Who Should Use UPS Proactive Response Secure? A Beginner-Friendly Guide

Who benefits from UPS Proactive Response Secure?

At its core, this service is built for the people and organizations that handle, ship, receive, and manage goods where additional monitoring and secure intervention can reduce loss, claims, and customer friction. The list below outlines the primary audiences and why the service matters to them.

• E-commerce merchants and retailers: Businesses that ship valuable, fragile, or high-theft-risk items (electronics, jewelry, premium cosmetics) gain protection through proactive monitoring and options to reroute or secure shipments before loss occurs. The service helps preserve customer trust and reduces chargebacks and insurance claims.
• Warehouse and fulfillment operators: Warehouses using multiple carriers can use proactive services to flag exceptions early and coordinate secure holds or redirection. This reduces operational disruption and prevents problematic deliveries from leaving the controlled environment prematurely.
• Supply chain and logistics managers: Teams that oversee network performance and service-level agreements benefit from fewer delivery failures and clearer exception data. UPS Proactive Response Secure helps them meet KPIs for on-time delivery and reduce the time spent investigating incidents.
• Small business owners and marketplaces: Sellers who lack extensive logistics resources find value in automated monitoring and intervention, because it provides an extra layer of protection without hiring in-house exception management staff.
• High-value or regulated goods shippers: Industries that ship pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or sensitive equipment appreciate the heightened visibility and secure handling protocols that reduce the risk of tampering or misdelivery.
• Residential and commercial recipients: Recipients who live in high-package-theft areas or who cannot guarantee someone will be present at delivery appreciate proactive options like reroute, hold for pickup, or secure delivery alternatives.
• Customer service and returns teams: Front-line teams benefit from clearer and earlier notification of delivery problems, enabling faster customer communication and more efficient resolution.

Who is not the target?

For very low-value, low-risk shipments with minimal exposure to theft or weather-related disruption, the incremental cost of proactive secure services may not be justified. Small parcels with basic tracking that traditionally deliver without issues may not need advanced intervention.

How stakeholders interact with the service — practical examples:

• Example 1 — Online retailer: A retailer ships smartphones with insurance. UPS Proactive Response Secure notifies the shipper of a suspected delivery exception (address problem or prolonged transit). The retailer can instruct UPS to hold the parcel at a UPS Customer Center or require a signature, preventing a misdelivery.
• Example 2 — Warehouse manager: During a regional weather event, the warehouse team receives alerts about at-risk outbound parcels. They decide to reroute or delay shipments until conditions stabilize, reducing damage claims.
• Example 3 — End consumer: A customer living in an apartment building receives a notification that UPS is holding their high-value item for secure pickup after an attempted delivery, avoiding doorstep theft.

Who needs to be involved internally to implement this service?

1. Logistics/operations lead: Evaluates needs, selects settings, and integrates the service with existing shipping profiles.
2. IT/Systems team: If integration with a WMS, ERP, or shipping platform is required, IT helps connect alerting and workflows.
3. Customer service: Updates scripts and SLA responses to reflect proactive alerts and handling options.
4. Finance: Reviews cost/benefit and selects service levels for different product categories.

Common beginner questions answered:

• Do I need special hardware or software? Not necessarily — many features are delivered via UPS communications and web tools. Advanced integrations with shipping software or WMS may improve automation.
• Does it replace insurance? No. Proactive response reduces risk and prevents incidents, but shippers should maintain appropriate insurance and declared values.
• Is it only for international shipments? No. It’s useful for both domestic and international shipments that are at higher risk or require additional handling.

Summary

UPS Proactive Response Secure is best for anyone responsible for shipments that carry financial, regulatory, or reputational risk if lost or delayed. From e-commerce merchants to warehouse operators and recipients in high-theft areas, the service gives stakeholders earlier alerts and options to secure parcels, improving outcomes and reducing operational friction.