Checkpoint Systems-3
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Checkpoint Systems Deter Theft
When I hire a new employee, whether a cashier or a supervisor, part of their initial training involves how to handle shoplifters. Most of the time, they look at me in disbelief when I tell them about the theft issues we battle in our small retail pharmacy. All I have to do is show them the pages of detail sheets where I have scanned empty packages into our pilferage file. Or , depending on the day of the week, I can show them the basket of empty packages under my desk waiting to be scanned. After we go through our apprehension rules, we walk the store and I show them our antishoplifting tools, like our Checkpoint Systems, all the different size Alpha keepers, spider wraps, etc. We go over each tool, how it is applied, how it is removed, and what items are more likely to be used with the tools because they are commonly targeted.
Shoplifting is one of the most common crimes in the country. People generally don’t look at it as a “big deal.” Most incidents of theft can be chalked up as simple greed. They want something and they don’t want to pay for it. Many retailers are trending away from apprehension and going with lenient policies. Their employees are paid more per hour than the item that was stolen is even worth, so they don’t see prosecution as worth the trouble. The justice system is flawed in how it handles shoplifters. There’s no denying that. I see it over and over; we call the police, have them cuffed and stuffed, go to court five or more times, and then the thief gets a slap on the wrist. I have had the officer not show up, or even worse, I forgot the court date and didn’t show up, and the charges get dismissed. This is all really frustrating for any retailer. But I still want to stop shoplifting. I don’t give up, and I don’t ever let my guard down. I abide by my companies policies, but I also educate my staff.
Statistically speaking, one in eleven people will steal something today. Those people are caught less than half of the times they do it, and will be prosecuted even less than half of those times. This just perpetuates the problem.
I am a store manager, not a baby sitter. I don’t have time to monitor every single person that walks through the store in order to keep them from stealing. Loss prevention is not so much about catching thieves and putting them behind bars. That’s where a lot of stores get confused. They want to put up threatening signs, hassle every person coming through their front door, and inconvenience their customers. You can’t keep honest cash paying customers loyal to your store by treating them like criminals. Loss prevention is about truly preventing the loss from happening in the first place. Deterrence is the key to loss prevention. That’s why I rely on my antishoplifting tools. In my store, Checkpoint Systems is always ready and on patrol. My staff knows our mandatory list of items that must have an EAS label adhered before being put out for sale. There are items that must be encased in Alpha keepers and or wrapped in an Alpha spider wrap as well. Honestly, the empty packages add up, and those probably only reflect a quarter or what is really stolen. However, I do know that the tools we utilize are making a difference. With the addition of these valuable security measures, our shrink results have been cut in half. Fraudulent refunds have gone down dramatically since they can’t steal the stuff in the first place. Word has gotten out in the community, and incidents of theft have dropped off considerably. The numbers don’t lie; we are winning the battle and we have our Checkpoint Systems and all the gadgets that work with it to thank for that.
For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us: 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
When I hire a new employee, whether a cashier or a supervisor, part of their initial training involves how to handle shoplifters. ost of the time, they look at me in disbelief when I tell them about the theft issues we battle in our small retail pharmacy. All I have to do is show them the pages of detail sheets where I have scanned empty packages into our pilferage file. Or , depending on the day of the week, I can show them the basket of empty packages under my desk waiting to be scanned. After we go through our apprehension rules, we walk the store and I show them our antishoplifting tools, like our Checkpoint Systems, all the different size Alpha keepers, spider wraps, etc. We go over each tool, how it is applied, how it is removed, and what items are more likely to be used with the tools because they are commonly targeted.
