Dispatch Careers Spotlight: 5 Essential Skills for Becoming a Loss Prevention Administrator

Truck, trailer, and cargo theft is on the rise in North America. Every year in Canada, there is an estimated $5 billion worth of property and goods lost in the transportation industry, and these losses often incur significant increases in insurance costs, making theft costly in more ways than one.

Here is how dispatchers can use their skills to transition into careers as loss prevention administrators.

Remind Drivers to Be Alert and Monitor Their Surroundings

Most cargo theft occurs when trailers are stolen from a carrier’s property or distribution centre, and an unsecured yard is a key factor in the success of cargo theft. In order to ensure a safe and productive workplace, it’s necessary for personnel to pay attention to their surroundings, and who comes in and out of the yard.

Installing and maintaining security surveillance systems is one of the greatest theft deterrents, because it provides a reliable source of information that can help identify suspicious activity. Additionally, it’s important to encourage employees to look out for unusual behaviour, people, or movement. Separating private vehicles from the commercial fleet and loading areas can also help tell at a glance if anything questionable is happening.

Learn How and When Thieves Strike

One of the main issues with cargo theft is that it is indiscriminate; anything can be taken at any time in the supply chain. It’s important to identify and remove any potential opportunities for theft to occur, as well as understand what kind of criminal activity is involved.

Generally, there are two types of thieves, ones who steal for personal use, and others who steal for profit. Personal theft is typically not as extensive, and limited in size and expense, but theft for profit involves elements of organized crime and has a high risk of major property loss for transportation companies.

Cargo theft is what’s known as a low-risk, high-reward crime, which means it is easy to commit, has significant benefits, and has low criminal penalties. The most opportune time that thieves strike is during a holiday or weekends, when cargo is at rest and potentially unsecured.

Follow Prevention Plans

There is no one simple solution to eliminating the risk of cargo theft, but having a working and responsive prevention plan is a significant part of loss prevention. A corporate approach to loss prevention provides a guideline on actions to take, and these may help you respond to potential theft after dispatch training. In addition to following a plan, take initiative on certain points, such as restricting the access of strangers and unauthorized visitors and reporting any suspicious activity before it develops into a serious occurrence.

Pay Attention to Small Details After Dispatch Schools

When it comes to small duties, even the ones which seem the most mundane or regular may be that much more effective against cargo theft. Minute responsibilities can uncover mistakes or potentially criminal actions during many dispatch careers. Run the carrier’s information, no matter how many times you’ve worked with them in the past. Ensure drivers are completing the proper pre and post trip inspections. Even something minor can prevent thieves from learning valuable information about your operations.

Dispatch Careers Benefit from Being Proactive

Criminal activity is not a stagnant business, and thieves often implement new ways to steal cargo faster than many companies can create plans to protect it. In order to prevent potential losses or theft, it’s important to try to stay ahead of the curve. Continuous improvement upon security protocol or implementation of an updated prevention plan can be a useful step in helping to avoid future losses. A successful loss prevention plan is one that is proactive against theft, and is updated as new trends in theft and security emerge.

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