As the United States faces ever-increasing competition in the global market, business owners are finding substantial supply chain savings by improving inbound and outbound freight handling operations. Enhancing the efficiency of freight transportation provides a competitive edge for companies that prioritize low-cost freight transport. The question these ops managers naturally ask themselves is “How do I find a lumper near me?” This is the first question in implementing a successful lumper service but there are other important considerations which include, how will a lumper fee schedule affect freight costs, are the lumper employees trained and properly supervised and what are the reviews reflected online of the service by other clients who have engaged them.
The first obvious step in deciding to use a local lumper is to clearly understand their fee schedule. Important considerations include pallet movement costs as well as fee tiers at appropriate worker levels to meet freight transport schedules. Time of day for unloading can impact the fees- middle of the night labor often requires a surcharge. Another important consideration is any special handling needs for the product being transported such as refrigerated products, highly fragile, or hazardous materials. Like most elements of these types of programs, the devil is in the details.
The business landscape has clearly morphed and due diligence into the screening process and background checks of the lumper company employees are prudent. Comprehensive background checks into the personnel that will be on company property should be demonstrated by the lumper partner. Not only are the backgrounds of the workers integral, but real understanding about the structure of the lumping team while on-site will assure success in using a lumping service. Dependable and experienced supervisory staff can assure the product is moved safely, on time and in good condition.
Few indicators of the quality of a lumping service are as reflective as the reviews of companies that have engaged their services. Most people will focus on bad reviews, but good reviews are also reflective of the quality of a lumping partner. It is a good exercise to consider all the reviews, both negative and positive when considering engaging a lumper service. Having a conversation with local companies that are indicated as references by the lumper can assist in finding the right lumper near you.
Local lumping services can offer considerable savings in the supply chain operation of a business. Be sure of how the fee schedule will impact the operation, be sure the quality of their employees are up to your expectations, and understand how they are supervised on-site. Rely on other local companies that can offer an informed opinion on the experience of engaging a lumper near you. There are considerable savings on the table, but some due diligence is warranted when picking the best local lumper.