Shoplifting is one of the most common crimes in the country. People generally don’t look at it as a “big deal.” Most incidents of theft can be chalked up as simple greed. They want something and they don’t want to pay for it. Many retailers are trending away from apprehension and going with lenient policies. Their employees are paid more per hour than the item that was stolen is even worth, so they don’t see prosecution as worth the trouble. The justice system is flawed in how it handles shoplifters. There’s no denying that. I see it over and over; we call the police, have them cuffed and stuffed, go to court five or more times, and then the thief gets a slap on the wrist. I have had the officer not show up, or even worse, I forgot the court date and didn’t show up, and the charges get dismissed. This is all really frustrating for any retailer. But I still want to stop shoplifting. I don’t give up, and I don’t ever let my guard down. I abide by my companies policies, but I also educate my staff. Statistically speaking, one in eleven people will steal something today. Those people are caught less than half of the times they do it, and will be prosecuted even less than half of those times. This just perpetuates the problem.
I am a store manager, not a baby sitter. I don’t have time to monitor every single person that walks through the store in order to keep them from stealing. Loss prevention is not so much about catching thieves and putting them behind bars. That’s where a lot of stores get confused. They want to put up threatening signs, hassle every person coming through their front door, and inconvenience their customers. You can’t keep honest cash paying customers loyal to your store by treating them like criminals. Loss prevention is about truly preventing the loss from happening in the first place. Deterrence is the key to loss prevention. That’s why I rely on my antishoplifting tools. In my store, Checkpoint Systems are always ready and on patrol. My staff knows our mandatory list of items that must have an EAS label adhered before being put out for sale. There are items that must be encased in Alpha keepers and or wrapped in an Alpha spider wrap as well. Honestly, the empty packages add up, and those probably only reflect a quarter or what is really stolen. However, I do know that the tools we utilize are making a difference. With the addition of these valuable security measures, our shrink results have been cut in half. Fraudulent refunds have gone down dramatically since they can’t steal the stuff in the first place. Word has gotten out in the community, and incidents of theft have dropped off considerably. The numbers don’t lie; we are winning the battle and we have our Checkpoint Systems and all the gadgets that work with it to thank for that.
For more information on Checkpoint Systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 or Antishoplifting.net
CLOTHING SECURITY AND THE PROPER WAY TO RESPOND TO EAS ACTIVATIONS
If you’re like the majority of retailers out there, you have an EAS system in place to help combat theft. What I find a lot of times is that managers and store owners think that by simply installing the system, all their worldly problems will disappear. Granted, those towers at the front doors make for a great physical deterrent, but you still have to use the system and the corresponding Checkpoints Tags appropriately in order to have the most success. Even further, you should have a policy in place that guides managers and store personnel on how to appropriately react to EAS activations. A simple policy can go a long way at diffusing irate customers as well as protecting your store from any potential liability should a store associate react counter to that policy.
If you sell apparel of any type, you should understand just how important clothing security is. During any given day of the week, someone will try (or even get away with) stealing your merchandise. Whether they layer the product in the fitting room, or stuff it down their pants or inside their purse, you’re fighting a thief almost every day. If you are using your Checkpoint tags properly, you can curb this behavior and more importantly, your losses. So now you’ve got your most commonly stolen goods tagged and are ready to battle the thieves. Does your staff know what to do during and EAS activation?
99% of the time, the alarm will be activated due to a cashier failing to remove the EAS device at the point of sale. When we fail to remove the clothing security tags, we aren’t providing the best customer service to our shoppers. We (probably) embarrass them a little bit as they exit and it really inconveniences them when they are trying to leave. Making sure your staff responds appropriately to those EAS activations is crucial. You should always apologize to the customer and inform them that you simply missed a tag that needs to be removed. Most times, the customer will understand and even be appreciative if this is handled correctly (They probably wouldn’t want to get home to find a tag they can’t remove). What about those times where it’s not a legitimate customer?
One time while I was monitoring the registers early in the morning, I saw a young lady walking from the apparel department with nothing in her hands. As she exited the store, the EAS system activated. I was close to the front doors and reacted to the alert. As soon as the alarm stopped, she looked at me and immediately began apologizing. Since I was assuming that this was a faulty activation, I assured her it was nothing to apologize about and that she may have stepped on a tag that happened to be on the floor (something that happens pretty commonly at my store anyway). Before I can get another word out of my mouth, this individual started removing pair after pair… after pair of denim jeans from her purse. I then realized why she was sorry. Had it not been for the clothing security tags, I would have lost well over $500 that morning.
