SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT


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technology alone enough? Experience has proven that consolidating all information in a single platform is the only way forward but this, without the right people behind the screen, does not add real value to your business. Knowing about a potential security incident is one thing. Knowing how to respond is a totally different story. Security operators need to be continuously trained to swiftly handle a case, but also to have the skills to coordinate with local authorities and security companies across Europe and beyond.


Getting into the “Champions League” requires effort, training, procedures, technology and choosing the right partners but, once you are in, you will have the peace of mind you are seeking.


So, are you a “Champion” or not? The ball is in your court.


Tracking by default is based on a single GPS device providing the latest known position of the vehicle. Fleet managers need to be well familiar with the technology to interpret correctly the information collected. In this case all kinds of questions arise:


• Is the information provided live or logged due to loss of communication?


• Is the position on the map the vehicle’s actual position or, due to a lack of GPS coverage, is this the nearest GSM antenna, placing the vehicle in an area of a few square kilometers?


• Is the device working correctly during a route or is it malfunctioning and they’ll find out the hard way?


• Can they make business decisions that could have an impact on the buyer’s cargo with this type of information?


On the other hand, security operators also tackle the same challenges. Up-to- date people are impressed by a landscape where a security operator is behind 5 or more screens connected to numerous platforms, being overloaded by information. The same people should spend some time also thinking about whether it is humanly possible


to actually evaluate all this


information without missing something that eventually could be critical and have a great impact.


If you want to play in the “Champions League” you need to stop tracking and you need to start monitoring. Monitoring is to know where your vehicle and cargo should be and to do validation checks compared to where you see it. Monitoring is to utilize multiple sources of information on a single screen under the same environment. Monitoring is to apply complex business rules to filter out the “noise” and provide to the users only the information they need to see, applying automation to avoid human mistakes and missed alarms, and building consolidated reports.


When an incident is initiated - and it will happen frequently as TAPA EMEA’s Incident Information Service (IIS) statistics have proved - monitoring means to have the agreed, per customer/per type of route, response protocols in the system in order for the operators to instantly activate the process in simple steps. Given that “Champions” operate on cross-border routes, an incident in a different country with language barriers makes the exercise even more difficult. Exchanging information through emails to keep track of the status during a critical incident has been proven inefficient. Thus, monitoring today requires a common platform across the network of countries and response teams, having full visibility of the incident information, the current status and the steps required for every single customer.


So, becoming a “Champion” means you need to cooperate with partners that are also at the “Champions League” level and one of the most critical requirements is the security monitoring center. Technology provides excellent solutions to many of the different challenges that we deal with every day. However, is


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About the Author


Michalis Chronopoulos is Head of Security Risk Management at G4S Telematix.


At G4S Telematix, we believe our solutions should be directly


tied to our customers’ desired business outcomes, when it comes to minimizing risks, managing unpredictable events and creating efficiencies.


We are part of G4S, the world’s leading global security company, and after 20 years of working experience, we have a deep knowledge of the supply chain industry specializing in the provision of risk consulting, security oriented technology and 24x7 monitoring and response services in Europe and beyond, to both fleets and manufacturers transporting high value goods. Our risk analysis methodology aims to identify threats during storage and transportation of goods as well as to define efforts and resources required to mitigate the business risks. When this is coupled with our technology and our network of secure operating centers across 40 countries, managed by our Control Tower, then we offer end-to-end complete solutions to our customers.


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