Manager Training To Stop Employee Theft – 3 WC Blog 538
Stop Shoplifting -4
Intuition Won’t Prevent Crime – It Requires Manager Training To Stop Employee Theft
At the start of this semester at the college library where I work I learned a lesson that made me think about manager training to stop employee theft. We train all of our student employees on their jobs at the beginning of the semester and one of those tasks we train them on, or so I thought, is checking our outside book drop. The employees are trained by a supervisor and a training checklist is initialed by the supervisor. In the spring we conduct a quick refresher training and leave it at that. Not long ago we started finding the exterior book drop unlocked. We tracked it down to the guilty party and the student said they had been trained. I had him take me outside and show me how to unlock and lock the drop. He did it wrong. When I asked if he had actually had to open and close the drop during his training he said he had not. His group had only been “shown” how to do it. I then began asking other workers and learned that the majority did not know how to open and close the drop. I put a stop to all student workers checking the drop until a supervisor walked them each outside and made the student open and close the drop. The lesson I took away from this was that sometimes people don’t know what you think they know. In a library we are dealing mostly with a few books or possibly dvd’s in a bookdrop. In retail you are dealing with your livelihood so it is important that you and your managers know how to prevent employee theft and stop shoplifting. It is for this reason that Bill Bregar, the CEO and founder of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. created manager training to stop employee theft and shoplifting.
According to dictionary.cambridge.org shoplifting is defined as: The illegal act of taking goods from a store without paying for them. They define employee theft as the crime of employees stealing from the company they work for. While shoplifting is fairly clear-cut in terms of theft of merchandise, what determines when shoplifting has taken place can vary between jurisdictions. Employee theft is not as clear-cut and can entail such things as theft of property, merchandise, financial transaction fraud, cash theft, underringing, etc. Because there are so many types of employee theft and fraud and it can be difficult for even the best of investigators to track down a crime, LPSI has developed an intensive training program for store managers. Manager training to stop employee theft and modules for how to stop shoplifting will empower retail business owners and leaders with the knowledge needed to end shortage created by these thieves.
On the surface it may sound easy to stop shoplifting and prevent employees from stealing. Any store owner can tell if someone is going to steal whether it is a customer or an employee, right? If that were the case I sure could have used your expertise when I was a Loss Prevention Manager. It took several months of training to catch my first shoplifter on my own and when I became a Loss Prevention Manager I was not able to interview my first internal case for months. I was required to go through training on how to identify different types of employee theft, how to build my case and log my evidence. I had even more training on the proper methods for conducting a dishonest employee interview and had to be certified before I could do one. Did I mention that the first employee interview I conducted required me to have a certified Loss Prevention Manager with me in the office as I conducted my interview? No, LPSI isn’t going to have your managers go to such extremes but you need to be aware that there is more involved to stop shoplifting or prevent employee theft than looking at someone and “knowing” they are a thief. LPSI training seminars give managers the tools needed to prevent theft from shoplifters and employees.
Significantly reduce shortage due to theft from employees and shoplifters. Let LPSI provide manager training to stop employee theft to you and your supervisors. You will be surprised to learn what you didn’t know. Put that training to work and watch your profits grow.
Get more information on manager training to stop employee theft, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
At the start of this semester at the college library where I work I learned a lesson that made me think about manager training to stop employee theft. We train all of our student employees on their jobs at the beginning of the semester and one of those tasks we train them on, or so I thought, is checking our outside book drop. The employees are trained by a supervisor and a training checklist is initialed by the supervisor. In the spring we conduct a quick refresher training and leave it at that. Not long ago we started finding the exterior book drop unlocked. We tracked it down to the guilty party and the student said they had been trained. I had him take me outside and show me how to unlock and lock the drop. He did it wrong. When I asked if he had actually had to open and close the drop during his training he said he had not. His group had only been “shown” how to do it. I then began asking other workers and learned that the majority did not know how to open and close the drop. I put a stop to all student workers checking the drop until a supervisor walked them each outside and made the student open and close the drop. The lesson I took away from this was that sometimes people don’t know what you think they know. In a library we are dealing mostly with a few books or possibly dvd’s in a bookdrop. In retail you are dealing with your livelihood so it is important that you and your managers know how to prevent employee theft and stop shoplifting. It is for this reason that Bill Bregar, the CEO and founder of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. created manager training to stop employee theft and shoplifting.
