The counting team: how many people you need

Two mistakes are common when forming a counting team. With too few people the job drags into the next day, staff get tired and the last zones are counted in a hurry. With too many they get in each other's way, crowd round the racks and nobody answers for the result. Happily the right number need not be guessed; a simple calculation finds it. All you need to know is the number of positions in the shop, the counting speed and the time you have set aside.

A simple formula

First, one term. A position is one unique line of goods (a code or a variant), not a number of pieces. Three hundred identical bars of soap are one position, while three shirts of different colours are three. The formula is:

number of people = number of positions ÷ (one person's speed per hour × hours available)

For example, a shop has 6,000 positions, one person counts 100 positions an hour on average, and 6 hours are set aside. So 6,000 ÷ (100 × 6) = 10 people. These figures are only an example; for your own shop you find the speed like this.

How to measure the speed

Do not rely on other people's numbers; measure your own. Before the day of the count, take an ordinary rack and let a pair count it for 30 minutes while filling in the sheet. Double the number of positions written down to get an hourly figure, then divide by the number of people in the pair. For tiredness, walking and breaks, subtract roughly a fifth.

Speed varies a lot with the goods. It is lowered by:

• small, similar items (cosmetics, accessories, spare parts);
• many variants by size and colour (clothing);
• untidy shelves and mixed boxes;
• poor lighting and night work;
• filling in the sheet by hand, whereas counting with a scanner is usually faster.

Reserve and extra roles

The figure from the formula covers only pure counters. Two more things are added. The first is a reserve: someone will be late, someone will fall ill, and recounting the positions with discrepancies also takes time. So it is sensible to add 15–20 per cent. The second is management: at least one coordinator, who assigns zones and collects the sheets, and one person who reconciles the results with the records.

In our example: 10 counters + 2 in reserve + 1 coordinator + 1 data entry person = 14 people. The counters form 5 pairs.

For a small shop the sum is the same. Say 1,200 positions, a speed of 80 positions an hour and 3 hours: 1,200 ÷ (80 × 3) = 5 people. That is two pairs and one in reserve. The owner or manager can take the coordinator's role, as long as they do not count themselves.

Time against team size

The value of the formula is that time and people can be traded against each other. For the same 6,000 positions:

• 5 people take about 12 hours;
• 10 people take about 6 hours;
• 15 people take about 4 hours;
• 20 people take about 3 hours, but the zones become too small and are harder to manage.

There is a limit. Each zone needs at least two people, and the zone itself must be a sensible size for a pair. Adding people does not always shorten the time in proportion.

How to assemble the team

The team can be made up of your own staff, people from other branches or temporary hires. The main rule is that nobody counts a zone they are responsible for. Pair a newcomer with an experienced person and spend 15 to 20 minutes before the start showing how goods are picked up and grouped, how the sheet is filled in and how a mistake is corrected. A short briefing pulls the team together and settles many questions in advance. Plan breaks too: 10 to 15 minutes of rest every two or three hours, especially at night, cuts mistakes and often does not lengthen the total time.

Conclusion

Size the team by calculation, not by eye: divide the number of positions by speed and time, then add a reserve and the managers. If you cannot find the right people in-house, the Pereuchet service forms a team to suit the volume and deadline, allocating pairs and zones.