When a Sensormatic hard tag or label attached to merchandise causes an electronic article surveillance alarm how do your employees respond? Approaching a customer at the doorway when they have activated an alarm can be intimidating for some people. In part 1 of this series I focused on why I believe it is important for store managers and owners to regularly conduct refresher training with all employees on how to attach tags and remove them from products. Failing to properly remove tags from merchandise that has been properly paid for can be a customer service nightmare. Shoppers feel embarrassed and may even get angry and create a scene. Some people get the purchase home and find a tag has not been removed and then have to go all the way back to the store to have it taken off. Oh, and don’t forget it will sound the alarm on them when they come back in to the store adding more fuel to the fire. I mentioned in part 1 that I have found regular refresher training for staff members is a useful tool to keep skills sharp that are not often used. You can apply this to Sensormatic alarm tower response in order to stop shoplifting or minimize the uproar over a missed tag or a label that was not deactivated.
One of the questions I am sure floating out there right now is, “How can a customer leave with a tag still attached or a label not deactivated if they are supposed to set off the alarm?” That is a fair question to ask. There are times when a Sensormatic hard tag is overlooked and customers will walk out with their purchase and yes, an alarm goes off but one of three things happens. First, there is a crowd of people entering or leaving at the same time and everyone looks around, assumes it was someone else who caused the alarm and they all keep walking. Second, the alarm went off and no one bothered to walk over to assist the customer or they just waved and said all is fine. Third, the towers could be in need of service, working intermittently but no one does a daily test before opening for the day and the problem goes unnoticed. One customer may leave and the alarm sounds while another customer leaves with tagged items and nothing happens.
There are easy remedies to address the malfunctioning system, simply test the towers and deactivation pads on a daily basis. If something is not working, place a service request in to minimize the down time, especially if it is the towers. Tower issues can hurt efforts to stop shoplifting and if not addressed quickly shoplifters will learn about it and take advantage of your store. Training employees to answer a Sensormatic tower alarm can be a bit harder. The reason stems from the discomfort that can come with having to confront someone. Whether the customer is pleasant or angry there is always an unknown factor that can be uncomfortable and people can turn from calm to cranky in a moment. My recommendation for training your employees is to do scenarios and have them walk through an alarm activation. While it may seem corny to some, I promise you that simulations are the best way to train. I don’t always remember something I heard in a classroom but if I have to participate I have a higher rate of memory retention. Like my CPR training, I can watch the video in the classroom but it doesn’t sink in until I am doing chest compressions and practicing with an AED device. Here are some tips to help you with Sensormatic tower alarm response training:
• Use real tagged merchandise. This will make the situation more realistic.
• Hide merchandise in a purse, backpack or shopping bag and make employees determine what is causing the alarm. Scenarios should range from a forgetful shopper to a shoplifter attempting to steal.
• Have different employees play the role of customer. It lets your employees get the feeling your customers have when an alarm is unintentionally activated.
• Have your “customers” role play with different attitudes from pleasant to ugly.
After you have role played allow all of the employees an opportunity to critique what happened. As they talk through scenarios they will learn how to handle various situations including how to stop shoplifting.
Training employees can make electronic article surveillance alarms caused by Sensormatic hard tags less intimidating to deal with. In the process your staff will be better prepared to make recoveries and ultimately add profit back to the store.
For more information about Sensormatic hard tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Prevent Shoplifting – 3 WC Blog 547
Alpha Keepers-5
Alpha Keepers Are The Answer To Lock-Up Case Lunacy
From time to time I find the need to go on a rant about efforts I see to prevent shoplifting after visiting different stores. I have to wonder who is making some of the decisions with respect to shortage protection initiatives. The other day I was shopping in a chain store and glanced at a small locking display case. Because I write about this stuff and because I have been involved in Retail Loss Prevention for so long I happen to be nosey about these things. What could be so important in this store (if I said where I was you would probably say the same thing) that there would be a need for a locking showcase? Well, there was some type of pay-as you-go cell phone and a $1 dollar phone card of some sort. You read that right, a ONE dollar card. A little further down the same aisle were foods that were more expensive! Now I will be generous and say that this might have been a fluke. However, I got to another aisle that had air freshener refills in one of those cases that sounds a chiming noise when the door is opened by a customer. I thought that the strategy was really odd. If shortage was an issue in these departments it would have been easier and made more sense to use Alpha Keepers on the items that were being “secured”.
