7 Signs That Your Business Will Benefit from Order Pickers

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An order picker is a specialised warehouse machine designed to streamline the retrieval of goods stored at various heights. Unlike forklifts, which primarily move entire pallets, order pickers allow operators to efficiently pick individual items or small batches. These machines have become a mainstay in industries like e-commerce, retail, food service, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing, which all depend on speed, precision, and efficient inventory management.

The benefits of using order pickers are hard to overlook. They improve operational efficiency, thereby enabling businesses to fulfil orders quickly while reducing manual effort. This helps overcome common logistical challenges such as slow fulfillment times, limited storage capacity, and employee fatigue. Businesses that integrate order pickers into their processes will find it’s easier to utilise vertical space, optimise workflows, and improve workplace safety—all while keeping up with growing demand.

If your business has been grappling with certain operational hurdles, it may be time to consider whether order pickers are the right solution. Below are a few telltale signs that indicate a shift to order pickers could benefit your operations.

Increasing Order Volume

Growing demand will inevitably stretch a warehouse’s manual picking processes to their limits. It might be fine for your employees to walk long distances between shelving units, stop to locate items, and manually lift goods if you’re fulfilling just a few orders a day, but this approach just won’t cut it once you acquire more customers. What once felt manageable will quickly turn into a bottleneck that hampers order fulfillment.

Order pickers give your employees a more efficient and accurate way to retrieve items. Operators can pick products directly from shelves at varying heights without unnecessary delays, which allows them to handle far more orders in less time. As volumes continue to rise, adopting order pickers ensures your team can keep pace without sacrificing productivity.

Expanding Vertical Storage Space

Warehouses and storage facilities often maximise their available space by building upward. High shelving units can boost storage capacity by big margins, but they also create new challenges: how do employees safely and efficiently retrieve goods stored several metres above the ground?

Order pickers are designed to operate at height. They allow operators to move smoothly between levels and access items quickly and safely. Compared to using ladders or traditional manual methods, employing order pickers not only reduces risk of accidents but also minimises the time it takes to retrieve goods from elevated shelves. This equipment is thus a no-brainer investment to make if your business is aiming to expand its storage vertically.

Slow Order Fulfillment

Delays in fulfilling orders can negatively impact customer satisfaction, particularly in industries like e-commerce and retail, where fast delivery is a fundamental expectation. If items are taking too long to pick, pack, and ship, it may be time to rethink your warehouse processes. Order pickers can help you fulfill orders faster by reducing the inefficiencies associated with manual retrieval. Operators can access the required items in fewer steps and so complete tasks in a fraction of the time originally required.

Workforce Fatigue and Safety Concerns

Relying solely on manual picking methods can take a physical toll on your employees. Tasks such as climbing ladders, bending repeatedly, or carrying heavy items inevitably strain the body. Over time, this can lead to fatigue, injuries, and reduced productivity, all of which can throw a wrench into your operations.

Thankfully, you can leverage order pickers to alleviate the physical demands of item retrieval. Operators work from a secure platform that moves to the desired height and eliminates the need for unsafe manoeuvres or strenuous lifting. Your decision to prioritise employee safety will pay off in the form of more efficient operations, and you’ll also be creating a healthier, more sustainable work environment in the process.

Seasonal or Peak Demand Surges

When every minute counts, operational inefficiencies become far more apparent—and costly. During seasonal peaks or holiday rushes, businesses often face sharp increases in order volumes. Relying on manual processes during these times can lead to missed deadlines, frustrated customers, and overworked employees.

Order pickers help businesses scale their operations during periods of heightened demand. Since they facilitate faster and more accurate picking, they ensure that warehouses can keep up with increased order volumes without needing to hire large temporary workforces. Whether it’s the holiday shopping season or a promotional sale, order pickers help maintain performance when it matters most.

Frequent Handling of Small Items

Warehouses that deal with small, individual items—such as electronics, pharmaceutical products, or spare parts—often struggle with precision and efficiency. It can be time-consuming to pick small items manually, and errors are more likely when employees are moving quickly to fulfil orders. Order pickers allow operators to move directly to the precise shelf or storage level where small items are located. This eliminates unnecessary steps and enables staff to retrieve the right items every time, eliminating the risk of errors that might lead to unsatisfied customers or wasted resources.

Congested or Confined Warehouse Spaces

When you’re working with narrow aisles or overcrowded storage spaces, manoeuvring traditional equipment can become a challenge. Your employees may struggle to navigate between shelves efficiently, leading to delays and decreased productivity. In some cases, these spatial constraints even limit the amount of inventory that your business can store.

Compact or narrow-aisle order pickers are designed specifically for these environments. They allow operators to move seamlessly through tight spaces and readily retrieve the items they need. In doing so, these machines ensure that your business can make the most of available storage while maintaining a smooth workflow in confined areas.

 

Integrating order pickers into your operations can address inefficiencies that hold your business back, and your efforts should yield good results in terms of both productivity and employee well-being. If you recognise the signs early, you can make informed decisions that enhance your warehouse’s performance and prepare your business for long-term growth.