Criminal activities targeting online deliveries have proven to be highly lucrative, whether the aim is to acquire the delivered goods, steal cash or devices carried by drivers, or seize control of the delivery vehicles.
Vehicle-related crimes in South Africa are often meticulously planned and executed in a premeditated and systematic manner. Local criminals also take advantage of the cover provided by loadshedding (scheduled power outages), and in some cases, they even entice their victims by placing fraudulent orders.
These robberies have ripple effects that impact not only the drivers and customers directly involved but also the broader e-commerce industry and ultimately the economy as a whole.
Firstly, there is the immediate danger and trauma experienced by the drivers and customers affected by these incidents. Such experiences may discourage drivers from returning to work and prompt customers to rethink their decision to engage in online shopping.
Moreover, as these incidents become more frequent, the reputation of online deliveries in terms of safety and reliability is likely to suffer, potentially deterring people from making online purchases altogether. This, in turn, will impose additional costs on e-commerce businesses, as they will have to contend with higher insurance premiums and potentially higher delivery fees.
Home delivery plays a vital role in the realm of online retail due to its convenience. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that adequate measures are in place to protect this aspect of the industry. E-commerce businesses can adopt several steps to mitigate the impact of criminal activities associated with home delivery.
One approach is to provide support to drivers and customers by offering a safety checklist, as well as guidance or training on how to prevent incidents. It is also advisable to have insurance coverage to account for unforeseen expenses and to provide access to services such as trauma counseling in the unfortunate event of an incident.
Encouraging drivers to report any incidents and maintaining a record of these occurrences can help identify high-risk areas. In such cases, alternative solutions like storage lockers can be considered. Additionally, evaluating the possibility of implementing additional checks and restrictions for customers, such as eliminating cash-on-delivery for first-time orders, may help mitigate certain risks.
Subscribing to tracking services specifically designed for businesses can serve as a valuable tool in safeguarding drivers, delivery items, and vehicles. These services offer various safety features, including an assist button, journey sharing, impact detection, theft retrieval, and cargo door sensors. Driver monitoring is also possible through dual-view on-board cameras, allowing managers to monitor both conditions on the road and around the vehicle, as well as the driver, addressing concerns related to driver and vehicle safety. Advanced functionality can even include armed response on demand.
“The broader adoption of new technology can significantly contribute to crime mitigation,” says Duma Ngcobo, Chief Operating Officer at Tracker.
“A report analysing trends in vehicle security devices found that the speed at which a new security measure spreads is nearly as significant as the effectiveness of the device itself. Collaboration within the e-commerce supply chain to find solutions and make delivery vehicles less vulnerable could help alleviate the consequences of such criminal activities.
“This is particularly crucial considering that many delivery drivers are small businesses providing external supplier services, and their livelihoods could be jeopardized in the event of an incident,” Ngcobo concludes.