Alpha Keepers are clear, hard protective boxes with locking lids. The boxes have electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them that is designed to work with Checkpoint Security System towers. The boxes are extremely tough and can only be opened with a detachment tool usually kept secured at store points of sale. Efforts to force open a Keeper box results in a tamper alarm sounding and alerting store employees to an attempted theft. Responding associates prevent shoplifting by providing great customer service to the would-be thief. If a criminal is foolish enough to try to carry an item protected in a Keeper past a Checkpoint tower the tower will sense the radio waves sent out by the Keeper. An alarm in the tower sounds at the attempted breach. Again, associates respond to the alarms and through careful receipt checks get the perpetrator to buy the item or hand it over. Either way theft is stopped.
Not only was I amused by the merchandise that was locked up in these showcases I was surprised that ANYTHING was locked up in the store. There were two employees working from what I could see. One was at the cash register (before she left the salesfloor for some reason, maybe a break?) and the other was on the salesfloor absorbed in putting out merchandise. Who was going to help me if I had wanted to look at something in a showcase? From the pace of the salesfloor guy I did not get the impression he was going to be in a hurry to assist me if I opened the chime door to the air freshener refills. CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc., Bill Bregar understands that for small and medium sized stores staffing could be limited to one or two people in the store at any given time. Locking merchandise in a showcase doesn’t make sense when store employees may be tied up at a register or at the other end of the store helping another customer. The only thing it may do is annoy a customer or prevent a sale. Sure, merchandise will be protected as it sits and does absolutely nothing to assist sales. Bill wants store managers to see that by using Alpha Keepers merchandise is still protected but customers can pick up an item and walk around. There is no need for a sales person to come by with a key and unlock it. Protected merchandise will sell rather than gather dust in a case.
The other take away in this is either protect merchandise or don’t protect it. If a manager is going to limit what will be protected, at least have it make sense. Don’t put an air freshener refill in a security case to prevent shoplifting and leave the main air fresheners on an open sell shelf. Don’t take up valuable salesfloor space with a locking showcase for a one dollar card of some sort. Alpha Keepers give more flexibility in what can be protected and take up less floor space in the process.
Take theft prevention seriously. Let the folks at Loss Prevention Systems Inc. help you in shortage reduction planning and the tools that can make you successful. Alpha Keepers can improve access to goods while freeing up your employees to provide customer service and ring sales.
Alpha Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
From time to time I find the need to go on a rant about efforts I see to prevent shoplifting after visiting different stores. I have to wonder who is making some of the decisions with respect to shortage protection initiatives. The other day I was shopping in a chain store and glanced at a small locking display case. Because I write about this stuff and because I have been involved in Retail Loss Prevention for so long I happen to be nosey about these things. What could be so important in this store (if I said where I was you would probably say the same thing) that there would be a need for a locking showcase? Well, there was some type of pay-as you-go cell phone and a $1 dollar phone card of some sort. You read that right, a ONE dollar card. A little further down the same aisle were foods that were more expensive! Now I will be generous and say that this might have been a fluke. However, I got to another aisle that had air freshener refills in one of those cases that sounds a chiming noise when the door is opened by a customer. I thought that the strategy was really odd. If shortage was an issue in these departments it would have been easier and made more sense to use Keepers on the items that were being “secured”.
