December Crunch, Zero Chaos: How Top Ops Keep OTIF at 96%+

 

December doesn’t forgive slow handoffs or fuzzy cut-offs. Demand spikes, carrier capacity tightens, and any wobble in your floor flow shows up as missed promises. The teams that keep OTIF ≥ 96% don’t work harder in December—they work clearer: precise cut-offs, disciplined pick/pack, and real-time visibility that prevents last-minute heroics.

Here’s a concise 3–5 minute guide to run peak with control.

1) Publish cut-offs like they’re SLAs (because they are)

Make your promise explicit per lane and carrier—and stick to it.

  • Lane-based cut-offs: e.g., CDMX/EdoMex parcel 15:00, GDL/Bajío 14:00, northbound cross-border noon.

  • Wave around cut-offs: Release pick waves backward from each cut-off (not by order age).

  • Single source of truth: Show cut-offs in the WMS portal so CX and sales don’t overpromise.

👉 Fulfillment & cut-off discipline: https://whlogistics.mx/Fulfillment-Center-Mexico

2) Shape the floor for speed (not for symmetry)

December layouts should reduce touches on fast movers.

  • Slot by velocity: Top 200 SKUs within 1–2 aisles of pack; promo/end-caps near pack stations.

  • Dedicated “exceptions lane”: Misdirected/fragile/oversize flow outside the main pick path.

  • Fixed replen windows: Two or three per day (e.g., 11:00 / 15:00 / 18:00) to avoid pick-face stockouts.

👉 Storage & overflow (for extra faces and buffer): https://whlogistics.mx/Storage-in-Mexico

3) Staff for the constraint you actually have

Throwing headcount at the wrong step creates bigger queues.

  • If packing is the bottleneck → add pack benches, print labels at pack, and pre-assemble dunnage.

  • If picking is the bottleneck → switch to zone/wave picking and cluster small orders.

  • Cross-train surge crews on one task (scan & place) to be productive in 30 minutes.

4) Win the label game (and avoid DC rejections)

Nothing kills OTIF like relabeling at the last minute.

  • Lock label templates (retail/NOM/marketplaces) by Nov; freeze changes during peak.

  • Use a photo-QA cell to verify ticketing before outbound.

  • Run postponement (late ticketing/kitting) in a dedicated cell, not on the main line.

👉 Reworks, ticketing, kitting & QA: https://whlogistics.mx/Reworks-And-Light-Manufacturing-in-Mexico

5) Balance the carrier mix weekly (not annually)

Capacity shifts every December week—your allocation should too.

  • Track OTIF + cost per stop by lane and rebalance volume each Monday.

  • Use cross-dock for DC appointments to skip storage and hit windows.

  • Consider Truck & Driver loops for Tier-1/Key accounts with fixed receiving slots.

👉 Transport (FTL/LTL/Air/Last Mile): https://whlogistics.mx/Transport-Solutions-In-Mexico

6) Make returns a profit center (now, not in January)

A two-day returns lane protects availability and cash.

  • Grade A/B/C on arrival; restock A/B in 24–48h.

  • Tie photos to RMAs to speed credits and reduce disputes.

  • Slot returned A-items near pack to sell again the same day.

👉 Reverse logistics within fulfillment: https://whlogistics.mx/Fulfillment-Center-Mexico

KPIs that separate calm from chaos

  • Dock-to-Stock: < 24h (ASNs scanned, locations assigned same day)

  • Pick Productivity: +15–35% vs. baseline after velocity slotting & waves

  • Order Cut-Off Compliance: ≥ 98% (waves released on time)

  • Fill Rate (A-items): ≥ 98.5%

  • OTIF (by lane): ≥ 96%

  • Expedite Rate: ↓ 40–60% vs. last December

  • Returns Restock: 24–48h for A/B items

Pro tip: Put these six metrics on a daily dashboard; treat yellow/red as same-day actions in a 10-minute stand-up.

A practical week-by-week rhythm (Dec condensed)

  • Week 1 (Dec 1–7): Freeze label templates; validate cut-off table; reslot top 200 SKUs.

  • Week 2 (Dec 8–14): Add surge shifts; turn on exceptions lane; rebalance carrier mix by lane.

  • Week 3 (Dec 15–21): Tighten replen windows; increase cluster/Batch picks; expand cross-dock for DCs.

  • Week 4 (Dec 22–31): Focus on returns triage and January availability while shipping final orders.

Where to stage capacity (MX context)

  • EdoMex/CDMX: Last-mile density; best for parcel cut-offs and retail appointments.

  • Guadalajara: Balanced national reach; strong parcel + FTL/LTL mix.

  • Monterrey: Fast cross-border to TX; ideal for Tier-1 and automotive/electronics.

👉 Network view in Mexico: https://whlogistics.mx/Logistics-in-Mexico

Ready to keep OTIF at 96%+—without heroics?

Comentarios

Publicar un comentario

Entradas populares