Ok, I am just going to admit it up front – my business is shoplifting prevention and the sales/service of Checkpoint Systems and Alpha High Theft products to small and medium sized retailers. With that out of the way, I want to tell you something that I do not understand about retail store owners, managers and the prevention of shoplifting.
Yes, we can install the equipment. However, to be truly successful at pushing shoplifters away from your store, you have to use customer service as a tool to shut down the thieves. I am amazed that store owners do not understand that customer service is the first weapon in the anti-shoplifting arsenal. The beauty of it is that it is a no lose situation. Normally we provide customer service for some of the following reasons:
Help the customer decide what/how much to purchase.
Build trust
Build “our stores” brand
Add-on sales
Create a friendly environment.
These reasons alone are what make customer service a powerful anti-shoplifting tool. Shoplifters hate attention! To do what they do, they must have privacy even for a few seconds. Customer Service blocks their ability to steal.
When you approach a customer and discuss the merchandise they are looking at, in this example let’s say it is bracelets. The customer is judging color, style… and they love the attention especially if you are giving them details about the way it was made, why it is special, the stones in it…. Remember that is probably why they are in your store versus a big box like Target. They are looking for the unusual and the customer service. Try asking someone in a big box about the “stones” in a bracelet they have for sale and the 19 year old stock clerk will look at you like you are an alien.
A shoplifter will react to customer service differently than a good customer who is out enjoying a little “retail therapy”, the shoplifter will shun it.
So what do you do? Keep supplying customer service. In many case the shoplifter will give up and go away. Most likely for good, because in their mind there are much easier targets, your competitors.
But how can you use customer service if you suspect that they have concealed an item? Using our previous example why not ask the “customer” something like – “Would you like to see a scarf to go with your bracelet?”
Let’s say the customer did not conceal or steal the bracelet but actually put it down. They are not thinking about theft. They know you are a retailer supplying your usual good customer service. They were interested in and looking at bracelets. The shoplifter on the other hand (ok bad pun – bracelets/hands…) concealed the bracelet and they will react differently. Sometimes defensively, many times they will simply pull the bracelet out and give it back with a mumbled response of something dumb like – “I just put in my pocket or purse, because I was looking at other things.” Yea, ok, except concealment in a retail store is theft in most states (you can contact me to find out if your state is one of them). The big picture is good customer service for all your customers good and bad is a no lose proposition.
So if that works so well, do I still need a Checkpoint System or Alpha tags? The answer is “YES” because you cannot be everywhere all the time, your staff will have various levels of customer service skills and shoplifters will target you when you have a poor staff to customer ratio. Remember this, the Checkpoint System and the Alpha equipment is on duty 24/7.
But first get your house in order with good customer service. Track your losses and see your profits improve just from good shoplifting prevention from customer service.
Loss Prevention Systems specializes in preventing shoplifting, employee theft and retail losses. You can reach Bill Bregar at 770.426.0547, ext. 101, or
[email protected].
Ok, I am just going to admit it up front – my business is shoplifting prevention and the sales/service of Checkpoint Systems and Alpha High Theft products to small and medium sized retailers. With that out of the way, I want to tell you something that I do not understand about retail store owners, managers and the prevention of shoplifting.
Yes, we can install the equipment. However, to be truly successful at pushing shoplifters away from your store, you have to use customer service as a tool to shut down the thieves. I am amazed that store owners do not understand that customer service is the first weapon in the anti-shoplifting arsenal. The beauty of it is that it is a no lose situation. Normally we provide customer service for some of the following reasons:
- Help the customer decide what/how much to purchase.
- Build trust
- Build “our stores” brand
- Add-on sales
- Create a friendly environment.
These reasons alone are what make customer service a powerful anti-shoplifting tool. Shoplifters hate attention! To do what they do, they must have privacy even for a few seconds. Customer Service blocks their ability to steal.
When you approach a customer and discuss the merchandise they are looking at, in this example let’s say it is bracelets. The customer is judging color, style… and they love the attention especially if you are giving them details about the way it was made, why it is special, the stones in it…. Remember that is probably why they are in your store versus a big box like Target. They are looking for the unusual and the customer service. Try asking someone in a big box about the “stones” in a bracelet they have for sale and the 19 year old stock clerk will look at you like you are an alien.
