The best picking solution should feel tailor made
March 1st 2011 There is a lot of snazzy technology to choose from when it comes to picking in the warehouse. Pick by Voice and Pick by Light are just two examples and the labour and cost savings they can offer when implemented well rarely fail to impress.
We’re also excited by the QuickPick Remote Advance from Crown. Out in the US only at the moment, this allows the operator to wirelessly control the 4500 Series pallet truck via a glove or trigger mechanism. Time is saved because the order picker doesn’t have to climb on and off the truck for each pick. Instead, he or she walks from one pick location to the next, moving the vehicle with the remote.
All very clever stuff. But in picking, as with any buy, be careful not to be bowled over by the technology. There are a number of approaches to picking and it is hard to rank them as better or worse than each other. It’s all down to your needs and what fits your business best.While having the latest bells and whistles is great, what really counts is if it saves time and money by making YOUR picking process more efficient.
With this in mind, it pays to get up close and personal when talking to suppliers. They should be able to honestly appraise your requirements and this, in conjunction with your own analysis and research, will give you the information you need to make the right decision.
There’s nothing worse than paying a premium for the newest and whizziest technology and finding it doesn’t quite work for you. So, be demanding. If a supplier makes claims, ask for them to be backed up. Get the supplier to allow you to test any technology in a small part of your business before you commit to rolling it out across the whole shebang. The supplier should also be full of ideas on how to iron out the difficulties you may experience, and should be helpful in getting your staff productive on any new technology. If he just wants to flog you kit, maybe he can move on and flog it somewhere else.
What impressed me most about the Faber Music Distribution case study on page 28 is that here is a technology that has tangibly improved operations. Error rates have been slashed and the system paid back in 13 months. It’s hard to argue with those sort of benefits.
Conversely, when a buy goes bad, it is not always the supplier’s fault. Think about value for money, rather than cost. The real value comes when the technology is in place. If it is good, then it will provide a payback. Productivity gains could revolutionise the way you do business and help you to grow. This is what will be remembered five years down the line, not the sticker price.
Another key element here, and perhaps the most important one, is to know your processes. That may sound obvious, but carrying out thorough analysis of your picking requirements prior to speaking to any suppliers will almost certainly pay handsome dividends. Foggy thinking on your part may mean a perfectly serviceable system fails to live up to expectations. When it comes to Picking technology, arguably there is no ‘best’ product, only a product that is best for you.
Simon Duddy, Editor More articles from Handling & Storage Solutions: | 