According to dictionary.cambridge.org shoplifting is defined as: The illegal act of taking goods from a store without paying for them. They define employee theft as the crime of employees stealing from the company they work for. While shoplifting is fairly clear-cut in terms of theft of merchandise, what determines when shoplifting has taken place can vary between jurisdictions. Employee theft is not as clear-cut and can entail such things as theft of property, merchandise, financial transaction fraud, cash theft, underringing, etc. Because there are so many types of employee theft and fraud and it can be difficult for even the best of investigators to track down a crime, LPSI has developed an intensive training program for store managers. Manager training to stop employee theft and modules for how to stop shoplifting will empower retail business owners and leaders with the knowledge needed to end shortage created by these thieves.
On the surface it may sound easy to stop shoplifting and prevent employees from stealing. Any store owner can tell if someone is going to steal whether it is a customer or an employee, right? If that were the case I sure could have used your expertise when I was a Loss Prevention Manager. It took several months of training to catch my first shoplifter on my own and when I became a Loss Prevention Manager I was not able to interview my first internal case for months. I was required to go through training on how to identify different types of employee theft, how to build my case and log my evidence. I had even more training on the proper methods for conducting a dishonest employee interview and had to be certified before I could do one. Did I mention that the first employee interview I conducted required me to have a certified Loss Prevention Manager with me in the office as I conducted my interview? No, LPSI isn’t going to have your managers go to such extremes but you need to be aware that there is more involved to stop shoplifting or prevent employee theft than looking at someone and “knowing” they are a thief. LPSI training seminars give managers the tools needed to prevent theft from shoplifters and employees.
Significantly reduce shortage due to theft from employees and shoplifters. Let LPSI provide manager training to stop employee theft to you and your supervisors. You will be surprised to learn what you didn’t know. Put that training to work and watch your profits grow.
Get more information on manager training to stop employee theft, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Wardrobing-5 WC Blog 453
Return Fraud-3
Simple Solutions To Prevent Return Fraud Can Include Wardrobing Tags And Slight Review Of Return Policies
There are different times of the year when people have a tendency to purchase an item to use for a brief period of use and return it. Last year our area experienced Hurricane Matthew and people purchased power generators and when the power was restored they were taking them back to hardware stores for refunds. This might be good for the people who want one at a discounted price but for the stores that sold them it can be cause for a financial loss, depending on the condition of the unit when it was returned. For the first few years I worked for a big box retailer we sold lawn mowers. As the end of summer neared we would have a number of them returned (within the return date cut-off) and the customer would tell us how it no longer worked. A look at the machine often explained a lot about why it no longer worked. Swim suits would be returned by customers who had clearly worn them either for the summer or for the time they were on vacation. Proms were a notorious time for what is referred to as wardrobing. Our store didn’t sell tuxedos but we did sell prom dresses and you could always be ready to take several back that had obviously been worn but were within the store’s return policy guidelines. How about Halloween and all of those costumes our store sold? You guessed it we always had a number of them returned AFTER the Great Pumpkin failed to make another appearance. So what is the point of all these different returns? They are forms of refund fraud, but fraud that was in large part empowered by our own company policies.
One thing I want to quickly mention is that I referenced wardrobing above. Some of you may not be familiar with this type of fraud so let me describe it. Wardrobing is a form of return fraud that makes it appear the customer is following a store’s own policies but they twist those policies. Where it is expected that a piece of clothing would be returned if it did not fit, had a defect or in the event it was a gift that was not well-received, those committing this fraud disregard that aspect of the policy. These people wear the item(s) intentionally, going out to parties or events appearing to have a new outfit and then return the merchandise within a few days. Frequently the clothing has smells that have permeated them and/or stains that have marred them. Unfortunately many retailers have loosened refund policies to the point that all they require are the tags and a receipt (and sometimes even the receipt isn’t required).
