Blog Posts Poll Reveals Importance of Process Improvement for Fulfillment Operations
The top priority for ecommerce fulfillment operations right now might surprise you. In our informal LinkedIn poll this week, 40% of respondents said they’re focusing on “refining fulfillment processes” – even ahead of “automation and robotics” (32%), “network optimization” (22%), and “improving visibility” (6%).
Prioritizing process improvements makes good business sense in today’s economic environment. Process improvements can often be achieved with a minimal investment and make a significant impact on operational performance.
Lean methodology is one of the most widely used structures for continuous improvement. It focuses on creating value for customers by streamlining processes and eliminating waste. Utilizing lean practices can help to create efficiencies, improve customer service and drive cost savings.
Utilizing lean practices can help to create efficiencies, improve customer service and drive cost savings.
Process Improvement in Action
At Saddle Creek, lean is an integral part of daily operations. We routinely seek out opportunities for improvement for each of our clients. Examples include:
- Redesigning shoe boxes to serve as self-mailers for KURU Footwear helped speed pack-out and reduce shipping costs. It also enabled point-of-pick packing and labeling, which improved productivity by 20%.
- For Humann, picking identical orders for the same SKUs all at once streamlines order processing and reduces labor requirements – contributing to a 63% decrease in fulfillment costs.
- Lean practices have also paid off for doTERRA – dramatically increasing the number of orders processed per hour while decreasing the average cost per order by 62%.
To learn more about lean initiatives at Saddle Creek, check out the infographic.
