MAKING SURE THE STOCK IS SAFE
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Lloyd Fraser's fashion logistics business now moves approximately 25 million sales units, or 2.5 million 'items', which includes hanging racks, tote boxes or cartons, each of which can hold multiple units. The company has recently taken on some high-end boutiques, shipping designer wear and exclusive ranges.
"We have high insurance cover and security because theft is an issue in this business. Our loads are handled on a need-to-know basis and all vehicles are unmarked," says Sharp.
So far she has been lucky. One small loss to an opportunist in a high street is the company's only experience of crime, but Sharp says customers care not just
about prevention, but also a rapid response to loss. "Our policy is that if something is lost we either pay out a small claim or lodge an insurance claim in seven days. Our clients are pleased because, previously, some have waited two or three months for reimbursement.
"Our drivers are trained to take things into the store room, but the shop's liability insurance usually prohibits them from entering the shop," says Sharp. This runs counter to chivalrous male instincts when they see a woman struggling with a load: they must be helpful but mindful of the rules. Drivers must also always wait for two members of staff to witness unloading so there can be no suggestion of impropriety.