Warehouses are exceptionally busy places, what with staff and machines moving constantly in 
order to get goods out to the right place at the right time. In such a hectic work environment, mistakes made sure the pick and pack process are easily made and can lead to unnecessary expenses when trying to fix them. But there are ways to reduce these errors and keep the warehousing running smoothly.
Label Boxes Correctly
This might sound like common sense, but mislabelling boxes is easy to do and once done, can create a whole mess of errors that need fixing. One way to solve this problem is to start at the very beginning of they supply chain, i.e., work with your clients. Ask them to clearly label their products so that there is minimal confusion when it comes to storing and subsequently retrieving the goods.
Upgrade Your Technology
Investing in the latest tablets or handsets can massively help reduce pick and pack errors. It gives warehouse staff freedom to organise their pick and packing tasks on the move, and can minimise human errors – as well as time – by recording and sending information to a remote database.
Check Your Orders
Although the majority of mistakes are made due to human error, even using fully automated systems can still lead to incorrect shipments. It might sound like common sense, but double checking orders before they are dispatched, whether picked and packed by humans or machines, is always essential and can help you avoid costly returns and repackaging.
Utilize Visual Aids
Employees respond more positively to visual prompts over lengthy or confusing text. Colour coding certain areas or producing easy to follow diagrams can not only speed up the pick and pack process, but reduce fatigue and stress levels.
Account For Bad Eggs
Occasionally, pick and pack errors might not even be the fault of the warehouse that distributed the stock. There will always be one or two customers who want to try and blag a freebie and claim there were missing items.
One company’s solution was to photograph and time stamp the contents of each and every shipment before sending it to the customers, reducing the number of false complaints about missing items.
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