Eventually our business did tighten up policies on some things to prevent return fraud and in some instances we stopped carrying a specific line of merchandise. For example, the lawn mower issue became a big enough problem in terms of non-resalable merchandise being returned under the 90 day return policy that the company simply stopped selling them. Seasonal merchandise such as Christmas trees and Halloween costumes were limited in how much they could be returned for after the date of the holiday. Some items that seemed like they should be able to be turned down because they had obviously been worn such as bathing suits were still taken back. Often managers were afraid to refuse a refund because they didn’t want a complaint called in to company headquarters and sent down the chain to the district manager.
Was the best solution to a refund abuse problem to end the sale of a product line? I’m not sure about that, I didn’t have company data to look at regarding the P and L on the lawnmowers. If a business wants to impact return fraud, without hurting customer service tightening up return policies a little bit can be helpful. Another solution for clothing stores would be to use wardrobing tags to prevent customers from wearing an item and returning it. These are red tags that are pinned where they would be seen if the item is worn in public which would be rather embarrassing. The tag has to be cut off by the purchaser when they decide to keep the item and once it is removed the store policy dictates the item cannot be returned. Think about what that would do to help your profit margin while still maintaining a customer friendly environment.
Before you make a move that would impact the variety of items your store carries or drastically restrict return policies. Look for the simple things you can do to keep clients happy and not take a hit on your bottom line. Wardrobing tags may be one solution for you to consider.
Need information on wardrobing? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
There are different times of the year when people have a tendency to purchase an item to use for a brief period of use and return it. When our area experienced Hurricane Matthew, people purchased power generators and when the power was restored they were taking them back to hardware stores for refunds. This might be good for the people who want one at a discounted price but for the stores that sold them it can be cause for a financial loss, depending on the condition of the unit when it was returned. For the first few years I worked for a big box retailer we sold lawn mowers. As the end of summer neared we would have a number of them returned (within the return date cut-off) and the customer would tell us how it no longer worked. A look at the machine often explained a lot about why it no longer worked. Swim suits would be returned by customers who had clearly worn them either for the summer or for the time they were on vacation. Proms were a notorious time for what is referred to as wardrobing. Our store didn’t sell tuxedos but we did sell prom dresses and you could always be ready to take several back that had obviously been worn but were within the store’s return policy guidelines. How about Halloween and all of those costumes our store sold? You guessed it we always had a number of them returned AFTER the Great Pumpkin failed to make another appearance. So what is the point of all these different returns? They are forms of refund fraud, but fraud that was in large part empowered by our own company policies.
One thing I want to quickly mention is that I referenced wardrobing above. Some of you may not be familiar with this type of fraud so let me describe it. Wardrobing is a form of return fraud that makes it appear the customer is following a store’s own policies but they twist those policies. Where it is expected that a piece of clothing would be returned if it did not fit, had a defect or in the event it was a gift that was not well-received, those committing this fraud disregard that aspect of the policy. These people wear the item(s) intentionally, going out to parties or events appearing to have a new outfit and then return the merchandise within a few days. Frequently the clothing has smells that have permeated them and/or stains that have marred them. Unfortunately many retailers have loosened refund policies to the point that all they require are the tags and a receipt (and sometimes even the receipt isn’t required).
Eventually our business did tighten up policies on some things to prevent return fraud and in some instances we stopped carrying a specific line of merchandise. For example, the lawn mower issue became a big enough problem in terms of non-resalable merchandise being returned under the 90 day return policy that the company simply stopped selling them. Seasonal merchandise such as Christmas trees and Halloween costumes were limited in how much they could be returned for after the date of the holiday. Some items that seemed like they should be able to be turned down because they had obviously been worn such as bathing suits were still taken back. Often managers were afraid to refuse a refund because they didn’t want a complaint called in to company headquarters and sent down the chain to the district manager.