A shoplifter will react to customer service differently than a good customer who is out enjoying a little “retail therapy”, the shoplifter will shun it.
So what do you do? Keep supplying customer service. In many case the shoplifter will give up and go away. Most likely for good, because in their mind there are much easier targets, your competitors.
But how can you use customer service if you suspect that they have concealed an item? Using our previous example why not ask the “customer” something like – “Would you like to see a scarf to go with your bracelet?”
Let’s say the customer did not conceal or steal the bracelet but actually put it down. They are not thinking about theft. They know you are a retailer supplying your usual good customer service. They were interested in and looking at bracelets. The shoplifter on the other hand (ok bad pun – bracelets/hands…) concealed the bracelet and they will react differently. Sometimes defensively, many times they will simply pull the bracelet out and give it back with a mumbled response of something dumb like – “I just put in my pocket or purse, because I was looking at other things.” Yea, ok, except concealment in a retail store is theft in most states (you can contact me to find out if your state is one of them). The big picture is good customer service for all your customers good and bad is a no lose proposition.
So if that works so well, do I still need a Checkpoint System or Alpha tags? The answer is “YES” because you cannot be everywhere all the time, your staff will have various levels of customer service skills and shoplifters will target you when you have a poor staff to customer ratio. Remember this, the Checkpoint System and the Alpha equipment is on duty 24/7.
But first get your house in order with good customer service. Track your losses and see your profits improve just from good shoplifting prevention from customer service.
Loss Prevention Systems specializes in preventing shoplifting, employee theft and retail losses. You can reach Bill Bregar at 770.426.0547, ext. 101, or [email protected].
Most students will not go to extremes to sabotage their fellow classmates, but they might still (intentionally or otherwise) take campus library materials in unauthorized ways. Checkpoint Systems are designed to reduce inventory losses incurred by campus and university libraries.
Library Theft Prevention ensures the integrity of the library’s resources. By tagging books, equipment and reference materials with Library Theft Detection Systems, libraries can see the same reduction in losses that retailers will. Most libraries are not aware that through implementing Checkpoint Systems, some retailers have seen up to an 85 percent reduction in losses. Even if a library sees a fraction of that 85 percent, Checkpoint Systems easily pays for itself within a reasonable span of time.
As for the students, there is nothing more frustrating than being behind on a research paper or project, going to the library at the last possible minute and finding the materials needed are gone. It is one thing to have those references checked out by another student, it is completely another to have the materials missing inexplicably.
Those missing materials not only create more stress for the students, but they also take up valuable time from your employees and volunteers. Instead of doing other tasks, they must look through the stacks to see if it has been misplaced, search in the computer systems to see if they even carry the materials, or see if there is another error. Finally, after all hope for finding the materials has been abandoned, a reorder and restock must take place.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Library Theft Detection System devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop inventory losses.
For more information on a Library Theft Detection System, Library Theft Prevention, or a Checkpoint System and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to stop inventory losses in your library or call 1.770.426.0547
Most students will not go to extremes to sabotage their fellow classmates, but they might still (intentionally or otherwise) take campus library materials in unauthorized ways. Checkpoint Systems are designed to reduce inventory losses incurred by campus and university libraries.
Library Theft Prevention ensures the integrity of the library’s resources. By tagging books, equipment and reference materials with Library Theft Detection Systems, libraries can see the same reduction in losses that retailers will. Most libraries are not aware that through implementing Checkpoint Systems, some retailers have seen up to an 85 percent reduction in losses. Even if a library sees a fraction of that 85 percent, Checkpoint Systems easily pays for itself within a reasonable span of time.
As for the students, there is nothing more frustrating than being behind on a research paper or project, going to the library at the last possible minute and finding the materials needed are gone. It is one thing to have those references checked out by another student, it is completely another to have the materials missing inexplicably.
Those missing materials not only create more stress for the students, but they also take up valuable time from your employees and volunteers. Instead of doing other tasks, they must look through the stacks to see if it has been misplaced, search in the computer systems to see if they even carry the materials, or see if there is another error. Finally, after all hope for finding the materials has been abandoned, a reorder and restock must take place.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Library Theft Detection System devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop inventory losses.
