Warehouses are key pillars for businesses, serving as hubs in the supply chain. They need to be secure, now more than ever.
Unfortunately, some U.S. cities have experienced a rise in ‘smash and grab’ crimes, with robbers putting a dent in company activities and stock as quickly as possible. Therefore, it is not beyond reason that warehouses could be hit similarly, especially when the companies behind them are not prepared.
Despite the grim nature of these events, you are not powerless to stop them. Here are some ways you may be able to improve warehouse security.
Outsource Warehouse Needs
It might seem like a cheat, but outsourcing your warehouse operational needs is a sure-fire plan to guarantee top-tier security. The professionals you deal with should have the finest measures in place.
SCHC provide solutions for warehousing in Houston and beyond, focusing on security with a sharp eye. They define a good third party logistics operation as having security and fire alarms, 24/7 camera surveillance inside and outside, and even state-of-the-art laser security beams. Put simply, nothing would get past them.
Outsourcing also gives you peace of mind. It could take you years to get these systems operational for yourself and cost you considerable manpower and work hours maintaining it all. By outsourcing, a sense of relief can follow, knowing that the security measures around your distribution methods are watertight.
Hire Security Personnel
There may be a valid reason that prevents you from outsourcing warehouse logistics for now. Still, that does not mean you need to address security concerns alone.
Consult and hire a security firm to supply your warehouse with additional measures. They can police the premises in person, their presence likely enough to deter trespassers and thieves in many instances.
Moreover, these services can also patrol the warehouse in vehicles, enabling them to respond to any disturbances quickly. They may also have sizeable guard dogs accompanying them, trained to sniff out any suspicious activities or even chase down intruders. In the end, bringing in some extra muscle is a viable solution.
Remember, this service can be somewhat limited, dealing with perimeter threats or the trespassers they discover. Additional measures will complement the activities of these security experts well, so try not to think of hiring security personnel as an all-encompassing solution.
Investigate Inventory Tracking
You can always trust a reputable and experienced third party logistics service. If you have tried to do things self-sufficiently, though, then it is worth considering internal threats to your supply chain too.
Inventory tracking is a great way to monitor where your stock is and what is happening to it. If items are misplaced by error-prone workers or stolen by employees who take liberties, these irregularities become noticeable immediately. The sooner these unfortunate circumstances are flagged, the more likely disruption is minimal and that lost stock will be returned or replaced.
Caution is advised with these solutions, with many customers finding TFID tags and mistakenly believing they are being tracked rather than the goods in storage or shop floors. Try to avoid these misunderstandings and provide ample notice of how inventory tracking works with labels or signs. It may even deter thieves in the process.