Was the best solution to a refund abuse problem to end the sale of a product line? I’m not sure about that, I didn’t have company data to look at regarding the P and L on the lawnmowers. If a business wants to impact return fraud, without hurting customer service tightening up return policies a little bit can be helpful. Another solution for clothing stores would be to use wardrobing tags to prevent customers from wearing an item and returning it. These are red tags that are pinned where they would be seen if the item is worn in public which would be rather embarrassing. The tag has to be cut off by the purchaser when they decide to keep the item and once it is removed the store policy dictates the item cannot be returned. Think about what that would do to help your profit margin while still maintaining a customer friendly environment.
Before you make a move that would impact the variety of items your store carries or drastically restrict return policies. Look for the simple things you can do to keep clients happy and not take a hit on your bottom line. Wardrobing tags may be one solution for you to consider.
Need information on wardrobing? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Pre-employment Screening-4 WC Blog 456
Background Check Company-3
Shutting Creeps Out With A Pre-employment Screening Conducted By A Background Check Company
Have you ever thought about how the purpose of a screen door is similar to a pre-employment screening? Why do we have a door for a door to our homes? Well, according to Wikipedia, “the screen door incorporates screen mesh to block flying insects or airborne debris such as seeds or leaves from entering and pets and small children from exiting interior spaces…”, I’ll leave it there. It is a protective barrier. What is a health screening? Medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com defines a health screening as, “Tests or examinations done to diagnose a condition before symptoms begin…” What am I getting at with the references to screening? Screening is to prevent something from getting inside your space, whether it is your home, your body or a particular area such as a workplace. Once a pest or intruder gets inside it can cause all types of harm or damage. A pre-employment screening serves the same purpose to try to prevent a potential foe or parasite from getting inside an organization and wreaking havoc.
Pre-employment screening can be conducted by a business, usually a Human Resource Manager or Department or by a professional Background Check Company. A prospective job candidate’s credentials are validated in this process to be sure the information provided is true. It is not uncommon for a job applicant to embellish a resume or application but to provide totally false or misleading information could be to cover up a checkered past. Human Resources Departments may do a decent job of calling people listed as references and they may be able to confirm that an applicant worked somewhere else but they may not get more than that. A Background Check Company can do a deep dive into a candidate’s history. Credit report information, criminal history, past residence information and sex offender listings are just a few of the details that can be investigated and could shed light on who it is you are considering to bring into your workplace.
Some of you are shaking your heads and thinking what does it really matter whether a candidate has moved around a lot? Maybe they forgot to list a few of the places where they lived, some people move a lot. Perhaps, but is there a chance that your applicant moved around a lot due to evictions? Maybe they weren’t paying their rent or maybe they were trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities. Is that credit report a big deal? Well, since I was a Loss Prevention Manager and I apprehended a lot of employees for cash theft and financial transaction fraud during my tenure and I know many of those people had credit problems I would say, yeah it’s kind of a big deal. Maybe you’ll concede that moving around a lot and credit history information may be a red flag but you still think a criminal background may just be the result of an embarrassing DUI when the person was 21 years old. That is possible. I have actually been on a hiring committee that was prepared to not consider an applicant because he had a DUI conviction when he was younger. He was honest on his application about the conviction and we took into consideration the time that had passed. We ended up hiring him and he did a great job as an employee. On the other hand what if that hidden conviction is an assault or robbery? Are you prepared to put your business at risk or worse yet, those currently working for you?
Pre-employment screening is your first line of defense to keep someone out who could hurt your business. It might be a risk to your company’s financial well-being or a threat to the physical and mental health of your employees. The wrong person can cause strife in a business and hurt morale and a successful team. Don’t let a potential bad guy sneak in, hire a background check company to ensure you continue to operate a profitable store and enjoyable place to work.
