Cargo theft has become a major problem for the freight industry. Studies show that companies in the U.S. are losing billions of dollars every year, making loss prevention a priority for any industry that requires shipping and warehousing.
Understanding and implementing loss-prevention techniques is essential for any organization that ships, sells, or distributes products. Protecting your shipments is a vital step for your business — and protecting your profits.
What are the most effective loss-prevention techniques, and how can your company take advantage of them?
Effective Loss-Prevention Techniques
Taking preliminary steps to protect your shipments is the best place to start when it comes to protecting your organization’s investments. The most effective loss-prevention techniques you can implement include:
Proper Packaging
Goods should be packaged in a way that protects them from damage during handling and transportation. This includes using the right materials, ensuring that the packaging is properly sealed, and using appropriate dunnage to prevent shifting during transport.
Detailed Risk Assessment
Every shipment has some level of risk associated with it, which can vary depending on the type of product, its value, and its destination. Detailed risk assessment in the freight industry can include evaluating shipment routes, regions of operations, and long-term history of theft and damages.
It can be extremely helpful to partner with a logistics provider who understands risk assessment and has measures in place to evaluate and prepare for those uncertainties.
Planning and Risk Mitigation
After routes are evaluated for efficiency and the potential for theft, damage, or other forms of loss, it’s important to mitigate potential risks by planning routes based on road conditions and weather patterns. This requires paying careful attention, keeping proper documentation, and verification of possible hazards prior to the shipment.
A logistics services provider should be monitoring every aspect of each shipment throughout the delivery and inventory control processes.
Inventory Control
Being able to monitor your inventory with precision and accuracy is vital throughout the entire logistics process. When working on processing shipments for your organization, effective inventory control can give you assurance that your products are exactly where they need to be, whenever you expect them to be there — whether they’re on a vehicle, in a warehouse, or anywhere in between.
Employee Training
Perhaps the most effective loss-prevention technique involves training staff to be able to understand and implement all the other loss-prevention techniques. Both your company’s team and your logistics provider should be able to identify potential problems quickly and resolve them quickly and efficiently.
Protecting your shipments starts with awareness of potential challenges and having team members who can handle those challenges. Coaching your staff and providing resources for continued training can prevent both short-term and long-term losses. Investing in your team also builds a relationship that’s based on trust and respect.
Loss Prevention Management
Speaking of teams, having employees who are dedicated to implementing loss-prevention techniques can save your business from long-term losses. Hiring loss-prevention managers who focus on protecting your assets is an investment that allows you to minimize your losses and keep your assets secure.
If hiring more staff isn’t an option, the next best solution is partnering with an experienced and well-equipped logistics service provider that has loss-prevention techniques already in place.
Insurance
While insurance can’t prevent losses, it can help you recover from any losses when and if they happen. Whenever your products are shipped, buying comprehensive coverage can be a small investment now that saves you from significant losses in the future. Since incidents are likely to happen at some point or other, insurance makes sure that your company is protected in case of a loss.
Continued Improvement
Loss prevention is a long-term goal for any organization. Some techniques work for some organizations, while others have different needs or challenges. Monitoring what is working for your business and what needs improvement.
Perhaps the best loss-prevention technique any company can implement for any shipment is hiring a logistics company that already has those measures in place. Hire someone with a proven ability and track record in minimizing losses during the shipping and warehousing processes — a provider like Beitler Logistics Services.
Beitler Logistics: Successful Loss Prevention Techniques
Successful loss prevention techniques can vary based on your business needs. Beitler Logistic Services is dedicated to working with the utmost professionalism, honesty, and honor. Our team has a proven track record of more than 100 years of proven excellence.
When you partner with Beitler, you can expect:
- 24/7 operational support
- Flexibility and the highest quality of service
- Building relationships on mutual respect
If you have questions on how BLS can help support you with safe and efficient logistics, contact us today.