What are the most critical parts of warehouse operations? Well, they are the basics: receiving, put-away, storage, picking, packing and shipping.
Receiving
With receiving, a warehouse needs to verify that what is taken in is what they expect! For instance, they check to make sure what they’re taking in is indeed the correct product, with the right quantity, in the condition it’s intended to be, at the right time. Warehouses assume responsibility for the goods they receive.
Storage
Once products are received into the warehouse, they have to be safely put-away into specific spaces within the warehouse. Ideally, products are put-away efficiently such that travel time is minimized and warehouse space utilization is maximized. Once items are put-away, they’re now in “storage.”
Picking Process
When orders come into the warehouse, and customers want certain products, those products have to be “picked.” So, someone (or some machine) has to find the item and “pick it.” These days, mobile and/or wearable devices help streamline the picking process.
Packing
After products are picked they need to be packed so they can be delivered to the customer. Once they’re packed, they need to be shipped, whereas they leave the warehouse and move on to their final destination.
Quality Control
These critical parts of warehouse operations are a process. And this process can experience errors. What if an item gets lost in the warehouse? It happens. Or what if the shipping address label falls off? It’s important for people working at a warehouse to pay attention to details so that fewer errors occur. If a warehouse is poorly run, it might go out of business! Thankfully, the majority of warehouses are efficiently run.
Are you searching for the right warehouse to utilize for your products? Affiliated Warehouse Companies can help you with your search. We deal with public warehousing, contract warehousing, freezer/cooler warehousing, and HazMat warehousing. Please call us at 732-739-2323 today.