For more information on a Library Theft Detection System, Library Theft Prevention, or a Checkpoint System and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to stop inventory losses in your library or call 1.770.426.0547
Would you want to go routing through a stinky, sticky bag of trash, every shift of every day, just to see if an employee was trying to hide merchandise in the trash bag? Probably not. I know that is not a task I would want as part of my job description, which is why it such an effective employee theft method of getting merchandise out of the store.
An employee who is trying to steal merchandise wants to find the path of least resistance. If the front doors are monitored by other employees, bag checks, cameras, or EAS alarms the employee will look to see if there is another way out. One of the ways they might stumble upon is during a trash run. The employee might notice that the back door is not monitored, alarmed, or checked. If they conceal their stolen merchandise inside of the trash bag, they might feel like they have found a way to circumvent your security protocols.
Once the bag is in a dumpster or a compactor they can go back to retrieve it at their leisure. That might be later at night after the store is closed and everyone has gone home, or it could be in an early morning hour before employees start to show up for the day.
An employee theft investigation may be warranted if you have an individual that seems a little too eager to take the trash out- especially if your back door is not monitored, or if the employee uses opaque instead of clear trash bags.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.
Would you want to go rooting through a stinky, sticky bag of trash, every shift of every day, just to see if an employee was trying to hide merchandise in the trash bag? Probably not. I know that is not a task I would want as part of my job description, which is why it such an effective employee theft method of getting merchandise out of the store.
An employee who is trying to steal merchandise wants to find the path of least resistance. If the front doors are monitored by other employees, bag checks, cameras, or EAS alarms the employee will look to see if there is another way out. One of the ways they might stumble upon is during a trash run. The employee might notice that the back door is not monitored, alarmed, or checked. If they conceal their stolen merchandise inside of the trash bag, they might feel like they have found a way to circumvent your security protocols.
Once the bag is in a dumpster or a compactor they can go back to retrieve it at their leisure. That might be later at night after the store is closed and everyone has gone home, or it could be in an early morning hour before employees start to show up for the day.
An employee theft investigation may be warranted if you have an individual that seems a little too eager to take the trash out- especially if your back door is not monitored, or if the employee uses opaque instead of clear trash bags.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.
A grab and run theft is a tactic used by shoplifters who are looking for a big score. This is usually carried out by a group of thieves all acting together to bypass any clothing security measures you have in place. For them, time is of the essence- they must strike fast, and then disappear as quickly as possible.
You can usually expect to have at least one if not more than one person entering your store to physically grab the merchandise.
These grabbers will pick their targeted area- handbags, jeans, and specific designer or label, and grab as much as they can carry at one time.
The crew may or may not have another person acting as a lookout. The lookout’s main job is to let the rest of their crew know when the coast is clear to run out the door. As such, many times we see the grabbers lingering near the doors with piles of clothing waiting for the signal to go.
Lastly, you can expect at least one if not two people to stay outside. Their job is to have the get away car ready at the exit. If you see a car waiting by a door, you might want to make sure they are there for a good reason.
Grab and run shoplifting is about a big hit very quickly. Maintaining vigilance at doors and in departments can reduce the likelihood of a crew being successful.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.
For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547
A grab and run theft is a tactic used by shoplifters who are looking for a big score. This is usually carried out by a group of thieves all acting together to bypass any clothing security measures you have in place. For them, time is of the essence- they must strike fast, and then disappear as quickly as possible.
You can usually expect to have at least one if not more than one person entering your store to physically grab the merchandise.
These grabbers will pick their targeted area- handbags, jeans, and specific designer or label, and grab as much as they can carry at one time.
The crew may or may not have another person acting as a lookout. The lookout’s main job is to let the rest of their crew know when the coast is clear to run out the door. As such, many times we see the grabbers lingering near the doors with piles of clothing waiting for the signal to go.
Lastly, you can expect at least one if not two people to stay outside. Their job is to have the get away car ready at the exit. If you see a car waiting by a door, you might want to make sure they are there for a good reason.
Grab and run shoplifting is about a big hit very quickly. Maintaining vigilance at doors and in departments can reduce the likelihood of a crew being successful.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.
For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547
I have had to investigate all varieties of retail theft. What I have found is that some criminals figure out their on little niche in the word and figure out how to work the system to their advantage. One such example is an investigation I made into golf club theft from a local pro shop.
