Picking and Carting: Your Guide to a Smoother Warehouse

Discover best practices, tech solutions, and the benefits of an efficient system for smoother warehouse operations.

April 20, 2023

Picking and carting are the heart and soul of any warehouse operation. When you get them right, you’ll save time, boost accuracy, and cut operational costs. But let’s be honest, setting up a smooth picking and carting system can be a bit tricky.

So, we’ve put together this easy-to-follow guide to help you master picking and carting, understand the benefits, and discover the best practices and tech solutions for a well-oiled warehouse machine.

Picking and Carting: What’s the Deal?

Picking is about grabbing items from warehouse shelves and popping them into a container like a cart or a tote. These items are usually based on customer orders or internal requests.

Carting is the transportation side of things, moving those picked items from one spot to another within the warehouse. This could be to a packing station, loading dock, or shipping area.

Combine picking and carting, and you have a crucial part of order fulfilment that can seriously impact your warehouse efficiency.

Sweet Perks of an Efficient Picking and Carting System

An incredible picking and carting system can offer a whole bunch of benefits for your warehouse operations:

Better accuracy: Automated processes mean fewer mistakes and super-accurate order fulfilment.
Speedier order processing: A slick picking and carting system helps you get orders out the door faster.
Lower operational costs: Automation saves on labour costs, boosting overall efficiency and keeping expenses in check.
Happier customers: A fast, accurate system means satisfied customers who keep returning for more.

Top Tips for Picking and Carting Like a Pro

To get the most out of your picking and carting system, follow these best practices:

Create a clear picking process: A well-defined process helps to increase accuracy and reduce human errors.
Track in real-time: Keep an eye on your picking and carting progress and make adjustments on the fly.
Invest in the right tech: Tools like barcode scanning and automated carting systems can streamline operations and drive results.
Train your team: Give your employees the training and support they need to work efficiently and effectively, boosting your system’s performance.

Tech Solutions to Supercharge Your Picking and Carting

There’s a whole range of tech options to help you streamline your picking and carting operations, including:

Barcode scanning: Quickly and accurately identify items for picking and track their movements within the warehouse.
Automated carting systems: These handy systems move items around the warehouse for you, reducing manual labour and upping efficiency.

Stories from Clarus WMS Clients

Story 1: The Big Retailer

A retailer faced a big problem: warehouse picking errors messed up efficiency and left customers unhappy. So, they took action and introduced barcode scanning tech in their warehouse. Guess what? It was a game-changer! Picking errors dropped by a mind-blowing 60%, and customers loved the more accurate orders, returning for more and boosting repeat business by 20%.

But the retailer didn’t stop there. They wanted to improve their carting workflows, so they brought in automation. This smart move saved them an incredible 30% on labour costs, making their warehouse run smoothly and letting them use their resources more wisely. With these upgrades, the retailer was ready to roll with the punches in the ever-changing market.

Story 2: The E-Commerce Wunderkind

An e-commerce company was growing like crazy and knew they needed a warehouse power-up to meet all the demand. They invested money into a Clarus WMS built to handle their speedy growth. The new system kicked their picking and carting processes into high gear, helping them keep up with all their new customers.

Thanks to our high-tech WMS, the company processed orders 40% faster, making customers super happy with the speedy deliveries. Plus, they cut operational costs by 15%, which meant more profits. The cherry on top? A 25% boost in customer satisfaction! The investment was a game-changer for this booming e-commerce business, helping them stay on top in a competitive market.

Story 3: The Manufacturing Mastermind

A manufacturing company struggled with inventory tracking, causing trouble in their picking and carting operations. They decided to level up by implementing real-time tracking and a top-notch warehouse management system (Clarus WMS), ultimately transforming their work. Our cutting-edge system slashed miss picks by 50% and ramped up warehouse efficiency by 35%.

But the perks of the tech upgrade didn’t end there. The company saw lower costs, which meant more profits. Plus, our updated system promoted better teamwork and communication between workers and management, creating a more unified and efficient workspace. Ultimately, investing in advanced tech was a game-changer for the firm, helping them stay competitive and succeed in the market.

The Bottom Line: Make Your Warehouse Great

Picking and carting are the backbones of a smooth warehouse operation. By learning from others, using top-notch tech, and following best practices, you can fine-tune your processes, cut errors, save cash, and make customers smile.

To find the perfect tech solution for your warehouse, consider scalability, integration, ease of use, value for money, and ongoing support. That way, you’ll have a warehouse to roll with the punches and keep up with your ever-evolving business.

Want to give your picking and carting a makeover? Clarus WMS has got your back. We have a range of warehouse solutions and the know-how to tailor a system just for you. Give us a shout and see what we can do!