Business owners have to deal with a wide range of problems and difficulties every day. They have to communicate with suppliers in order to get all the needed raw materials on time. They are to control the whole manufacturing process. Moreover, they need to respond to possible customer complaints and resolve conflicts. No wonder, they are to feel extra disappointed and frustrated when they discover that their cargo is lost or, even worse, stolen.
Freight forwarding is a rather complicated and nerve-wracking process. There are so many aspects you should control and pay special attention to. One of them is the security of your cargo. Whether you like it or not, but the risks of damaging, losing, or stealing your goods or products are rather high.
It goes without saying that cargo theft is a global challenge. It features a major negative impact on supply chains and the world’s economy. It affects not only the shipping and logistics industry, but also consumers, retailers, and insurers.
There are several possible ways to steal your cargo. The most common of them are the following:
- Leakage operations.
It’s of prime importance to choose the most effective mode of transportation. At the same time, you are to pay attention to the security issue. If you deal with LTL freight delivery, leakage may involve the theft of entire cartons or removing desired products from within a carton and resealing the packaging.
- Fictitious pickups.
Although it sounds weird and strange, false drivers or pickup workers may steal your boxes straight within the warehouse or distribution center. They are able even to provide counterfeit papers in order to gain access to and make off with valuable loads.
- Hijackings.
This type of theft often happens on the road. When the driver is out of the truck, bad guys are to get all the needed items from the containers.
- Burglaries.
Burglars are to grab your goods on the parking spots, truck yards, or even in the warehouses if they are not well-secured.
- Grab and Run.
If you transport your cargo with the help of vans, you have all the chances to become a victim of the grab and run.
It’s only a few of the possible variants. Thefts may lead not only to significant financial losses but even to breakages of the supply chain functioning. It affects the productivity of the whole company.
Your task is to minimize the possibility of cargo thefts. The best to do this is to cooperate with qualified, experienced, and reliable logistics brokers or agencies. Many beginners make one and the same mistake. They tend to hire the first firm they find on the Net. The results are deplorable. You are to gather as much information about the service as possible. It’s a good idea to get to know the ratings of the company, read reviews by former or regular clients. It’s of prime importance to use tracking systems in order to be able to detect your cargo even if it has been stolen.
To sum it up, it should be highlighted that cargo theft is a serious problem every business owner has to be aware of. It’s not a good idea to ignore it and believe that nothing bad can happen to you. It’s necessary to utilize reliable tracking systems and choose good insurance plans.