FALL 2012

10 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S

10 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK Robert B. Footlik Robert B. Footlik is a licensed professional engineer. A graduate of Illinois Institute of Technology, he has worked extensively in the fields of material handling, plant layout, packaging and management systems. The firm of Footlik and Associates serves as staff warehousing and materials consultants to six trade associations. Footlik writes for 12 trade and professional journals. Footlik and Associates is located at 2521 Gross Point Road, Evanston, Illinois 60601; phone 847-328-5644. IF YOU REALLY TRUST THE WAREHOUSE (PART 2 of 2) In the Summer 2012 issue of Link Magazine my article “If You Really Trust the Warehouse” built on an article published in the same magazine “Is It Time for Warehouse Incentives” Both presented the rationale for building trust with everyone involved with your business (staff, vendors, customers) and achieving a “comfort level” with standards for accuracy, productivity and communication. This article addresses the more practical side of successful implementation of a program that everyone embraces. Personnel Issues No matter how well designed and intentioned a quality based effort ultimately success comes from the people involved. If you cannot trust the individuals to perform properly and respond to your program then there really is no point in even staying in business. More Supply Houses fail from poor personnel selection and training than from any other internal or external forces. A key point of initiating a Statistical Sampling process is to identify the weak links due to ineffective people and processes. By collecting trustworthy data it becomes a relatively simple matter to turn the numbers into solid information. A simple example would be tracking picking errors and discovering that 90 per cent of the problems can be attributed to one individual. Clearly this makes a case for retraining, retasking or terminating the sub performing staff member. Similarly if everyone is making the same mistake a properly designed and implemented training program is often the best solution. Hiring the right people initially makes the most sense. We have even known a Distributor who fired everyone in the warehouse and started over after a random drug test proved what he suspected. While not advocating anything this drastic it is important to insure that new hires are acceptable in your context. With the Statistical Sampling in place new hires should become pickers where their output can easily be inspected. This might initially mean a 100% inspection on every order prior to the carton being sealed and at the same 4% random inspection of sealed orders. It is never enough to check and correct. Data that is collected and recorded should be regularly examined, especially during and immediately after a 30 day probationary period. Elimination of marginal performer during the first 30 days saves a lot of future aggravation. When implementing a “Pick/Pack” program packers are usually the best candidates for repurposing. They already know how to “build a box” for the best packing job. In addition they should be able to achieve greater success in choosing what size box to fill. The first pick/packers train the others and act as the lead “go to” resource. This adds an element of learning and teaching with the first initiators taking ownership of the program. Emphasize that the pick/packer’s job is to keep moving and finishing orders. Everyone else in the operation is there to support them. If product is not on the shelf for any reason it slows down the operation. As other warehouse staff members rotate into this position (and everyone should) they will have a better understanding of their supporting roles. With training and encouragement stockers should be looking for shelves with low inventory levels to restock long before a picker arrives. This changes their perspective as well as their job description. Obviously if the WMS can be used to direct these activities it simplifies the process. please turn to page 172