Keepers are clear, hard protective boxes with locking lids. The boxes have electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology built into them that is designed to work with an EAS System towers. The boxes are extremely tough and can only be opened with a detachment tool usually kept secured at store points of sale. Efforts to force open a Keeper box results in a tamper alarm sounding and alerting store employees to an attempted theft. Responding associates prevent shoplifting by providing great customer service to the would-be thief. If a criminal is foolish enough to try to carry an item protected in a Keeper past an EAS tower the tower will sense the radio waves sent out by the Keeper. An alarm in the tower sounds at the attempted breach. Again, associates respond to the alarms and through careful receipt checks get the perpetrator to buy the item or hand it over. Either way theft is stopped.
Not only was I amused by the merchandise that was locked up in these showcases I was surprised that ANYTHING was locked up in the store. There were two employees working from what I could see. One was at the cash register (before she left the salesfloor for some reason, maybe a break?) and the other was on the salesfloor absorbed in putting out merchandise. Who was going to help me if I had wanted to look at something in a showcase? From the pace of the salesfloor guy I did not get the impression he was going to be in a hurry to assist me if I opened the chime door to the air freshener refills. CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc., Bill Bregar understands that for small and medium sized stores staffing could be limited to one or two people in the store at any given time. Locking merchandise in a showcase doesn’t make sense when store employees may be tied up at a register or at the other end of the store helping another customer. The only thing it may do is annoy a customer or prevent a sale. Sure, merchandise will be protected as it sits and does absolutely nothing to assist sales. Bill wants store managers to see that by using Keepers merchandise is still protected but customers can pick up an item and walk around. There is no need for a sales person to come by with a key and unlock it. Protected merchandise will sell rather than gather dust in a case.
The other take away in this is either protect merchandise or don’t protect it. If a manager is going to limit what will be protected, at least have it make sense. Don’t put an air freshener refill in a security case to prevent shoplifting and leave the main air fresheners on an open sell shelf. Don’t take up valuable salesfloor space with a locking showcase for a one dollar card of some sort. Keepers give more flexibility in what can be protected and take up less floor space in the process.
Take theft prevention seriously. Let the folks at Loss Prevention Systems Inc. help you in shortage reduction planning and the tools that can make you successful. Keepers can improve access to goods while freeing up your employees to provide customer service and ring sales.
Keepers are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
When I was a Loss Prevention Manager I regularly spent time with my team doing training to stop shoplifting. I would create a scenario and one person would have to follow the “suspect” and see all the steps to conduct a proper apprehension. We also did refresher training on the steps for detaining and handcuffing a shoplifter. Basically I took the same philosophy we practiced in the military and applied it to Retail Loss Prevention. Practicing skills is the only way to stay sharp on them especially when it comes to things you don’t do on a regularly basis and trust me there were times it felt like we went through droughts of catching shoplifters. This came to me as I attended first aid and CPR training at the library where I now work. I have had a lot of first aid and CPR training starting from the time I was a Boy Scout but rarely have I had to put that first aid training to use. On top of that I have never had to use my CPR training. It is precisely because I have not had to put those skills to work very often that I continue to go through refresher training, I forget over time. The same can be said for Retail Theft Prevention. You may have a Sensormatic security system installed and you may have demonstrated to an associate once how to remove Sensormatic hard tags or respond to an alarm but they can forget.
Store managers should be spending time on a regular basis talking with employees on how to properly attach and detach Sensormatic hard tags. There also needs to be training on how they should be responding to electronic article surveillance alarms and how it helps stop shoplifting. There are a couple of reasons why this training is important and should not be glossed over.
• When it comes to the attachment of hard tags or application of labels consistency is necessary. If they are not applied properly they may be able to be removed by thieves or they may be rendered useless. For example electronic article surveillance labels may not work properly if they are bent too much around a side or corner of a box. Attaching a hard tag to a clothing size label on the neck of a shirt will not be a deterrent to theft since the shirt tag can be cut off without damaging the merchandise.
