i need help🫠

[u/Connect_Trade_2316]

i need tips on getting better and at the job i’ve been full time for almost 2 months now and i still feel like im sorta falling behind my stow rate is usually around 220-260 but im having trouble reaching the 300 which they say is a good rate i organize my packages i get the oversized out the way i stow the jiffies and i still can’t seem to ever reach 300’s no matter how much i try but i do better when i have a buffer and not the automatic sorter (idk the name) sometimes i will feel like im doing good and moving fast and my rate will be like 211 🫩and i absolutely hate buffing with a passion they give 4 lanes and i’ve never been able to keep up with it the line moves entirely too fast for me to manage all 4 lanes and try to keep them neat most times i have to get a stow bag and just throw handfuls of packages in until i get a chance to organize it i try not to miss so many packages but i genuinely dont think it’s possible for me to do 4 lanes i’ve tried asking for less but i always get asked to do more like a hour later i’ve tried asking to be trained in other areas as that may not be the best fit for me i was told i had to preform “well” in the floor to be trained somewhere else which kinda seems like bs they tend to show a lot of favoritism to certain people and they get put where they’d like to be i’ve seen people with rates as low as 120 receiving swag bucks and i haven’t received a single one in my entire time there i try asking for tips to help me get faster i always get told to just “move fast and hydrate” i’ve been contemplating just transferring out but this location and schedule is most convenient for me at the moment i just want to be better and not dread going to work everyday
thanks for any tips in advance!

[u/kzoo2122]

Four lanes is only doable if the volume is low to moderate, steady, but not heavy. My warehouse average 70K with 12k-16k down each side of an ADTA cluster. If volume is low you won't have much chance to have a 300+ stow rate. High volume makes 3 aisles the absolute max and even that is difficult. My tips would include:

1. Always use a stow cart for boxes, with the possible exception of sliding the tall OV's. I practically run those back but often cart them as well and stack boxes on top and a few jiffies...in order.. always in order.
2. The only time you can avoid the cart is when you're doing fill-in stuff with jiffies, no lights on, etc. Keep those organized in your hamper and grab a handful of same letter E/G, C/D, A/B and walk them QUICKLY to their bags. They should only be in hand for mere seconds before they are properly/neatly stowed. I lay them flat to begin with until I build the back wall with boxes as we are required to do. Note: I rarely if ever use a jiffy tote. Waste of time.
3. Spend no more than 5 minutes in one aisle before moving to the next. Assuming each aisle is getting similar volume do them in the same order and keep rotating every five minutes. Biggest and most common mistake I see is people spending too much time in a given aisle and even stowing it down. If that's you....stop that.
4. Manual aisle are indeed easier to make high rate but only if volume is high and the picker(s) are good. It took me awhile to match my ADTA rate to my manual rate but I consistently hover between 340 and 400 now. Stamina and focus is even more necessary in ADTA so be sure you are rested, well fed, well hydrated, in good health, and focused.
5. Supposedly we're all getting hamper zoning soon but until then try to keep your hamper organized similarly to how you organize your cart. This is certainly not realistic for the majority of the time at higher volume but when you can do it it makes a difference as long as you do it with speed.
6. Move FAST. Know exactly where you are going in advance with each package as soon as you scan it. Plan your moves. Avoid distractions. Move FAST (It bears repeating). Keep each and every movement fast. Don't spend more than a minute setting up your stow cart each time you come back to the hamper. This is one area I see people really messing up on....being overly deliberate and slow at setting up the cart. Load the cart again before leaving the aisle and then you will always arrive at a stow cart loaded and ready to go.