Archived Any tricks for feeding

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So, I started working for spot in 2015 as a temp. During that time I was a feeder before I transitioned into packing after pretty much telling the agency that they lied to me about the position and the training I would get. Was told I would be feeding a mod for the first night or two until I got everything down. I had three mods night one, which I know is standard...I was thinking about job chaging back into breakpack as I know after doing a ride along that picking in the rack wont be an issue...I hated heights so I had to see how I would tolerate it and turns out I was quite comfortable. My question is: What is the ramp up process like at your dc and is there any tricks to handling six packers?
 
I've picked in warehousing but never in breakpack, but I've been told by a team member that they even though they struggle to make their numbers when flexed to warehousing, they always make their numbers in breakpack so I'm assuming breakpack is more forgiving when it comes to production numbers.

I'm not trained in breakpack and I've only ever flexed to breakpack to feed. It started one time on A2 when someone else from warehousing groaned because they didn't want to do it "AGAIN!", so I volunteered. It's boring as hell but easy as pie. There were 2 of us. One per side, about 4 packers per side. The other feeder left. I can't remember if they went home sick or what... but I ended up working both the Hardline and Softline side. The key is to slice open boxes and stack them up with the breakpack labels facing up or facing towards the packer. If you get started with a "hot handoff" or in other words, the last shift set you up to fail or didn't set up a line that is now running, have no fear. Just be methodical. Go to each line. Slice and stack until it is stuffed and pushed up against the packer's elbow. Go to the next line and repeat. You're way better off setting up each line with a ton of work because if you only give them a little, you'll be running constantly. Giving them alot means you have time to keep the line built up, get more boxes for them if they need, stack up your pallets if you have freight on wood, and most importantly, keep pulling carts up as close to the line and you as possible, because the tuggers can have a habit of only putting new carts a mile away from you if the line of carts isn't constantly pulled up close and tight to the packing mods. But Tuggers are swamped too, so... not always their fault.

Good luck.
 
Breakpack picking is easy, but I found it extremely boring. You don't have to change carts as much because it takes an eternity to fill up carts with repack.

Feeding is fine unless they give you 5 lines to attempt for yourself.
 
Usually you put spoon to mouth, then swallow. At least that's how I learned.


But then they spit it out all over you and there is strained carrot all over the place.
You try the sweet potato that they liked last time and they spit that out too.
Now the cat is trying to lick the baby off and the kid is screaming...

Oh, wait, that's not what anybody was talking about?
 
I was a feeder for 3 months straight before I finally got to move up to breakpack. I found that the best way to handle 6 packers was to keep rotating through them so i'd fill up whatever line i was at first all the way and then move to the very next line once that one was filled all the way i'd move to the next line and keep going in order. if a packer is going too fast then i would leave them be (unless they completely ran out of freight) until it was their turn in my rotation. I also found that spending as little time on each box helps as well, it isn't necessary to cut all the tape on every box just cut the tape on top and make a small cut on the sides and then the box will be able to open right up. Never waste an advantage if one of your packers leaves to use the restroom or something use that time to add more boxes too the line (especially if they are a faster packer) you might find that you can add more boxes on top of the ones you already placed without compromising safety or maybe you can make it thicker by placing some in the middle.
 
I got the breakpack job change and it took me a couple days but I got feeding down. I only had one bad night but that was because the sign-up lines got messed up and I ended up with an extra packer and I didn't realize it. After I figured that out it was easy and I kept up,
 
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