The hidden cost of 'Almost Right' pick accuracy in RDC's

It’s easy to assume the real challenge in retail logistics is getting products into the depot. But what about what happens next? After the stocks arrived?

Here’s based on our knowledge: when an audit is first ever introduced to a RDC, picker error rates often exceed 2%. That might not sound dramatic, but scale that across thousands of items and the ripple effect becomes real. Delays, missed deliveries, poor customer availability, unhappy customers.

But here's the twist: this isn’t about cracking down. It’s not about stricter rules or more pressure. RAS SCI focus instead on collaboration, not control.

By working with our many long-term partners, daily validations, continuous monitoring, and small, consistent improvements, we managed something remarkable:

👉 Picker accuracy now exceeds 99.95%
👉 Across most chambers
👉 Across most shifts

Would we have hit that number by chasing perfection from day one? Probably not. Its never a one-off fix. It is a shift in mindset. Audits became part of the process, not a panic button, results are listened to and actioned upon. Credibility and Experience hold value.

Sometimes, the biggest wins come from the quietest numbers.
A 0.05% error rate might not make headlines, but it makes a difference where it counts for customer, pounds and pence. Year on year.

What part of your operation is quietly holding back excellence?