• If associates are trained to place hard tags in the same location on every pair of slacks cashiers will know where to find the tags and this will aid in proper removal at the point of sale.
• Teaching sales staff how to apply Sensormatic hard tags that have pins will help to prevent accidental puncture wounds. This can also help you, the store owner, avoid a medical bill.
• Talking about what to look for when a sensor tag activates an alarm can make the interaction with the customer more pleasant, even if they were trying to steal products. It will also help in getting thieves to pay for the merchandise or hand it to the employee.
It is the repetition of regularly reviewing this information that makes it become second nature to your employees. Not all employees have the same interactions with Sensormatic equipment and customers so some may never actually remove a tag or deactivate a label. That does not mean they should not know how to do so.
In part 2 we will continue the discussion on the importance of practice and review as it relates to how to stop shoplifting and losses as the result of a Sensormatic equipment alarm. For now just know that refresher training is an essential function in every workplace, especially for tasks that are infrequently performed.
Sensormatic hard tags are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Employee Theft-2 WC Blog 578
Stop Shoplifting-2
Training To Stop Shoplifting And Employee Theft Is The Key To Improved Profits
Let me start off this article with two questions, how often do you talk to your associates about how important it is to stop shoplifting in your store? Do you ever discuss with your managers the need to look for signs of employee theft? It may never have even occurred to you to have these conversations. If you are operating small retail stores you may not deem it necessary to mention it much because you don’t have a lot of people working for you anyways. I walk into small retail stores and may get a “hello” or a “can I help you find something?” from a clerk sitting behind a counter. I say, “Thank you I’m just looking” and wander around browsing. Often I can cruise through a store without being offered any additional assistance. I can’t help but think if I was a a I could have gotten away with a bunch of merchandise. Maybe it is because I look like I’m honest or because I happen to be a friendly person. I ran into this not long ago when my wife and I went into an antique store. You are thinking, “That was an antique store who is going to steal from there?” Is that the point? If I was the store owner I would want that employee walking around and being available to offer assistance.
Training to stop shoplifting and reduce employee theft is not difficult if someone knows what it is that deters thieves and also the signs that someone is stealing. The problem that frequently arises is that employers don’t really understand theft themselves. It is uncomfortable for them to try to train others on it so it is glossed over or ignored as a part of an onboarding orientation or ongoing training. That does not have to be the case. If you don’t know about a topic or have little understanding of it there is always a resource somewhere to help out. Loss Prevention Systems Inc. is a reliable resource for training that will provide managers and store owners with the knowledge they need. Not only will the people who attend the trainings gain a wealth of knowledge, they will be able to incorporate that information into future new hire training.
“But I don’t have time to fly off somewhere to attend a training seminar!” I completely understand. As a Loss Prevention Manager I used to have to travel on occasion to attend training sessions and as valuable as those trainings were, I hated to leave my store. The folks at Loss Prevention Systems Inc. understand this and have several solutions for the retail owners. They can come out to you and conduct training for you and your managers. You may even want to partner with a group of local small business owners to make it more impactful. Not sure you want the live training but would like something on a smaller scale? Loss Prevention Systems Inc. also offers live webinars that you can watch from your office. With options available to you there is no reason you should remain in the dark not only on how theft is happening in your store but how much it is impacting your business. You can stop it but it takes an entire store of employees who understand their role in prevention of theft and what to do to stop it.
Is shortage something that you as a small business owner need to be concerned with? According to the 2017 National Retail Security Survey, the average shrink rate for retailers is 1.44% (pg. 6). More importantly 23% of retailers reported shrink at 2% or higher (pg. 6). The report also indicates on average 36.5% of shortage is attributed to shoplifting and 30% due to employee theft (pg.8). As you can see by the numbers you have to control shortage in your stores and the only way to effectively do that is by knowing how to stop shoplifting and employee theft.
