I was wondering what the process was for other stores when it comes to flow team. I'm in development to becoming a team lead and one of the things I'm expected to do is give suggestions weekly on how we can make our flow team process better. We don't technically have any major issues, just minor ones that I've noticed can be fixed with just a few changes. Anyway, I'd like to share my store's process and see if you guys have anything to add or suggest to make our flow team 'flow'.
We're a medium to high volume store with truck sizes ranging from 2000 - 2500. We receive only one truck, and we start the unload at 4am. We have two unloaders in the truck, along with 6 or 7 people on the line putting freight on its respected pallets. We have one team member on the receiving side. We have two pallet pullers while softlines grab their own pallets whenever they are called on the intercom. The unload takes about an hour and then the team is sent straight to the A run, following to B and so forth. We have one person in charge of C&D repacks, and also pushing them. We have one person sorting the HBA repacks, but the flow team pushes the sorted carts. Towards 8am, the only thing that is usually left is toys and sporting goods and they stay on flats.
During the unload, we have one person bowling out pets and chemicals, one person bowling out C&D, one or two people for market, and one person for HBA. After the unload, one or two people are sent to the B run to bowl out and push that area, which usually takes 45 minutes. Then the repacks for that area take about 30 minutes to push, and then they do stationary after. Stationary varies, it could take only 30min to sometimes an hour and a half. The HBA repack sorter goes and does cosmetics, which also varies like stationary. The C&D repacks are sorted and pushed and takes up to 8am, mainly because that repack sorter is bowling out the whole run before being able to start on repacks.
The only thing I really know about the softlines team is that they have about six people who push that whole side. They're sorting till about 6am, right before break. They never finish by 8am. They seem to get done around 9.
Baby is done by one person alone for the whole morning. They also take till about 8:30 or 9am.
Shoes is also done by one person. That area gets done before 8am.
Electronics has one person. She's super fast though. She gets done before 7:30am.
Whew, that's my store's process. Are you guys any different? Is there anything that can be done to be more efficient? The only thing that I can think of is getting a rotation set up for unloaders so that the same team members aren't unloading the truck. I think that's incredibly unfair and that takes such a huge toll on your body. No matter if one person is better and faster at unloading than others, it needs to be shared. My other suggestion is to have two people doing HBA repacks alone without the whole flow team. This can keep the team going without standing around trying to find where a facial moisturizer goes (we lack PDAs in the morning and have none for flow). With the two same people doing repacks, they can learn where things are located and go by what they know. And then the same two people who finish HBA repacks can go to Stationary and start on that while the B team is working on freight and small appliances repacks.
We're a medium to high volume store with truck sizes ranging from 2000 - 2500. We receive only one truck, and we start the unload at 4am. We have two unloaders in the truck, along with 6 or 7 people on the line putting freight on its respected pallets. We have one team member on the receiving side. We have two pallet pullers while softlines grab their own pallets whenever they are called on the intercom. The unload takes about an hour and then the team is sent straight to the A run, following to B and so forth. We have one person in charge of C&D repacks, and also pushing them. We have one person sorting the HBA repacks, but the flow team pushes the sorted carts. Towards 8am, the only thing that is usually left is toys and sporting goods and they stay on flats.
During the unload, we have one person bowling out pets and chemicals, one person bowling out C&D, one or two people for market, and one person for HBA. After the unload, one or two people are sent to the B run to bowl out and push that area, which usually takes 45 minutes. Then the repacks for that area take about 30 minutes to push, and then they do stationary after. Stationary varies, it could take only 30min to sometimes an hour and a half. The HBA repack sorter goes and does cosmetics, which also varies like stationary. The C&D repacks are sorted and pushed and takes up to 8am, mainly because that repack sorter is bowling out the whole run before being able to start on repacks.
The only thing I really know about the softlines team is that they have about six people who push that whole side. They're sorting till about 6am, right before break. They never finish by 8am. They seem to get done around 9.
Baby is done by one person alone for the whole morning. They also take till about 8:30 or 9am.
Shoes is also done by one person. That area gets done before 8am.
Electronics has one person. She's super fast though. She gets done before 7:30am.
Whew, that's my store's process. Are you guys any different? Is there anything that can be done to be more efficient? The only thing that I can think of is getting a rotation set up for unloaders so that the same team members aren't unloading the truck. I think that's incredibly unfair and that takes such a huge toll on your body. No matter if one person is better and faster at unloading than others, it needs to be shared. My other suggestion is to have two people doing HBA repacks alone without the whole flow team. This can keep the team going without standing around trying to find where a facial moisturizer goes (we lack PDAs in the morning and have none for flow). With the two same people doing repacks, they can learn where things are located and go by what they know. And then the same two people who finish HBA repacks can go to Stationary and start on that while the B team is working on freight and small appliances repacks.
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