The document outlines key factors limiting warehouse productivity, including suboptimal layout, inadequate equipment, and inefficient picking methods. It discusses various picking strategies such as zone picking, wave picking, and the benefits of a warehouse management system (WMS) for enhancing efficiency and accuracy. Implementing a WMS can improve workflows, optimize space, and provide insights for better productivity management.

1. The productivity
checklist: Improve
the picking process
by making your
warehouse do more

2. What is holding back
productivity?
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3. three
Warehouse productivity is
often limited by
factors...
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4. 4
1.
Suboptimal warehouse
layout
2.
Lack of appropriate
equipment and systems
3.
Inefficient picking
methods

5. Suboptimal warehouse
layout can come in the
form of best-selling
items not being stored
in the most accessible
locations, shelves
not being filled to
capacity, or items that
are commonly ordered
together not being
located near one another.
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6. 6
Poor warehouse layout can have numerous
repercussions, the main being…
Unnecessarily
long travel
times
A lack of usable
storage space
Stock damage
due to items not
being stored in
appropriate areas

7. 7
With regards to warehouse operations,
a lack of appropriate equipment and
systems can refer to:
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8. 8
Relying on spreadsheets
or paper-based
processes that give an
incomplete or inaccurate
overview of warehouse
productivity and
performance.

9. 9
Equipment, such as
forklifts, being in the
wrong place or not
correctly assigned to the
required, qualified staff.

10. 10
Inappropriate equipment and systems
can create numerous problems
internally. Some common ones include…
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11. 11
Difficulty
identifying
areas for
improvement
Higher labour
and energy
costs
More health
and safety risks
Operators
wasting time
searching for
orders, thereby
hindering
productivity

12. 12
Inefficient
picking methods
lead to overlong
order journeys
and travel time,
and operators
attempting to
pick more orders
than it is possible
to fulfil.
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13. 13
This can have a serious internal impact on
warehouse operations, resulting in…
Operator
fatigue and
frustration
Higher rate of
mispicks and
errors
Customer
complaints

14. 14
What picking
strategies are there?
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An operator picks all the items to
fulfil an entire order. Simple but
not the most efficient.
Single Order

16. 16
The warehouse is divided into
multiple zones and workers
pick only their designated
zone. Ideal if you have
different storage system
requirements. With zone
picking, orders are managed in
two ways:
Zone

17. 17
Orders are passed from zone
to zone until complete.
Pick and pass

18. 18
Items are picked in different
zones at the same time and
sent for consolidation.
Consolidation

19. 19
Picks can also be
carried out by
equipment type,
so only those on
Very Narrow Aisle
(VNAs) forklifts will
receive VNA orders,
and only those on
packing benches are
assigned packing
bench tasks.
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20. 20
The warehouse receives products
in bulk that are not intended to
be kept in inventory for more
than a cycle. A WMS can help
to ensure that this inventory is
depleted after order picking for
a specific cycle. Productivity
improves as this process is
efficient and accurate.
Pick-to-zero
(PTZ)
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An operator picks more than one
order at the same time. This means
that the same item for multiple orders
can be picked in one trip, reducing
order journeys. This method works
best for small orders and stock items.
Multi-line orders

22. 22
A highly-sophisticated variation
on batch and zone. This method
can be used for orders that need
to be grouped by set criteria e.g.
specific routes, customers or pick
groups.
Wave

23. 23
Single and zone methods can be enhanced
by using a Warehouse Management System
(WMS), but multi-line, consolidation and
wave are only possible with a WMS.
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Why consider a WMS?
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25. 25
Warehouse
management
systems improve
productivity by
suggesting the
best routes and
methods for
picking.
25

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30%
According to Internet Retailing and
eDelivery, retailers that implement a
WMS see improvements in productivity
and efficiency upwards of
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A WMS will help you to
maximise the space in your
warehouse and use the right
equipment and systems to
improve productivity.
It will also improve
accuracy and
operator ergonomics
at the same time.
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How does a WMS improve
picking processes?
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A WMS can be used to assess
efficiency of current pick
processes to identify areas for
improvement.
Analysis and
review

30. 30
A WMS can deliver insights
that will help you to maximise
warehouse layout and improve
picking routes.
Warehouse
mapping
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A WMS can
define pick
routes that
minimise the
time and steps
involved in
order journeys.
31
It can also map equipment
to the appropriately
qualified operative.

32. 32
allows for a combination of picking
methods, including zone and batch.
Pick plan development
and implementation

33. 33
It generates
automatic pick lists
to optimise pick
rates.
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You can update
inventory and
stock lists so time
is not wasted
looking for out of
stock items.

34. 34
WMS integrates
technologies
such as bar code
scanning to
improve picking
efficiency.
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Custom reports help you to
monitor KPIs including covering
pick rates, task rates and
operator performance.
Monitoring
and reporting
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Predictive reports
help you plan
and maximise
warehouse
productivity.

37. 37
Learn more about how you can empower your warehouse staff to achieve more in less time.
Raise the level of your internal performance by downloading
The Intelligent Warehouse Manual: How to realign your
people and processes to increase warehouse productivity
Download now