Don’t underestimate the thieves who are pilfering your business. Get training to know how to identify criminals and how to prevent them from stealing. After you are trained pass that knowledge on to your employees during orientation and ongoing refreshers. A whole lot of knowledge means a lot less employee theft and shoplifting and that means more black ink on your profit line.
Need information on employee theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Let me start off this article with two questions, how often do you talk to your associates about how important it is to stop shoplifting in your store? Do you ever discuss with your managers the need to look for signs of employee theft? It may never have even occurred to you to have these conversations. If you are operating small retail stores you may not deem it necessary to mention it much because you don’t have a lot of people working for you anyways. I walk into small retail stores and may get a “hello” or a “can I help you find something?” from a clerk sitting behind a counter. I say, “Thank you I’m just looking” and wander around browsing. Often I can cruise through a store without being offered any additional assistance. I can’t help but think if I was a a I could have gotten away with a bunch of merchandise. Maybe it is because I look like I’m honest or because I happen to be a friendly person. I ran into this not long ago when my wife and I went into an antique store. You are thinking, “That was an antique store who is going to steal from there?” Is that the point? If I was the store owner I would want that employee walking around and being available to offer assistance.
Training to stop shoplifting and reduce employee theft is not difficult if someone knows what it is that deters thieves and also the signs that someone is stealing. The problem that frequently arises is that employers don’t really understand theft themselves. It is uncomfortable for them to try to train others on it so it is glossed over or ignored as a part of an onboarding orientation or ongoing training. That does not have to be the case. If you don’t know about a topic or have little understanding of it there is always a resource somewhere to help out. Loss Prevention Systems Inc. is a reliable resource for training that will provide managers and store owners with the knowledge they need. Not only will the people who attend the trainings gain a wealth of knowledge, they will be able to incorporate that information into future new hire training.
“But I don’t have time to fly off somewhere to attend a training seminar!” I completely understand. As a Loss Prevention Manager I used to have to travel on occasion to attend training sessions and as valuable as those trainings were, I hated to leave my store. The folks at Loss Prevention Systems Inc. understand this and have several solutions for the retail owners. They can come out to you and conduct training for you and your managers. You may even want to partner with a group of local small business owners to make it more impactful. Not sure you want the live training but would like something on a smaller scale? Loss Prevention Systems Inc. also offers live webinars that you can watch from your office. With options available to you there is no reason you should remain in the dark not only on how theft is happening in your store but how much it is impacting your business. You can stop it but it takes an entire store of employees who understand their role in prevention of theft and what to do to stop it.
Is shortage something that you as a small business owner need to be concerned with? According to the 2017 National Retail Security Survey, the average shrink rate for retailers is 1.44% (pg. 6). More importantly 23% of retailers reported shrink at 2% or higher (pg. 6). The report also indicates on average 36.5% of shortage is attributed to shoplifting and 30% due to employee theft (pg.8). As you can see by the numbers you have to control shortage in your stores and the only way to effectively do that is by knowing how to stop shoplifting and employee theft.
Don’t underestimate the thieves who are pilfering your business. Get training to know how to identify criminals and how to prevent them from stealing. After you are trained pass that knowledge on to your employees during orientation and ongoing refreshers. A whole lot of knowledge means a lot less employee theft and shoplifting and that means more black ink on your profit line.
Need information on employee theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Alpha Shark Tags -3 WC Blog 513
Wardrobing-5
Alpha Shark Tags Prevent Lost Customers
Oddly enough signs of return fraud and wardrobing can be all around you when you go shopping and you can see it if you know what you are looking for. My wife and I both have backgrounds in retail sales. I have been in it for approximately 27 or so years, my wife was in sales and comparison shopping for around 15 years. Recently we were out clothing shopping and she stopped me and pointed out a dress that was hanging up on a rack. She said that someone had worn it out somewhere and returned it. Since her experience was in department store clothing sales and jewelry I believed her but I wanted to look a bit closer. Sure enough, a little bit of makeup was around the neckline and the dress looked wrinkled compared to the others. Despite this, the retailer kept it at the same price as the others and I thought this was silly. If I was the customer I would just take one that was in better condition. Why buy a dress in this condition? Walking through another store looking for shoes for our daughter we thought we found a pair. My wife stopped me from selecting them, she said they had been worn and returned. Sure enough I turned them over and there was dirt in the grooves of the sole and the inside of the shoe looked a bit dirty. We put the shoes back and had to go somewhere else to look for shoes for our daughter. Wardrobing costs stores in lost sales and lost profit margin. It can be prevented but it requires a firm return policy and the use of Alpha Shark Tags.