I think back to that incident and I use it frequently during management training classes as a way to properly respond to an EAS activation. At no point was the customer ever accused of shoplifting and the entire interaction, up to the point where stolen goods were produced, was very apologetic and non-confrontational. While not every case will be as simple and easy as this one was, it is however, a great text-book example of how react to an EAS activation. It’s also a great example of just how effective Checkpoint tags can be.
For more information, contact us: Clothing Security, or call 1.770.426.0547
If you’re like the majority of retailers out there, you have an EAS system in place to help combat theft. What I find a lot of times is that managers and store owners think that by simply installing the system, all their worldly problems will disappear. Granted, those towers at the front doors make for a great physical deterrent, but you still have to use the system and the corresponding Checkpoints Tags appropriately in order to have the most success. Even further, you should have a policy in place that guides managers and store personnel on how to appropriately react to EAS activations. A simple policy can go a long way at diffusing irate customers as well as protecting your store from any potential liability should a store associate react counter to that policy.
If you sell apparel of any type, you should understand just how important clothing security is. During any given day of the week, someone will try (or even get away with) stealing your merchandise. Whether they layer the product in the fitting room, or stuff it down their pants or inside their purse, you’re fighting a thief almost every day. If you are using your Checkpoint tags properly, you can curb this behavior and more importantly, your losses. So now you’ve got your most commonly stolen goods tagged and are ready to battle the thieves. Does your staff know what to do during and EAS activation?
99% of the time, the alarm will be activated due to a cashier failing to remove the EAS device at the point of sale. When we fail to remove the clothing security tags, we aren’t providing the best customer service to our shoppers. We (probably) embarrass them a little bit as they exit and it really inconveniences them when they are trying to leave. Making sure your staff responds appropriately to those EAS activations is crucial. You should always apologize to the customer and inform them that you simply missed a tag that needs to be removed. Most times, the customer will understand and even be appreciative if this is handled correctly (They probably wouldn’t want to get home to find a tag they can’t remove). What about those times where it’s not a legitimate customer?
One time while I was monitoring the registers early in the morning, I saw a young lady walking from the apparel department with nothing in her hands. As she exited the store, the EAS system activated. I was close to the front doors and reacted to the alert. As soon as the alarm stopped, she looked at me and immediately began apologizing. Since I was assuming that this was a faulty activation, I assured her it was nothing to apologize about and that she may have stepped on a tag that happened to be on the floor (something that happens pretty commonly at my store anyway). Before I can get another word out of my mouth, this individual started removing pair after pair… after pair of denim jeans from her purse. I then realized why she was sorry. Had it not been for the clothing security tags, I would have lost well over $500 that morning.
I think back to that incident and I use it frequently during management training classes as a way to properly respond to an EAS activation. At no point was the customer ever accused of shoplifting and the entire interaction, up to the point where stolen goods were produced, was very apologetic and non-confrontational. While not every case will be as simple and easy as this one was, it is however, a great text-book example of how react to an EAS activation. It’s also a great example of just how effective Checkpoint tags can be.
For more information about Clothing Security, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
LIMIT LOSSES IN YOUR BOTTLE SERVICE AREAS
Most of what I write is geared toward the retailer. That’s where my experience is and it’s where I think I can help the most amount of honest, hardworking people. A huge business that I often overlook is the bard and nightclub industry. While these aren’t my particular cups of tea, the potential for losses here are far higher than your average retail store. Bottle Service, especially, can make a club thousands of dollars per week. Transversely, if abused, they can single handedly shut a bar down.