This particular criminal had either previously worked inside the golf club industry, or had done some very thorough research ahead of time. Perhaps he was just an avid golfer and stumbled across the process legitimately, but saw a wide open door for his scheme. Either way, this man was responsible for almost twenty thousand dollars in golf club theft.
The scheme went like this- A few specific brands of golf clubs will replace the shafts if they become damaged or otherwise broken. They do it for little to no fee, depending upon their local resources. Knowing this, our shoplifter would come into the pro shop and steal only the heads of the golf clubs.
The heads are much smaller, easily concealed in a pocket or a bag, and anyone looking will be less suspicious when they see the handle of the club still there.
After leaving the store, the shoplifter would then contact the vendor and have the rest of the club replaced. Even if there were a fee involved, it would be significantly less than the price of a four hundred dollar golf club. From there, the shoplifter would sell them off to various pawnshops for a tidy profit.
It took a little bit of time to figure out what was going on, and then how to stop him. In the end, this particular pro shop was almost run out of business from this repetitive golf club theft.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.
For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Golf Club Security, Pro Shop Security, Golf Club Theft, Pro Shop Theft, Pro Shop Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547
I have had to investigate all varieties of retail theft. What I have found is that some criminals figure out their on little niche in the world and figure out how to work the system to their advantage. One such example is an investigation I made into golf club theft from a local pro shop.
This particular criminal had either previously worked inside the golf club industry, or had done some very thorough research ahead of time. Perhaps he was just an avid golfer and stumbled across the process legitimately, but saw a wide open door for his scheme. Either way, this man was responsible for almost twenty thousand dollars in golf club theft.
The scheme went like this- A few specific brands of golf clubs will replace the shafts if they become damaged or otherwise broken. They do it for little to no fee, depending upon their local resources. Knowing this, our shoplifter would come into the pro shop and steal only the heads of the golf clubs.
The heads are much smaller, easily concealed in a pocket or a bag, and anyone looking will be less suspicious when they see the handle of the club still there.After leaving the store, the shoplifter would then contact the vendor and have the rest of the club replaced. Even if there were a fee involved, it would be significantly less than the price of a four hundred dollar golf club. From there, the shoplifter would sell them off to various pawnshops for a tidy profit.
It took a little bit of time to figure out what was going on, and then how to stop him. In the end, this particular pro shop was almost run out of business from this repetitive golf club theft.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.
For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Golf Club Security, Pro Shop Security, Golf Club Theft, Pro Shop Theft, Pro Shop Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547
Checkpoint Systems are a visual deterrent to stop shoplifting, but it should not overstep the boundaries of customer perception. Using EAS towers and tags is a common and expected retail tactic, however there is a point where you can take those visual deterrents too far.
Showing off your security to the point where it seems like you are bragging about it will do more than dissuade shoplifters to come into your store- it will also dissuade your paying customers.
Customers want to have an innate sense of safety as they walk through your store. They should not be worried that their purse will be stolen if they walk away from a shopping cart for a minute. They should not worry that they might be assaulted in a parking lot after dark. Having basic security and anti shoplifting features in place aides with the customer’s sense of safety.
Checkpoint systems and other anti shoplifting systems are expected to be present to stop shoplifting. Having working lights in a parking lot should also be an assumed expectation. Taking it too far by making even a paying customer feel uncomfortable because they are suspected of theft will not keep those customers coming back.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.
For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547
Checkpoint Systems are a visual deterrent to stop shoplifting, but it should not overstep the boundaries of customer perception. Using EAS towers and tags is a common and expected retail tactic, however there is a point where you can take those visual deterrents too far.
Showing off your security to the point where it seems like you are bragging about it will do more than dissuade shoplifters to come into your store- it will also dissuade your paying customers.
Customers want to have an innate sense of safety as they walk through your store. They should not be worried that their purse will be stolen if they walk away from a shopping cart for a minute. They should not worry that they might be assaulted in a parking lot after dark. Having basic security and anti shoplifting features in place aides with the customer’s sense of safety.
Checkpoint systems and other anti shoplifting systems are expected to be present to stop shoplifting. Having working lights in a parking lot should also be an assumed expectation. Taking it too far by making even a paying customer feel uncomfortable because they are suspected of theft will not keep those customers coming back.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.
For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547