Need information on pre-employment screening? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Have you ever thought about how the purpose of a screen door is similar to a pre-employment screening? Why do we have a door for a door to our homes? Well, according to Wikipedia, “the screen door incorporates screen mesh to block flying insects or airborne debris such as seeds or leaves from entering and pets and small children from exiting interior spaces…”, I’ll leave it there. It is a protective barrier. What is a health screening? Medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com defines a health screening as, “Tests or examinations done to diagnose a condition before symptoms begin…” What am I getting at with the references to screening? Screening is to prevent something from getting inside your space, whether it is your home, your body or a particular area such as a workplace. Once a pest or intruder gets inside it can cause all types of harm or damage. A pre-employment screening serves the same purpose to try to prevent a potential foe or parasite from getting inside an organization and wreaking havoc.
Pre-employment screening can be conducted by a business, usually a Human Resource Manager or Department or by a professional Background Check Company. A prospective job candidate’s credentials are validated in this process to be sure the information provided is true. It is not uncommon for a job applicant to embellish a resume or application but to provide totally false or misleading information could be to cover up a checkered past. Human Resources Departments may do a decent job of calling people listed as references and they may be able to confirm that an applicant worked somewhere else but they may not get more than that. A Background Check Company can do a deep dive into a candidate’s history. Credit report information, criminal history, past residence information and sex offender listings are just a few of the details that can be investigated and could shed light on who it is you are considering to bring into your workplace.
Some of you are shaking your heads and thinking what does it really matter whether a candidate has moved around a lot? Maybe they forgot to list a few of the places where they lived, some people move a lot. Perhaps, but is there a chance that your applicant moved around a lot due to evictions? Maybe they weren’t paying their rent or maybe they were trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities. Is that credit report a big deal? Well, since I was a Loss Prevention Manager and I apprehended a lot of employees for cash theft and financial transaction fraud during my tenure and I know many of those people had credit problems I would say, yeah it’s kind of a big deal. Maybe you’ll concede that moving around a lot and credit history information may be a red flag but you still think a criminal background may just be the result of an embarrassing DUI when the person was 21 years old. That is possible. I have actually been on a hiring committee that was prepared to not consider an applicant because he had a DUI conviction when he was younger. He was honest on his application about the conviction and we took into consideration the time that had passed. We ended up hiring him and he did a great job as an employee. On the other hand what if that hidden conviction is an assault or robbery? Are you prepared to put your business at risk or worse yet, those currently working for you?
Pre-employment screening is your first line of defense to keep someone out who could hurt your business. It might be a risk to your company’s financial well-being or a threat to the physical and mental health of your employees. The wrong person can cause strife in a business and hurt morale and a successful team. Don’t let a potential bad guy sneak in, hire a background check company to ensure you continue to operate a profitable store and enjoyable place to work.
Need information on pre-employment screening? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Stop Shoplifting – 3 WC Blog 542
Electronic Article Surveillance-3
Checkpoint Tags – 5
Not Using Checkpoint Tags Is No Way To Operate A Store
As a store owner have you ever thought about how many times you have shot down ideas that could help you stop shoplifting in your store? How many times do we say “No” to ideas and suggestions and even questions in a normal business day? I bring this up because recently I attended a meeting of library employees in our state. One of the items of interest that really perked up my ears was a comment by one of the presenters. She said that in her library several years ago they started tracking all of the things they said “No” to during a day. At the end of a specified period of time they look at their compiled list and try to find out what they could do to change those “No’s” to a “Yes”. The idea is to improve the customer service they provide to their patrons. I LOVE this idea. In fact we are starting our own form of this in our library now. We have always attempted to be responsive to our customers but our efforts were not as comprehensive as this. It caused me to think about retail owners and managers. How many of you have said no to suggestions on how you could stop shoplifting by using electronic article surveillance tags and pedestals? How many of those No’s were based on an assumption that the expense would be too much for you? How many No’s were based on a lack of information about all of the ways Checkpoint tags can benefit your store AND customers? As the founder and CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. (LPSI), Bill Bregar has made it his business to educate small and medium size business owners on how to stop shoplifting and how prevention impacts all aspects of retail. Checkpoint tags are one of the tools offered by LPSI to help drive down shortage and increase profits for stores.