Wardrobing is not a common word but it is a form of return fraud and can be hard to defend against because it incorporates a legitimate purchase and appears to follow store return policies. Unlike other return fraud that can be caused by the theft of merchandise and an attempt to return it without a receipt. A person who is wardrobing purchases a clothing item and carefully hides or removes the manufacturer tags. They do not intend to keep the merchandise rather they buy to wear it a time or two and willfully return the item afterwards. All tags are put back, reattached or unhidden and the receipt is properly retained. A couple of issues are involved. Often the merchandise has stains (as my wife and I encountered), the items may have body, food or other odors clinging to it, a salesperson may lose commission when the clothes are returned and the store may have to mark the item down or out of stock entirely. It is not a victimless crime but it falls into a gray area that makes it difficult, if not impossible to prosecute.
The staff of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. knows that return fraud can make a significant dent in a retailer’s profits and their solution to the problem requires only the use of Alpha Shark Tags on all clothing. A Shark Tag is a one-time use bright red tag that is pinned to an item. The tag is to be placed where it will show prominently if the garment is worn in public. Because the tag will attract attention and cannot be reattached once removed, people who engage in wardrobing won’t buy clothes when Shark Tags are used by retailers. The key to making the use of the tags truly impactful is a store manager who requires ALL clothing to be tagged and adamantly refuses to accept any clothing return in which a tag has been removed. When properly applied and return policies enforced Alpha Shark Tags will cut down fraudulent returns and help stores improve profitability. It will also ensure that the clothes presented to customers like my wife and me, will be items we want to purchase…NEW!
Don’t get stung twice by the people who will buy your merchandise, wear it and return it. When you return the money for clothing someone had no intention of keeping and then you have to mark it down in order to sell it you are getting burned twice. Let Loss Prevention Systems Inc. help you stop being the victim of fraudulent activity and improve sales.
Need information on Wardrobing? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Oddly enough signs of return fraud and wardrobing can be all around you when you go shopping and you can see it if you know what you are looking for. My wife and I both have backgrounds in retail sales. I have been in it for approximately 27 or so years, my wife was in sales and comparison shopping for around 15 years. Recently we were out clothing shopping and she stopped me and pointed out a dress that was hanging up on a rack. She said that someone had worn it out somewhere and returned it. Since her experience was in department store clothing sales and jewelry I believed her but I wanted to look a bit closer. Sure enough, a little bit of makeup was around the neckline and the dress looked wrinkled compared to the others. Despite this, the retailer kept it at the same price as the others and I thought this was silly. If I was the customer I would just take one that was in better condition. Why buy a dress in this condition? Walking through another store looking for shoes for our daughter we thought we found a pair. My wife stopped me from selecting them, she said they had been worn and returned. Sure enough I turned them over and there was dirt in the grooves of the sole and the inside of the shoe looked a bit dirty. We put the shoes back and had to go somewhere else to look for shoes for our daughter. Wardrobing costs stores in lost sales and lost profit margin. It can be prevented but it requires a firm return policy and the use of Shark Tags.
