Peak season has a way of revealing operational weaknesses. Labor instability, inconsistent output, and rising costs often surface at the exact moment performance matters most. For one Louisville-based 3PL managing a large annual holiday program, those pressures were beginning to compound, threatening production timelines and pulling leadership into daily execution.

They didn’t just need more labor. They needed a smarter operating model.

Here’s how shifting to a fixed Cost-Per-Unit (CPU) approach created stability, improved performance, and delivered results ahead of schedule.

The Challenge: When Labor Instability Disrupts Performance

Each year, this 3PL supports a high-volume holiday project for a key partner. As demand ramped up, operational strain followed:

• Turnover created repeated hiring and retraining cycles

• Labor inconsistencies slowed production throughput

• Leadership was forced onto the production floor to keep operations moving

• Costs became harder to forecast as volume increased

Instead of scaling smoothly into peak season, the organization found itself reacting daily just to stay on track. What they needed was predictability, consistency, and operational relief.

The Shift: Moving From Labor Hours to Production Outcomes

Rather than continuing with a traditional hourly labor model, Acción Performance implemented a customized Cost-Per-Unit (CPU) structure, aligning cost directly with production output.

This model changed how the operation functioned.

Predictable Costs, Even as Volume Increased

By locking in a fixed rate per unit, the client gained budget stability and forecasting clarity. Pricing remained consistent even as production ramped up, removing financial uncertainty during peak season.

A Skilled, Production-Ready Workforce

Acción deployed an experienced team onsite, eliminating the need for constant hiring, onboarding, and retraining. With a stable workforce in place, productivity improved and disruptions decreased.

Leadership That Drives Consistency

Acción’s supervisory team oversaw training, quality, and daily production execution — ensuring processes were followed and standards were maintained. This freed the client’s internal leadership to focus on broader operational priorities instead of daily firefighting.

Scalable Efficiency

As demand grew, production scaled smoothly without sacrificing quality or speed — allowing the operation to perform at a higher, more consistent level.

The Results: From Reactive to Predictable

With a stabilized workforce and outcome-based model in place, the operation quickly shifted from reactive to controlled.

• Predictable, forecastable costs

• Eliminated hiring and training burden

• Improved production consistency and efficiency

• Leadership regained time for strategic focus

• Exceeded production targets one month ahead of schedule

What began as a labor challenge ultimately transformed the entire production model.

Why Cost-Per-Unit Works for High-Volume Operations

In fulfillment, FBA prep, packaging, and production environments, success isn’t measured by hours worked, it’s measured by output delivered. A Cost-Per-Unit model aligns cost with performance, creating:

• Greater operational predictability

• Scalable throughput during demand spikes

• Reduced management strain

• More consistent quality control

• Clearer financial visibility

Instead of managing labor, organizations manage results.

A Smarter Way to Perform During Peak Season

When production matters most, stability and predictability become competitive advantages. For this 3PL partner, adopting a fixed Cost-Per-Unit model created the control needed to scale effectively, reduce operational strain, and outperform expectations during their most critical season.

If your operation is facing labor instability, unpredictable costs, or scaling challenges, an outcome-based model may be the difference between reacting and performing.

Connect with Acción Performance to learn how Cost-Per-Unit fulfillment can bring stability, efficiency, and predictability to your operation.