What is it that electronic article surveillance and Checkpoint tags do to aid retail owners in the profitability of stores? Electronic article surveillance uses the radio frequency waves emitted from a Checkpoint tag to activate an alarm in a compatible tower or pedestal. These towers are placed near the doors of a store to detect tagged items if they are carried into the detection field of the towers. The detection of the tags and the activation of the tower alarms signals nearby employees that unpaid merchandise is about to leave the business. Employees respond and retrieve the merchandise through receipt checks. It is also important to point out that the tags on merchandise stop shoplifting through deterrence. Criminals prefer to take merchandise that poses little or no risk of getting them caught in the process of stealing.
Unfortunately many retail owners don’t understand the full range of the benefits of using tags to protect their goods. Some assume that a Checkpoint system is going to be expensive. The reality is a Checkpoint system can pay for itself over time. Checkout LPSI’s Free ROI Calculator in their website without any obligation to see how it works. There is also the notion that tags and towers will only stop some shoplifting but not enough to make it worthwhile. Wrong! As a Loss Prevention Manager for 13 years I had 11 inventories that came in under 1% shortage and I credit much of those results to the use of Checkpoint tags in our store. That is much more than preventing some shoplifting that is preventing a LOT of shoplifting.
Your customers also benefit when you use security tags to protect merchandise. Merchandise shrinkage has to be made up somewhere and it isn’t the store owner who can afford to just eat it. Protective devices dramatically reduce shortage and prices can remain at competitive levels. Competitive pricing helps keep your store in business and patrons shopping with you. You may sell goods that are in demand but if you can’t keep your prices reasonable shoppers won’t spend money in your locations.
Saying “No” in response to questions and suggestions without thinking about why you are saying no is not a good idea in today’s competitive retail market. You may not be able to say yes to everything but it is important to consider why you say no and think about what it would take to turn more “No’s” to “Yes’s” The same is true with Checkpoint tags and towers. Saying no without considering all of the ways it could enhance your business could be costing you money and that’s no way to run a business!
Get more information on Checkpoint Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
As a store owner have you ever thought about how many times you have shot down ideas that could help you stop shoplifting in your store? How many times do we say “No” to ideas and suggestions and even questions in a normal business day? I bring this up because recently I attended a meeting of library employees in our state. One of the items of interest that really perked up my ears was a comment by one of the presenters. She said that in her library several years ago they started tracking all of the things they said “No” to during a day. At the end of a specified period of time they look at their compiled list and try to find out what they could do to change those “No’s” to a “Yes”. The idea is to improve the customer service they provide to their patrons. I LOVE this idea. In fact we are starting our own form of this in our library now. We have always attempted to be responsive to our customers but our efforts were not as comprehensive as this. It caused me to think about retail owners and managers. How many of you have said no to suggestions on how you could stop shoplifting by using electronic article surveillance tags and pedestals? How many of those No’s were based on an assumption that the expense would be too much for you? How many No’s were based on a lack of information about all of the ways Checkpoint tags can benefit your store AND customers? As the founder and CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. (LPSI), Bill Bregar has made it his business to educate small and medium size business owners on how to stop shoplifting and how prevention impacts all aspects of retail. Checkpoint tags are one of the tools offered by LPSI to help drive down shortage and increase profits for stores.
What is it that electronic article surveillance and Checkpoint tags do to aid retail owners in the profitability of stores? Electronic article surveillance uses the radio frequency waves emitted from a Checkpoint tag to activate an alarm in a compatible tower or pedestal. These towers are placed near the doors of a store to detect tagged items if they are carried into the detection field of the towers. The detection of the tags and the activation of the tower alarms signals nearby employees that unpaid merchandise is about to leave the business. Employees respond and retrieve the merchandise through receipt checks. It is also important to point out that the tags on merchandise stop shoplifting through deterrence. Criminals prefer to take merchandise that poses little or no risk of getting them caught in the process of stealing.
