Mis-picks cost businesses nearly £242,000 per year

According to a study recently conducted by Intermec, Inc, distribution centres are losing an average of nearly £242,000 per year due to mis-picks. With a new year bringing renewed pressure to boost efficiencies and drive costs down, the demands for faultless distribution processes have never been higher. Achieving productivity and accuracy goals is fundamental to improving profit margins, which is why more than half (59%) of managers are now turning to 'The Perfect Order' metric to identify areas for improvement.

The study, which surveyed 250 supply chain and distribution managers across the US, UK, France and Germany, found the average mis-pick costs approximately £14, with more than half (52%) of companies reporting a pick rate of less than 97%. A further 19 percent do not even measure the costs of mis-picks in any form, suggesting that the accumulated losses to the supply chain may be even higher.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, companies that have recently conducted a workflow process review found picking (47%) a key area where cost savings could most easily be achieved. For those using 'The Perfect Order' metric, opportunities for increased savings were clear, with complete shipments (43%) seen as the most profitable to the bottom line.

Improving profit margins in the distribution centre

• With nearly eight out of ten (79%) managers tasked with finding a 19 percent cost saving, on average, from existing operations, managers are taking a closer look at existing processes and technology
• Nearly three-quarters (74%) of managers believe that increasing automation within the distribution centre would have the greatest impact in increasing profitability. The same percentage also believe this to be true for adoption of new technology
• Despite this, more than half (51%) believe that ensuring adoption of new technology by workers is a 'big challenge' signifying that any new technology must be intuitive and simple to use. Nearly the same amount (49%) claim that being able to pinpoint areas in the distribution centre where investment would yield the greatest result is difficult to achieve
• More than two-thirds (68%) believe worker mobility and flexibility is key to improving profitability – a sentiment felt strongest in the US (76%) and UK (84%)

Technology in the workplace

• Despite recognition of the benefits new technology and automation could provide to the bottom line, nearly one in four (23%) of companies are still using paper to conduct distribution centre processes
• Despite the continued use of paper, the vast majority of companies agree that up-to-date technology is needed to improve distribution centre performance. Multi-functional devices, for example, are seen by 72% of managers as critical to ensuring workers are flexible and equipped to do more
• Growing technology trends include the use of RFID with more than half (52%) of managers using this within the distribution centre. This is highest in Germany at 60 per cent. Close to a quarter (24%) of all managers currently use voice-directed work

Ian Snadden, VP EMEA at Intermec, said: "This research reaffirms just how crippling mis-picks are to businesses. If left unmanaged, businesses will continue to cause significant damage to overall revenues and performance. Faced with these losses, and in light of the cost savings that must be achieved across the distribution centre, failure to utilise the processes and tools that can make a difference is no longer an option."

About the Research

The research sampled 250 senior supply chain managers at organisations of over 500 employees, spanning industries including retail, manufacturing, distribution, transport, chemicals, logistics, pharmaceuticals, wholesale and FMCG. The research was commissioned by Intermec and carried out by research company Vanson Bourne in October 2012.