Wardrobing is not a common word but it is a form of return fraud and can be hard to defend against because it incorporates a legitimate purchase and appears to follow store return policies. Unlike other return fraud that can be caused by the theft of merchandise and an attempt to return it without a receipt. A person who is wardrobing purchases a clothing item and carefully hides or removes the manufacturer tags. They do not intend to keep the merchandise rather they buy to wear it a time or two and willfully return the item afterwards. All tags are put back, reattached or unhidden and the receipt is properly retained. A couple of issues are involved. Often the merchandise has stains (as my wife and I encountered), the items may have body, food or other odors clinging to it, a salesperson may lose commission when the clothes are returned and the store may have to mark the item down or out of stock entirely. It is not a victimless crime but it falls into a gray area that makes it difficult, if not impossible to prosecute.
The staff of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. knows that return fraud can make a significant dent in a retailer’s profits and their solution to the problem requires only the use of Shark Tags on all clothing. A Shark Tag is a one-time use bright red tag that is pinned to an item. The tag is to be placed where it will show prominently if the garment is worn in public. Because the tag will attract attention and cannot be reattached once removed, people who engage in wardrobing won’t buy clothes when Shark Tags are used by retailers. The key to making the use of the tags truly impactful is a store manager who requires ALL clothing to be tagged and adamantly refuses to accept any clothing return in which a tag has been removed. When properly applied and return policies enforced Shark Tags will cut down fraudulent returns and help stores improve profitability. It will also ensure that the clothes presented to customers like my wife and me, will be items we want to purchase…NEW!
Don’t get stung twice by the people who will buy your merchandise, wear it and return it. When you return the money for clothing someone had no intention of keeping and then you have to mark it down in order to sell it you are getting burned twice. Let Loss Prevention Systems Inc. help you stop being the victim of fraudulent activity and improve sales.
Need information on Wardrobing? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Stop shoplifting-3 WC Blog 650
Sensormatic Security Systems-3
How Small Retailers Can Stop Shoplifting Without L.P. Teams
When people ask me why I like to write about how to stop shoplifting or why I enjoy writing about store security issues I have to smile a bit because I can honestly say it is something I enjoy doing. I spent over 17 years in Retail Loss Prevention and it was a very rewarding career. I did enjoy catching thieves and yes, I found it exciting and challenging to find suspicious activity that initiated a dishonest employee investigation. No, it wasn’t about wanting to be a police officer, I had that experience when I was in the U.S. Air Force. There was something rewarding in the Loss Prevention work that provided a sense of accomplishment for me. Even after an uneventful day I felt like I had done my job preventing theft and saving the store I worked for money and merchandise. Now as I write I feel I am contributing a similar function to the small and medium sized retailers who benefit from the services Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) provides. The goal of LPSI is to help retailers find solutions to their theft and shrinkage issues, and become more profitable as they do so. Clients who may think that a team of Loss Prevention agents is the only way to fight shortage but cannot afford them do not understand there are other ways to fight theft and fraud. LPSI provides alternatives that are affordable and cost-effective including background checks, pre-employment drug screening and Sensormatic security systems.
I believe writing articles about theft and fraud activity creates an awareness for business owners who potentially feel they are alone on an island with criminals taking bites out of their store with no hope of rescue. When owners see that there are others who are confronted with the same problems and that there are realistic solutions it provides a sense of empowerment. When I can write of my personal interactions with thieves, my experience with Sensormatic security systems, electronic article surveillance and even background checks it demonstrates these options are effective.
It is likely that someone is concerned that anti-theft measures would not be the equivalent of having a Loss Prevention team working for them. In a sense you would be correct. Where a Loss Prevention Professional can detain and prosecute a thief, I would discourage that of a store owner or their staff of employees. It can be dangerous and if someone is not properly trained mistakes can be made that can turn into costly liabilities for the store owner. On the other hand, ANYONE can be trained on properly responding to an alarm activation of Sensormatic security systems. Merchandise can be recovered when a Sensormatic tag or label activates an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tower. Honestly, Loss Prevention personnel should not be apprehending people solely based on an EAS alarm. Over the span of my career I have trained many associates on how to properly respond to an alarm and use customer service skills to stop shoplifting. For the biggest bang for your buck the solutions LPSI can give you are going to ultimately give you a better Return on Investment than hiring a Loss Prevention Associate would do for you. As a Loss Prevention professional I say this with no disrespect to our profession. The truth is we recognize the payroll limitations of small retailers and it is unlikely there is room in the budget for a professional L.P. staff. When a Loss Prevention team is out of the question LPSI is able to step in to help fill the gap.
