A quick Google search of trucking forums shows that many in the industry have had unpleasant experiences with lumpers. So widespread is this opinion that we set out to diagnose the problem and explain why a properly managed lumper program is an asset to both the host company and the drivers who visit it.
Commonly Cited Issues with Lumpers
The list of complaints drivers have with lumpers seem to be driven by ineffective management and poor expectation-setting.
Miscommunication
This is the most commonly cited problem; drivers being blindsided by lumper requirements and feeling extorted. In many cases, a driver would prefer to unload their own truck, given their familiarity with the cargo or a desire to save money. When a driver shows up to a dock and the receiving company mandates the use of lumpers, the driver might have to pay a lumper fee out of pocket and seek reimbursement from their company, which may or may not be granted to them. Some brokers treat lumper expenses as external to their arrangement with a driver and leave drivers to float those fees as part of their load.
Disorganization
Several drivers related stories of watching the lumper team lazing about at the dock or taking an inordinate amount of time to unload their truck so they could head out. The lack of professionalism these drivers experienced led many to believe that the lumper team was a group of guys somehow related to the company owner or otherwise propped up by the company using them, which, when coupled with unexpected additional charges, caused feelings of resentment. Drivers are looking to complete their load as quickly as possible so they can return home to rest up for their next job. Time is money, and waiting around for lumpers to do their job will always rub a driver the wrong way.
Unfair rates
In some cases, drivers reported being charged unfairly or seeing others get preferential rates for lumper services, making the whole thing seem like a racket. This practice contributes to the unfortunate perception of lumper services as illegitimate, and taking a stand or arguing about unfair rates is likely not worth the hassle for time-strapped drivers, who are more inclined to pay what they see as an unfair rate to get moving. There are still wide variances among companies as to whether drivers are compensated for detention time (time spent waiting at a dock,) so dealing with an inflated rate for a service they don’t even care to use rubs salt in that wound.
How Managed Inbound Logistics is Different
There are a multitude of benefits to having a dependable, professional lumper team with externally managed fees in place. From the quality of the help to the cost per unit fee structure for such a team, bot h warehouse owners and drivers reap the benefit of increased efficiency.
Professionally Managed Team
When a warehouse managed labor firm enters into an agreement with a company’s warehouse or distribution center, they provide more than temp labor. They bring a professionally managed team of laborers, supervisors, and executive level consultancy to serve as an integrated and fully outsourced labor function. Labor (including lumpers, production support, and all other laborers in the warehouse’s inbound and outbound functions) represents the biggest cost in a company’s receiving operations. Outsourcing to a partner with deep industry experience and a career-focused culture means all aspects of the labor force are operating with a common goal in mind, and are managed carefully for high efficiency and timeliness, allowing rates that are lower than the random lumpers hanging around the dock.
Longevity of Relationship
Working with the same group of people over a long period of time creates stability in the warehouse operation, and allows the whole team to function as one unit. Experienced teams can anticipate seasonal demand, work together to quickly unload and store product, and enjoy greater morale as a result of team and relationship building that takes place over time. The management function knows what the company brass is expecting in terms of turnaround, accuracy, and margins and can tailor their team’s approach to suit those needs as closely as possible.
Better Communication
With a formal, managed labor solution in place for the lumper function, the client company, its drivers, and its brokers all know the score as far as the unloading process when the driver reaches the gate. The driver is insulated from lumper fees, and can take an appropriate amount of time to rest before disembarking (contrasted with waiting around for hours in some cases for the truck to be unloaded.)
Benefits to Drivers of a Positive Relationship with Lumpers
Between faster unloading times, not having to deal with unfair fees, and understanding the situation at the dock they’re driving up to, drivers will always prefer to deal with an organized, professionally managed labor team versus a random group of lumpers.
In almost every case, employee performance results from the effectiveness of management. Instead of blaming lumpers for their perceived laziness or scheming, we look to the companies who employ them, and ask why they don’t have a proper system of incentives and employee development in place. Taking care of employees front-loads some costs but ultimately makes a company more competitive and profitable in the long run.
To learn more about how Costa Solutions’ managed labor teams operate, contact us here or at (210) 661-8801.