What Is A Logistics Investigator

So What Is A Logisitics Investigator?

Is a logistics investigator similar to what a typical investigator would be to the public? In some ways, yes, but not entirely. For example, in the logistics world, there are Logistics Officers. Logistics Officers are in charge of keeping stock levels and overseeing the transportation of commodities in and out of the warehouse. They are meticulous and rely on computers to handle the inventory databases they manage. Typically, they operate in a storage facility for transportation and logistics companies.

But what happens when something goes wrong during transportation? For example, if something goes missing or a shipment needs attention, the logistics investigator comes into play. Some companies have specific roles for handling this situation, which a logistics investigator deals with. In many cases, the logistics officer would take care of this in their day-to-day role, but some truck companies are large enough to need a specific job to handle these issues.

So What Does The Day To Day Look Like For The Logistics Investigator?

Let’s say a container or shipment goes missing. If the company is large enough to have a logistics investigator, they will assign it to them. From there, they are responsible for contacting the sender, and the receiver, & figuring out the in-between to find out what happened during delivery. Many things can go wrong to cause this issue, from the incorrect delivery address, miscommunication of which container to ship, the wrong assignment to the driver, etc. So the logistics investigator needs to check all sides of the situation to address this issue appropriately.

In some ways, they are like a public investigator, but they do not necessarily “go to the crime scene” to find evidence. A logistics investigator can handle most of their issues through phone calls and communications. Their job is to address loss mitigation for the company. They are also responsible for organizing and verifying raw data from various sources to improve an organization’s operations. Additionally, they work with various internal stakeholders to analyze shipment summaries and purchase orders to ensure the accurate delivery of items. Ultimately, Logistics Investigators must identify problems and develop solutions that drive successful shipping operations for the business or organization.

What does it take to become a logistics investigator?

In many cases, to become a logistics investigator, companies will ask for a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or equivalent professional experience. They want to see that you will be able to handle the role and take the initiative because a lot of the work is figuring things out on your own; sometimes it is not just straight forward “if A do scenario B” kind of work. In many cases, you will be evaluating risk and loss and how to handle it appropriately to save the company as much money as possible from problems during shipment. Experience in retail crime detection, law enforcement, & anything logistics-related will boost your chances of snagging a job as a logistics investigator.

Logistics Investigator Jobs

These jobs can be hard to come by as they are a very niche role. The company must be large enough and have enough logistical volume to require a job specifically just for logistics investigations.

Is There Growth In Logistics?

The logistics world is booming. In The United States in 2018 alone, the industry did over 1.6 trillion. With 2020 changing the world forever, it has only skyrocketed from there. Everyone wants their online orders delivered as soon as possible. Two-day, next-day, & same-day shipping has slowly become the norm as convenience outweighs everything else in many parts of Americans’ everyday lives. With everything growing as rapidly as possible, some companies need a logistics investigator. More recently, in 2021, the global logistics market attained a value of over 9.5 trillion. The industry is not slowing down anytime soon as we get more things than ever delivered to our homes. Logistics investigators will be needed for larger companies for quality assurance and risk mitigation as time goes on.

Is A Logistics Investigator Job Right For You?

How do you know a logistics investigator job will be right for you? In general, you will need to be good with people, communication, & problem-solving. A lot of the job requires figuring out the problem during shipment between the sender and the receiver. Being a logistics investigator can involve many phone calls, playing the middle man, & appeasing both parties to ensure the company can mitigate any loss. In addition, you will likely need to perform audits and have checks and balances to prevent problems in the first place.

Communication is vital for a logistics investigator to get their job done correctly and implement everything smoothly. If you have poor written, verbal, computer, & communication skills, a logistics investigator is likely not a good fit for you. Depending on the job, you might be required to travel as well. Depending on state and local regulations, there might be some licensing involved.