diff --git a/consumer.go b/consumer.go
index fbb827b..7322d68 100644
--- a/consumer.go
+++ b/consumer.go
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@ func New(streamName string, opts ...Option) (*Consumer, error) {
 		maxRecords:               10000,
 		metricRegistry:           nil,
 		numWorkers:               1,
-		logger: &noopLogger{
-			logger: log.New(io.Discard, "", log.LstdFlags),
-		},
-		scanInterval: 250 * time.Millisecond,
-		maxRecords:   10000,
 	}
 
 	// override defaults
@@ -146,8 +141,8 @@ func (c *Consumer) Scan(ctx context.Context, fn ScanFunc) error {
 	// process each of the shards
 	s := newShardsInProcess()
 	for shard := range shardC {
-		shardId := aws.ToString(shard.ShardId)
-		if s.doesShardExist(shardId) {
+		shardID := aws.ToString(shard.ShardId)
+		if s.doesShardExist(shardID) {
 			// safetynet: if shard already in process by another goroutine, just skipping the request
 			continue
 		}
@@ -174,7 +169,7 @@ func (c *Consumer) Scan(ctx context.Context, fn ScanFunc) error {
 					// error has already occurred
 				}
 			}
-		}(shardId)
+		}(shardID)
 	}
 
 	go func() {
@@ -185,8 +180,8 @@ func (c *Consumer) Scan(ctx context.Context, fn ScanFunc) error {
 	return <-errC
 }
 
-// ScanShard loops over records on a specific shard, calls the callback func
-// for each record and checkpoints the progress of scan.
+// ScanShard loops over records on a specific shard, calls the callback func for each record and checkpoints the
+// progress of scan.
 func (c *Consumer) ScanShard(ctx context.Context, shardID string, fn ScanFunc) error {
 	c.workerPool = NewWorkerPool(c.streamName, c.numWorkers, fn)
 	c.workerPool.Start(ctx)
@@ -263,20 +258,12 @@ func (c *Consumer) ScanShard(ctx context.Context, shardID string, fn ScanFunc) e
 }
 
 func (c *Consumer) processRecords(ctx context.Context, shardID string, resp *kinesis.GetRecordsOutput, fn ScanFunc) (string, error) {
-	if len(resp.Records) == 0 {
-		return "", nil
-	}
-
 	startedAt := time.Now()
 	batchSize := float64(len(resp.Records))
-	gaugeBatchSize.
-		With(prometheus.Labels{labelStreamName: c.streamName, labelShardID: shardID}).
-		Set(batchSize)
-
 	secondsBehindLatest := float64(time.Duration(*resp.MillisBehindLatest)*time.Millisecond) / float64(time.Second)
-	collectorMillisBehindLatest.
-		With(prometheus.Labels{labelStreamName: c.streamName, labelShardID: shardID}).
-		Observe(secondsBehindLatest)
+	labels := prometheus.Labels{labelStreamName: c.streamName, labelShardID: shardID}
+	gaugeBatchSize.With(labels).Set(batchSize)
+	collectorMillisBehindLatest.With(labels).Observe(secondsBehindLatest)
 
 	// loop over records, call callback func
 	var records []types.Record
@@ -297,7 +284,19 @@ func (c *Consumer) processRecords(ctx context.Context, shardID string, resp *kin
 		return "", nil
 	}
 
-	err = c.runWorkers(ctx, shardID, resp, fn, records)
+	eg, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
+	eg.SetLimit(c.numWorkers)
+	for _, r := range records {
+		eg.Go(func() error {
+			counterEventsConsumed.With(labels).Inc()
+			err := fn(&Record{Record: r, ShardID: shardID, MillisBehindLatest: resp.MillisBehindLatest})
+			if !errors.Is(err, ErrSkipCheckpoint) {
+				return err
+			}
+			return nil
+		})
+	}
+	err = eg.Wait()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
@@ -312,37 +311,14 @@ func (c *Consumer) processRecords(ctx context.Context, shardID string, resp *kin
 	numberOfProcessedTasks := len(records)
 
 	c.counter.Add("checkpoint", int64(numberOfProcessedTasks))
-	counterCheckpointsWritten.
-		With(prometheus.Labels{labelStreamName: c.streamName, labelShardID: shardID}).
-		Add(float64(numberOfProcessedTasks))
+	counterCheckpointsWritten.With(labels).Add(float64(numberOfProcessedTasks))
 
 	duration := time.Since(startedAt).Seconds()
-	histogramBatchDuration.
-		With(prometheus.Labels{labelStreamName: c.streamName, labelShardID: shardID}).
-		Observe(duration)
-	histogramAverageRecordDuration.
-		With(prometheus.Labels{labelStreamName: c.streamName, labelShardID: shardID}).
-		Observe(duration / batchSize)
+	histogramAverageRecordDuration.With(labels).Observe(duration / batchSize)
+	histogramBatchDuration.With(labels).Observe(duration)
 	return lastSeqNum, nil
 }
 
-// runWorkers launches a worker pool to process the records
-func (c *Consumer) runWorkers(ctx context.Context, shardID string, resp *kinesis.GetRecordsOutput, fn ScanFunc, records []types.Record) error {
-	errGroup, ctx := errgroup.WithContext(ctx)
-	errGroup.SetLimit(c.numWorkers)
-	for _, r := range records {
-		errGroup.Go(func() error {
-			err := fn(&Record{Record: r, ShardID: shardID, MillisBehindLatest: resp.MillisBehindLatest})
-			if !errors.Is(err, ErrSkipCheckpoint) {
-				return err
-			}
-			return nil
-		})
-	}
-
-	return errGroup.Wait()
-}
-
 // temporary conversion func of []types.Record -> DesegregateRecords([]*types.Record) -> []types.Record
 func disaggregateRecords(in []types.Record) ([]types.Record, error) {
 	var recs []types.Record
diff --git a/group.go b/group.go
index 0ccc2e0..8ac5229 100644
--- a/group.go
+++ b/group.go
@@ -8,7 +8,15 @@ import (
 
 // Group interface used to manage which shard to process
 type Group interface {
-	Start(ctx context.Context, shardc chan types.Shard)
+	Start(ctx context.Context, shardc chan types.Shard) error
 	GetCheckpoint(ctx context.Context, streamName, shardID string) (string, error)
 	SetCheckpoint(ctx context.Context, streamName, shardID, sequenceNumber string) error
 }
+
+// CloseableGroup extends Group with the ability to close a shard.
+type CloseableGroup interface {
+	Group
+	// CloseShard allows shard processors to tell the group when the shard has been fully processed. Should be called
+	// only once per shardID.
+	CloseShard(ctx context.Context, shardID string) error
+}