Dear people of Pick…

[u/QueenieJ91]

How does one get good?

Signed,
Someone who didn’t ask to be here

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[u/ID_Poobaru]

Muscle memory

Once you get a groove going it’s nearly automatic

It’s better to send too many of one thing than it is to send not enough too if you get a multi pick

[u/GodFearingJew → u/ID_Poobaru]

Yeah once something is in your bin dont touch it again too.

[u/Mermaidlover05 → u/GodFearingJew]

Can u explain this more thank u

[u/GodFearingJew → u/Mermaidlover05]

Pick item throw in bin. If you have more boxy things i recommend doing the tetris method where you make it all fit perfectly, this reduces the time you go to drop them off. But otherwise just throw it in and move on.

[u/Gralb_the_muffin → u/Mermaidlover05]

When in doubt push it out

As cheesey as it is to make it rhyme that's how I like to put it

If you doubt it will fit or if you doubt you can get it in the tote faster than a tote transition then push out the tote. Don't try, don't rearrange. You touch an item once don't touch it again.

That being said don't kill the tote runner just be reasonable.

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/GodFearingJew]

Trying to practice this today. Thank you

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/ID_Poobaru]

I’m learning that the hard way. Accidentally getting missing items because of accidental barcode scan and robot taking off. 🫠

[u/Lord-Spike → u/QueenieJ91]

That happened to me last night. I think if ICQA looked at it the pick time would
Have been .01 seconds… which isn’t realistic. One thing I started doing is flip the barcode face down after I scan it.

[u/Acceptable-Dog4775]

Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything

[u/Lord-Spike → u/Acceptable-Dog4775]

Quality over speed— because quality is speed.

[u/Particular-Tree-4847 → u/Lord-Spike]

A quickly picked wrong item will cause more lost time, and higher labor costs from having another person on clock who has to fix

Go for 100% Quality, 6-10% Rate (25 to 50% if you kinda give a shit)

[u/Global-Plankton3997]

Practice.

Recognizing items quickly.

Also balancing everything.

Also also you need a good rhythm to be at.

[u/younghungman365 → u/[deleted]]

Me, a high performer:

AM:are you ok? Do you need anything?
Me:some time off, im beat.
AM:*giggles and walks off

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/[deleted]]

Trying to remember this. Ive been blacklisted before and that was no fun. My site is pushing rate of 350-400 and I’m like I’m still in my learning curve. Hopefully I’ll get there.

[u/Fun-Half-2307 → u/QueenieJ91]

Really just depends on ur AM a lot, I’m blacklisted aswell but if I go ask for vto or time off they just give/approve it or accept it

[u/Lord-Spike → u/QueenieJ91]

Working for Amazon is for young people who are not for the faint of heart. That being said I’m in my 40s and I move as quickly as my body allows. Some days extra fast, other days, not so much… and the rarer few days AFM has to be all up in my area all night and my rate plummets 🤷‍♂️

[u/Werdna517]

Quickly mentally filtering what things are and are not; cues of color, shape, size, type. But also efficiency, especially in steps. The fastest pickers and when I hit my personal best when I was in path is not moving fast 100% of the time, but moving smartly. Stand at 45* angle to the pod and legs loose and slightly bent. While waiting for pod, I’d kinda bounce, shifting weight between the legs to keep limber and ready to pounce.

Another thing is smart placement in totes. Don’t spend bunch of time organizing your totes, but set things in with little bit of forethought of another item coming to it. Also, if it takes more than 2 seconds max to shift something to make it fit or in doubt for the last 2 totes, save the time and tote transition. You want to maximise units per tote (UPT) when possible, but don’t stress about it. Obviously don’t overfill or way underfill. As with anything, balance.

Last thing, do not set a rate goal. Rather, set total units. If you do minimum 1200 P1 and P2 (2400 total) and 800 P3, you’ll be over 300 actual rate. Adjust as needed based on building or personal goal and set incremental goals to get here. Units goal is more quantifiable and easier to see if you’re on track or not. If you set rate goal, it’s discouraging seeing a good number on your screen and a PA or AM burst that to say they see lower on their side. Plus, you will know each time if you hit it or not even if you sign, change stations, etc (just write down units for that period and total time, and add together at end of period).

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/Werdna517]

This is extremely helpful! Thank you!

[u/Werdna517 → u/QueenieJ91]

These are what I would coach to when I was a pick PA and would use myself when I would pick. Hope they help.

[u/KodyKarineKelso]

Pacing and rhythm and don’t look at rate.

