How quickly you get orders into your customers’ hands can make or break your business. B2C, D2C, and B2B customers want their orders quickly, without delays or issues. Fulfilling orders smoothly requires your pick, pack, and ship process to be swift and efficient.
AMS Fulfillment has perfected the pick, pack, and ship process. We’re dedicated to providing the speed and accuracy you need to keep your customers happy. Optimizing this process can upgrade your fulfillment operations and help you meet the demands of today’s fast-paced market.
Understanding the Pick Process
The pick process is the first step in getting your product from your warehouse to your customer’s doorstep. Picking efficiency directly impacts handling time, shipping speed, and customer satisfaction.
What Is Picking?
Picking means selecting the correct items from your warehouse to fulfill a customer’s order. This step’s accuracy and speed determine how quickly you can pack and ship orders.
Types of Picking Methods
Because different companies have different order fulfillment needs, there are various picking methods, each of which works best for specific order volumes and company sizes.
Single Order Picking
Single-order picking is a method in which a warehouse worker picks items for one order at a time. This common, straightforward method improves picking accuracy by allowing the worker to focus on a single order.
Single-order picking works best for companies just starting with order fulfillment and smaller operations with lower order volumes.
Batch Picking
In batch picking, a worker collects items for multiple orders at once. Instead of handling an order from start to finish before moving on to the next, a worker gathers a number of the same item to fulfill several orders. When dealing with multiple orders for a single item, this method reduces the worker’s travel time within the warehouse and boosts efficiency.
Zone Picking
This picking method divides the warehouse into sections or zones. Workers in each zone pick items only from their designated area. Orders move from one zone to the next until the completed order is ready to pack.
Zone picking often works well for large warehouses with high order volumes.
Wave Picking
Wave picking combines batch and zone picking. Criteria like shipping schedules or delivery routes divide orders into groups. Instead of waiting for each zone to fulfill its portion of the order, workers in each zone pick items simultaneously. Wave picking is most efficient for time-sensitive shipments but may require more staff.
The Pack Process Explained
After picking comes the packing process, which focuses on preparing products for damage-free and visually appealing shipment to the customer.
What Is Packing?
Packing means preparing picked items for shipment to reach the customer in perfect condition. Beyond preventing product damage, your company’s packing presentation can leave a lasting impression on the customer and affect brand perception.
Key Considerations in Packing
For an optimal packing process, keep these critical considerations in mind.
Choosing the Right Packaging Materials
The packaging materials you choose play a huge role in protecting your products. Fragile items might require bubble wrap, while bulkier goods may need sturdy boxes. The goal is to minimize damage during transit without overpacking, which can drive up shipping costs.
Importance of Correct Labeling
With accurate labels, you can be sure your packages reach their intended destination and receive proper handling along the way. Clear and correct labels help avoid confusion and costly delays and errors.
Custom Packaging for Brand Enhancement
Custom packaging is about aesthetics, but it’s also a chance to build brand recognition. Adding logos, unique designs, or personal touches to your packaging can elevate the customer’s unboxing experience and reinforce your brand’s identity, which helps your business stand out and stay memorable in an increasingly competitive market.
The Shipping Process
The final step in the pick, pack, and ship process is shipping, which is the technique that moves the packed product from your warehouse to your customer.
What Is Shipping?
Shipping involves transporting the packed order to its expected destination. Delivery speed and accuracy can directly impact customer satisfaction and, by extension, brand loyalty.
Types of Shipping Methods
Different shipping methods offer levels of flexibility depending on how soon the customer needs their order.
Standard Shipping: This is the most economical option because it balances cost and delivery time. Standard shipping usually works well for non-urgent orders.
Expedited Shipping: This option speeds up delivery for customers who need their orders quickly. It’s the best option when customers are willing to pay extra for faster service.
Freight Shipping: Freight shipping works best for large or bulky shipments that don’t fit typical parcel carriers. Companies often use freight shipping to transport heavy goods or large quantities, making it a smart option for bulk orders or oversized products.
How AMS Fulfillment Optimizes the Pick, Pack, and Ship Process
At AMS Fulfillment, our advanced technology, automation, and expert staff refine the order fulfillment process for fast, accurate, and efficient customer service.
Technology and Automation
Our proprietary WAMS system integrates with various platforms, making us the ideal backend partner for B2B, B2C, and D2C clients across multiple industries.
We use automation like Put Walls to speed up the pick and pack process by reducing walking distance and increasing accuracy. Equipped with RF scanners, the system notifies workers when an order is ready to pack. Auto baggers quickly seal products in polybags and apply shipping labels as swiftly as 45 bags per minute.
By combining Put Walls and auto baggers, we’ve created a system that handles high order volumes while requiring less staff — especially during those challenging peak times.
Expert Staff and Training
Our team of fulfillment experts brings years of experience to our client partnerships. We work closely with your business to reduce errors and improve fulfillment speed. We provide ongoing training to keep our staff sharp and up-to-date, incorporating various tools and methods to match different learning styles.
From client services to engineering, our seasoned experts work closely with your business to understand your needs and goals. This hands-on approach means we handle the details while you focus on scaling your business. With our experienced staff and proactive support, we help you manage costs and improve accuracy and efficiency.
Custom Solutions for Businesses
No two businesses are identical, so we offer tailored fulfillment strategies to fit your unique requirements. Whether you need help with Amazon shipping, subscriptions, flash sales, or other services, our team can create a solution that meets your needs. We cut through the complexities of eCommerce fulfillment centers so you can focus on growing your brand.
Our solutions are flexible and scalable, able to serve companies of any size.
Partner With AMS Fulfillment for Smarter Order Fulfillment
Running an efficient pick, pack, and ship process means getting products out the door while delivering accuracy, speed, and an excellent customer experience. AMS Fulfillment combines cutting-edge technology, automation, an expert team, and customized fulfillment services to handle every step with precision so you can focus on growing your business.
Whether you’re managing small orders or shipping in bulk, we’re here to help you hone your operations and heighten customer satisfaction.
Ready to elevate your fulfillment strategy? Contact AMS Fulfillment today for a consultation or more information, and see how we can help take your business to the next level.
