According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, around $30 billion worth of cargo are lost. The courier industry now faces huge losses from theft. That is apart from threats stemming from convicts hiding prohibited materials in cargo. It is one of the reasons why shipping companies should try to solve their supply chain issues. Proactive steps range from operational measures such as packaging shipments with polyester (PET) strapping to big management changes such as implementing new rules.
Moreover, they must also continue to assess areas of development. There are times that these companies do not even know of such weaknesses until they experience theft themselves.
A Personalised Approach
Fighting cargo theft needs a delicate resolution. It must cater to every condition. And, it must also integrate tactics at every level in an organisation. You see, routine security measures are not enough any more. The secret is to build strong relationships with every stakeholder, including business partners and personnel. And with the rising prevalence of employee theft comes the need for reliability and trust among staff.
Controlling turnover and training the staff helps reinforce the operations of logistics providers. The frequency of deceiving pick-ups, wherein a thief claims he is the real driver, surged from 2009 until 2012. The FreightWatch International revealed that this occurred 61 times. This trend has forced companies to improve driver identification processes.
Controlling the Security Net
Several companies have employed detailed procedures that strengthen security when they layer it. They want to guarantee that only official drivers can collect merchandise. The steps consist of recording the name of the driver along with the equipment digits and taking pictures of the license plate and driver. They also have to photocopy the driver’s license for a guarantee.
Improving security is a never-ending pursuit. Thieves will always try to look for vulnerabilities in the supply chain. Suffice to say, companies must always strive to raise the bar higher when it comes to security.