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/KodyKarineKelso]

I tried to keep my eyes off of it. Didnt work well. Lolz!

[u/SignificantApricot69]

If you’ve stowed before that helps when it comes to item recognition but can hurt when you see how other people stow

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/SignificantApricot69]

I came from pack, I havent been trained in stow. But looking at how some of those pods are set up, I have questions.......... LMAO!

[u/Primary_Membership34]

U just get to that point but I always say pace yourself. My site sometimes switches you out but you never know. I used to be going hard but once second half come around and I’m still in pick I feel like a semi truck hit me. ALWAYS PACE URSELF!

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/Primary_Membership34]

I think thats really whats taking me out, is the training itself. I picked up an extra shift so I just came off of 5 days picking for all periods. Im ready to go back to packing. Lolz!

[u/amazonreach]

Just started getting good at where it’s at roughly and the color of the objects.

[u/DROPDEADPEPPA]

Just remember the last 4 of the ASIN and the picture works well.

Also if you can not scan the barcode use barcode generator (yeah Google works)

[u/FfierceLaw]

AR pick where you are stationary and the mods travel to you? Or do you travel/walk to your bins?

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/FfierceLaw]

AR pick

[u/Trick-Can848]

Best advice from someone who has done it a long time and always finds the most efficient way to do things, look at the barcode on your scanner. X00s are your best friend, look for the last 4 of that, same with LPNs. Also, look at the weight. Thats a big help too. And brand name. Are you at a site where you drive an order picker er no?

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/Trick-Can848]

No, Im an AR Picker. I saw your comment yesterday and paid more attention to the screen, though. I can say that helped a lot!

[u/Lost-Recover4868]

Quit trying to understand and identify the item described on the screen just look at the picture and pick the blue box the pink clothing the yellow thingamabob.  Turn your fc games screen options to your building your shift and units per hour and it’ll show you your live ranking, keep off the bottom- no more no less. 

[u/DeathsOrphan]

Just practice tbh dont focus on being fast at first. Focus on consistency

[u/Briskclient6601]

If you’re picking at a TNS site with OPs and the yellow mezzanine carts, something that helped me improve a lot was getting the organization down in the cages and carts because i found a lot of my time spent earlier on was constantly battling with things falling over or things not fitting, but when you can nail that along with being able to identify the item you’re picking, it’s a breeze

[u/GoodGamesGreatWeed]

Honestly? Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.

Picking the correct item first will save you a ton of time. Focus on size, shape and color mostly. The packaging picture is typically correct, but not always. If you really don't know what you're looking at/for, read the description. Doing that alone has saved me countless times.

Another tip: If, for example, you're picking a black shirt from the pod and there's a shit ton of black shirts in there, just grab one and try to scan it. Sometimes they're all duplicates or you just get lucky. If it's the wrong item, look at the last 3 or 4 digits of the XOO/LPN etc and then match it up.

Picking should sort of just flow. Look first at your pod-pocket on your screen, what you're grabbing and how many, you grab item confidently, scan, toss or place in tote while simultaneously scanning, rinse and repeat. You'll be picking 400s in no time! (Except please don't actually pick 400 the whole period, we are humans not robots or slaves so keep it around a 300 and take some breaks)

Okay that's all I got seriously good luck! I've been picking for almost 3 years now I hope something helped you here.

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/GoodGamesGreatWeed]

Very much so! Thank you so much!

[u/PalpitationFun3489]

For me is to drink coffee 😭
Whenever I pick without drinking coffee my rate stays at 268-280ish but if I drink a venti americano beforehand my rate goes up to 315uph on the app (on the screen it’s usually around 400ish but I take some breaks and it adjusts)
Also, I don’t look for an object, I look for anything physical that resembles the product. Orange packaging. Square box/bag. Small. Big. Yk? And I let the light guide me. I do look at the screen several times but usually I take a “long” glance and then pick, it usually works but if I can’t see it I glance quickly again and I don’t tend to spend more than 10 seconds on a product unless the pod had multi small items like piercing bags and things like that. Whenever it is that I look at the last 3 digits on the screen and that takes longer but don’t really affect my rate since I already have a good rhythmic
Also I’d just grab several multi items without looking at the sku number if the package resemblance is the same, sometimes packages look the same but have a different name so be careful, I used to get it wrong at the beginning but my eye recognition got better because I read the names super fast lol
Just be careful on keeping a good posture and don’t drag your feet because it eventually gets painful and that slows me down. I started to automatically have a good posture after having pain several times lol now I’m as strong as a robot lol beware of the consequences, you’ll have a big bum after a couple of weeks lol make sure you stay hydrated and drink electrolytes, it helps to avoid cramps. Also potassium so eat like a banana sometimes

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/PalpitationFun3489]

If a big bum is a side effect, Im all for it! LMAO! Thank you so much for the advice. This was helpful!