We all know the pros of a good bottle service. A dedicated VIP area for your high paying clients, where they can truly be treated like royalty. This service of course, comes at a hefty price if you’re willing to pony up for the experience. Selling alcohol by the bottle can see your profits soar to nearly 1000% on a single bottle. A poorly trained bartender can cost you that profit and then some.
Like any high priced item in a retail store, high priced liquor should be protected. If I owned a bar, I would have all top shelf product secured with a bottle lock. This would prevent the booze from walking out with a dishonest patron or employee. Now obviously, this would be on the backstock and not the liquor on the bar. How long would it take for a round of shots if the bartender had to keep taking off a bottle lock before each pour?
As far as the bottle service areas and VIP section, there should be certain rules to follow to limit loses. First and foremost, accept payment first. It’s the same reason you have to pay for fuel first. Also, there have been plenty of stories where credit card companies will deny the high charge, and unless your customer has a few hundred bucks in cash, you could end up waiting days on payment. I actually read a news article on this just a few days ago.
On that instance, a patron was entertaining a few clients at a local bar. They were enjoying the bottle service offered by the club and at the end of the night, the bar ran his credit card. His bank initially declined the $1,000 charge as potentially fraud. Before the patron could make things right, he was hauled off to jail for felony theft. Now this patron has a record he has to work to clear and this club will undoubtedly gain some negative attention. This could’ve been prevented if the club would’ve ran the card PRIOR to beginning the service.
If you own or manage your own bar, you know just how profitable alcohol can be. There really isn’t an item in a retail store that comes close to the level of profitability that a single bottle of top shelf alcohol has. So it’s only naturally that you take some common sense steps to prevent losses in your bar. Whether it be a few “best practices” with your VIPs, or a few bottle locks to prevent theft, making a few simple changes can bolster your profits tenfold.
For more information, contact us: Bottle Service, or call 1.770.426.0547
Most of what I write is geared toward the retailer. That’s where my experience is and it’s where I think I can help the most amount of honest, hardworking people. A huge business that I often overlook is the bard and nightclub industry. While these aren’t my particular cups of tea, the potential for losses here are far higher than your average retail store. Bottle Service, especially, can make a club thousands of dollars per week. Transversely, if abused, they can single handedly shut a bar down.
We all know the pros of a good bottle service. A dedicated VIP area for your high paying clients, where they can truly be treated like royalty. This service of course, comes at a hefty price if you’re willing to pony up for the experience. Selling alcohol by the bottle can see your profits soar to nearly 1000% on a single bottle. A poorly trained bartender can cost you that profit and then some.
Like any high priced item in a retail store, high priced liquor should be protected. If I owned a bar, I would have all top shelf product secured with a bottle lock. This would prevent the booze from walking out with a dishonest patron or employee. Now obviously, this would be on the backstock and not the liquor on the bar. How long would it take for a round of shots if the bartender had to keep taking off a bottle lock before each pour?
As far as the bottle service areas and VIP section, there should be certain rules to follow to limit loses. First and foremost, accept payment first. It’s the same reason you have to pay for fuel first. Also, there have been plenty of stories where credit card companies will deny the high charge, and unless your customer has a few hundred bucks in cash, you could end up waiting days on payment. I actually read a news article on this just a few days ago.
On that instance, a patron was entertaining a few clients at a local bar. They were enjoying the bottle service offered by the club and at the end of the night, the bar ran his credit card. His bank initially declined the $1,000 charge as potentially fraud. Before the patron could make things right, he was hauled off to jail for felony theft. Now this patron has a record he has to work to clear and this club will undoubtedly gain some negative attention. This could’ve been prevented if the club would’ve ran the card PRIOR to beginning the service.
If you own or manage your own bar, you know just how profitable alcohol can be. There really isn’t an item in a retail store that comes close to the level of profitability that a single bottle of top shelf alcohol has. So it’s only natural that you take some common sense steps to prevent losses in your bar. Whether it be a few “best practices” with your VIPs, or a few bottle locks to prevent theft, making a few simple changes can bolster your profits tenfold.
For more information Bottle Service, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
