learned through the benchmarking process.