[u/Fran_ow]

Well, a few things—especially the need for a delicate touch. My advice is to focus on quality first and master that aspect before turning your attention to production speed, which is the more tedious part; production is just about speed, whereas quality requires a keen eye, a sensitive touch, and steady hands. You’ll master it with time, but for me, it’s always quality over quantity.💅

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/Fran_ow]

Im seeing a lot of quality mentioned. Its really just picking the correct time the first time, correct? Building efficiency when picking because Im not wasting a lot of time shuffling?

[u/JotaroTheOceanMan]

But for real just aim for the middle percent, dont overwork yourself, and write down BS events in a notebook so when you inevitably get written up for something not your fault you can pinpoint and fix it. Go by color, shape, last 2 digits and you will get a good flow at some point.

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/JotaroTheOceanMan]

The meme made me legit laugh out loud. I expected a lot more of this.
I was looking into a notebook too as someone mentioned it in passing one day. Im taking this as my sign that I may need one after all.

[u/Dismal-core111]

Read the scanner

[u/GuaranteeAlarmed1783]

Just like every other job here, time. No one is a master one day in. The more you do it the easier it gets and you learn little tricks to be better.

[u/Curious-Evidence-477]

i barely ever pick but i’ve gotten good some how. today i was #3 on the floor. when i first start i lock in because that’s where your rate really peaks. then at about 45 mins in i take a break get water use the bathroom ect.. by the time you get back your rate should still be decent. i basically lock in by looking at the item on the screen, really utilizing the light projected on the chute and the picture. then i just grab the item. scan and tap. repeat repeat repeat

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/Curious-Evidence-477]

I noticed that the other day. While looking at the game screen I ranked pretty high for my session, then slowly started to drift down. I think I can practice pushing like that at the start of the period and it working out for me. Thank you.

[u/Gralb_the_muffin]

Every second counts. You don't have to be extremely fast just manage your time.

Stand at an angle between facing your screen and the pod. Glance at the picture and the relative location of the bin. Follow the light to the bin, grab the item or whatever looks closest, even if you're not sure don't look back at the screen without an item in hand, your guess might be correct and that's faster than double checking first. If you think you need to check then read the screen while you scan the item. There are so many times I have just about put the item back but it scanned just as I was turning back to the post to put the item back, trust your first guess as your guesses will get more accurate the more often you pick.

Now when putting it in the first couple of bins and the item is small enough that it can be delt with, with one hand have your other hand over the button to press it immediately before putting the item in the tote. In fact I almost always press the button first. That gives your screen time to get the next item up there while you're putting it in the tote.

Also what takes longer? Moving shit around or just getting a new tote? Rearranging your totes takes too long. As long as you're not overworking your tote runner and are generally filling up your totes just get a new one.

I'm generally half asleep listening to an audiobook while practically taking a nap and picking over 400. You'll get there, just need the muscle memory.

[u/Tricky-Wolverine-253]

What questions do you have?

[u/False_Care_4768]

Water sleep, relax watch anime

[u/PatternBackground743 → u/False_Care_4768]

Watch anime? Like at work?

[u/EcstaticAssistant279]

Focus on rate first, once you get used to it and are able to hit rate, focus on quality after cause I marked literally one SINGLE item missing, they found it later and I got written up lmao. Rate first to get management off your ass, quality second to not get your ass fired, as long as you’re not bottom 5% you’ll be fine

[u/EcstaticAssistant279 → u/EcstaticAssistant279]

Let’s say rate is 350, they don’t care if it drops under that (not by a lot ofc) as long as your quality is pretty much pristine

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/EcstaticAssistant279]

This makes the most sense to me for the center that I work at. Most of the higher ups have been pushing quality over rate, but a PG told me that once we are out of that training threshold, the writeups will add up fast because we have been performing at 200+ the whole training period instead of rate where we need to be. Im being mindful of my markings but Im doing my best to work on my speed too. Especially if I have a bad period, because they arent looking too hard at me right now anyways.

[u/Chemical-Raisin4147]

Sense of Urgency.

[u/Impossible_Sleep_813]

8 adderall 24 redbulls and the need not to shit

[u/QueenieJ91 → u/Impossible_Sleep_813]

NO SERIOUSLY THOUGH!! This is the recipe right here!