The above title may seem like an illogical statement, but an explanation will make sense of the concept.
The goal of picking and packing is to be quick, accurate and reliable. Customers usually have a choice of suppliers. If their order is wrong or takes a long time to be delivered, they see this as bad service and will take future business elsewhere. Even if you compete on price, your customers may value fast and efficient deliveries over cost.
The philosophy of spending more on picking and packing systems is that it reduces lost customers and generates more orders, thus equaling more income and more profit.
Buying better quality
Cheap packing materials cost you more in the long run. Putting heavy items into cheap thin boxes means that the packaging with the address labels could be easily separated from the goods. This will cost a lot in replacing the items ordered. The delays could mean the loss of future business by a customer.
Another area where it makes sense to pay more is equipment. In a busy warehouse that dispatches many hundreds of items a day, a picking and packing table that collapses, or a trolley whose wheels refuse to turn, means that picking and packing production stops until replacement equipment is found.
Quality picking and packing tables made from tubular steel will not let you down. Tubular steel trolleys with premium quality casters are designed to last for many years under heavy use.
Bespoke solutions
You may purchase quality equipment, but its size might not fit your space. Picking and packing tables should exactly fit the packing area.
Since manufacturers often make tables in small batches, it does not cost a lot more to have a bespoke picking and packing table made in a custom size. The increase in efficiency that bespoke equipment provides makes them a worthwhile investment.
A standard picking and packing table may not have all the features you need. If it is used in a dark area, a table can be fitted with lights. Most standard tables have a top and bottom shelf, but a bespoke one can have more shelves added.
A picking and packing table manufacturer will help you design your own bespoke solution.
Automation
Another investment is on automation, which again can save money by increasing efficiency and speed while reducing errors. A simple solution to increase speed is to have a conveyor belt that delivers goods to the picking and packing table.
There are various systems available to make locating items more efficient. Some use lights to guide pickers to item locations, whereas others have audio signals that direct operators.
Computer systems and handheld devices can also replace paper picking lists.
Identify where to spend money
The key to better picking and packing systems is to identify the areas where more money can be spent on better quality equipment, packaging and automated systems. This will result in quicker error-free picking and packing.
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