Curious...
For those folks doing SFS, have you found a way to overcome the unproductive process of walking from item to item because of archaic pathing or unchangeable batch sequencing?
(Sequencing) Right now, when a batch is made, it's ordered the same way every time. Alphabetically and then numerically, Starting with Backroom locations, going into Hardlines locations, Softlines Locations and then Non-located Locations (Ready-to-Wear). I know ASANTS, so pathing would change based on your aisle labeling.
(Pathing) We have a lot of Toys, Electronics and Baby orders mostly (that's aisles E, F and O) and based on our store layout, they're all close together, near the center of the store. But, if there are any groceries, shoes or clothing (aisles G, J through P) the default pathing adds a lot of unnecessary walking (Grocery is next to our backroom, shoes/clothing is the other end of the store).
(Our current work-around) We currently manually skip through a batch until it loads items near us. Instead of walking back and forth across the store for one or two items. This saves us a lot of steps, but it's a weak work around.
(wishlist work-arounds) Ideally, we'd be able to re-sequence (backroom/grocery/seasonal/electronics/toys/baby/softlines/non-located/hardlines... based on our store and would create more of a circular path) or a quicker fix would be the option to reverse the batch order (so, the first batch takes you through the default path and you end in ready-to-wear. Then you start a new batch and have the option to flip the sequence and start from ready-to-wear, until you end up back in backroom locations and ultimately back at the SFS packing table).
We're looking to go to 150 orders after Black Friday, so reducing steps is going to be a huge help productivity-wise. I'm open to hearing your thoughts and tips on what you've found works (and doesn't work).
For those folks doing SFS, have you found a way to overcome the unproductive process of walking from item to item because of archaic pathing or unchangeable batch sequencing?
(Sequencing) Right now, when a batch is made, it's ordered the same way every time. Alphabetically and then numerically, Starting with Backroom locations, going into Hardlines locations, Softlines Locations and then Non-located Locations (Ready-to-Wear). I know ASANTS, so pathing would change based on your aisle labeling.
(Pathing) We have a lot of Toys, Electronics and Baby orders mostly (that's aisles E, F and O) and based on our store layout, they're all close together, near the center of the store. But, if there are any groceries, shoes or clothing (aisles G, J through P) the default pathing adds a lot of unnecessary walking (Grocery is next to our backroom, shoes/clothing is the other end of the store).
(Our current work-around) We currently manually skip through a batch until it loads items near us. Instead of walking back and forth across the store for one or two items. This saves us a lot of steps, but it's a weak work around.
(wishlist work-arounds) Ideally, we'd be able to re-sequence (backroom/grocery/seasonal/electronics/toys/baby/softlines/non-located/hardlines... based on our store and would create more of a circular path) or a quicker fix would be the option to reverse the batch order (so, the first batch takes you through the default path and you end in ready-to-wear. Then you start a new batch and have the option to flip the sequence and start from ready-to-wear, until you end up back in backroom locations and ultimately back at the SFS packing table).
We're looking to go to 150 orders after Black Friday, so reducing steps is going to be a huge help productivity-wise. I'm open to hearing your thoughts and tips on what you've found works (and doesn't work).