Yes, I REALLY do like writing about Loss Prevention while entertaining and educating readers about how it pays to stop shoplifting. I feel I am able to give help on a larger scale than when I worked for a single store. But, if I were asked to give just ONE piece of advice to retail managers that would prove the most beneficial to them what would that be? Talk to the folks at LPSI and find out more about the range of solutions they offer that can help you reduce retail shrinkage!
Need information on Sensormatic security systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
When people ask me why I like to write about how to stop shoplifting or why I enjoy writing about store security issues I have to smile a bit because I can honestly say it is something I enjoy doing. I spent over 17 years in Retail Loss Prevention and it was a very rewarding career. I did enjoy catching thieves and yes, I found it exciting and challenging to find suspicious activity that initiated a dishonest employee investigation. No, it wasn’t about wanting to be a police officer, I had that experience when I was in the U.S. Air Force. There was something rewarding in the Loss Prevention work that provided a sense of accomplishment for me. Even after an uneventful day I felt like I had done my job preventing theft and saving the store I worked for money and merchandise. Now as I write I feel I am contributing a similar function to the small and medium sized retailers who benefit from the services Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) provides. The goal of LPSI is to help retailers find solutions to their theft and shrinkage issues, and become more profitable as they do so. Clients who may think that a team of Loss Prevention agents is the only way to fight shortage but cannot afford them do not understand there are other ways to fight theft and fraud. LPSI provides alternatives that are affordable and cost-effective including background checks, pre-employment drug screening and Sensormatic security systems.
I believe writing articles about theft and fraud activity creates an awareness for business owners who potentially feel they are alone on an island with criminals taking bites out of their store with no hope of rescue. When owners see that there are others who are confronted with the same problems and that there are realistic solutions it provides a sense of empowerment. When I can write of my personal interactions with thieves, my experience with Sensormatic security systems, electronic article surveillance and even background checks it demonstrates these options are effective.
It is likely that someone is concerned that anti-theft measures would not be the equivalent of having a Loss Prevention team working for them. In a sense you would be correct. Where a Loss Prevention Professional can detain and prosecute a thief, I would discourage that of a store owner or their staff of employees. It can be dangerous and if someone is not properly trained mistakes can be made that can turn into costly liabilities for the store owner. On the other hand, ANYONE can be trained on properly responding to an alarm activation of Sensormatic security systems. Merchandise can be recovered when a Sensormatic tag or label activates an electronic article surveillance (EAS) tower. Honestly, Loss Prevention personnel should not be apprehending people solely based on an EAS alarm. Over the span of my career I have trained many associates on how to properly respond to an alarm and use customer service skills to stop shoplifting. For the biggest bang for your buck the solutions LPSI can give you are going to ultimately give you a better Return on Investment than hiring a Loss Prevention Associate would do for you. As a Loss Prevention professional I say this with no disrespect to our profession. The truth is we recognize the payroll limitations of small retailers and it is unlikely there is room in the budget for a professional L.P. staff. When a Loss Prevention team is out of the question LPSI is able to step in to help fill the gap.
Yes, I REALLY do like writing about Loss Prevention while entertaining and educating readers about how it pays to stop shoplifting. I feel I am able to give help on a larger scale than when I worked for a single store. But, if I were asked to give just ONE piece of advice to retail managers that would prove the most beneficial to them what would that be? Talk to the folks at LPSI and find out more about the range of solutions they offer that can help you reduce retail shrinkage!
Need information on Sensormatic security systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