Unfortunately many retail owners don’t understand the full range of the benefits of using tags to protect their goods. Some assume that a Checkpoint system is going to be expensive. The reality is a Checkpoint system can pay for itself over time. Checkout LPSI’s Free ROI Calculator in their website without any obligation to see how it works. There is also the notion that tags and towers will only stop some shoplifting but not enough to make it worthwhile. Wrong! As a Loss Prevention Manager for 13 years I had 11 inventories that came in under 1% shortage and I credit much of those results to the use of Checkpoint tags in our store. That is much more than preventing some shoplifting that is preventing a LOT of shoplifting.
Your customers also benefit when you use security tags to protect merchandise. Merchandise shrinkage has to be made up somewhere and it isn’t the store owner who can afford to just eat it. Protective devices dramatically reduce shortage and prices can remain at competitive levels. Competitive pricing helps keep your store in business and patrons shopping with you. You may sell goods that are in demand but if you can’t keep your prices reasonable shoppers won’t spend money in your locations.
Saying “No” in response to questions and suggestions without thinking about why you are saying no is not a good idea in today’s competitive retail market. You may not be able to say yes to everything but it is important to consider why you say no and think about what it would take to turn more “No’s” to “Yes’s” The same is true with Checkpoint tags and towers. Saying no without considering all of the ways it could enhance your business could be costing you money and that’s no way to run a business!
Get more information on Checkpoint Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Bug Tag – 4 WC Blog 502
iPad Theft – 3
Prevent telepharmacy iPad theft with a Bug Tag
I have recently learned of a new use of iPad technology in the pharmacy field but it does give me a bit of a concern over the potential for iPad theft. I was unaware that a new expansion of the traditional pharmacy store is now called telepharmacy. The idea is that pharmacists can expand their reach to rural residents more easily than in the past. In telepharmacy the Pharmacist and the patient can communicate over the telephone or an iPad for a consultation when a prescription is ready for pick-up. The concern I have is over what information the Pharmacist may have stored on an iPad about a patient. Assuming the pharmacy is using the technology on their end it is possible an iPad theft could take place and in such a situation what patient information is at risk? This risk can be mitigated with the use of a Bug Tag on each pharmacy iPad or computer tablet.
The Bug Tag prevents the theft of mobile medical iPads and tablets through the use of electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology. Each tag possesses a coil that sends off a radio wave. This radio wave is detected by EAS towers when a tag is in the area. In other words, carry an iPad with a Bug Tag attached to it into the vicinity of an EAS tower and an alarm will sound and lights flash from the tower. This will alert nearby personnel of an attempted theft of a device. Personnel can then recover the item before it is carried out of the building along with all of the patient data it may be holding. The tags are easy enough to attach to devices using an adhesive sled that can be replaced if a tag has to be removed for some reason. Concerned about a thief removing the tag and walking off anyways? No need to be worried, the tags are tamper proof and will sound their own alarm if someone tries to pry one off of a unit. The key to having a secure system is to also have EAS towers at each entrance and exit to a building. This ensures there is no way for someone to sneak out through a side door or vendor entrance.
So how much different is the telepharmacy from a standard pharmacy? At least one telepharmacy I read about will only have a full-time pharmacist present 16 hours a month. The use of the iPad will allow them to verify the prescription and hold the consultation with the patient who may have to travel some distance to get to the pharmacy to pick up the medication(s). Most of us are able to get to a pharmacy, drop off the prescription or have it called in and we can wait for it to be filled in the store and talk to the pharmacist. This system will provide the same level of service with the same professional review without the patient having to be concerned over the possibility the pharmacist may not be in by the time they can get to the store.
What is another other advantage of a telepharmacy? You may be surprised to learn that “In a study performed as part of the North Dakota Telepharmacy Project, telepharmacy sites reported a lower overall medication dispensing error rate than standard, traditional pharmacies”, reported in a blog on the Telepharm website by Zach Schladetzky, “The 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Telepharmacy” dated January 27, 2017 http://blog.telepharm.com/the-10-most-frequently-asked-questions-about-telepharmacy
It would seem that an in-person dispensing system would be more accurate than an online system. It may be, however, that the concern over potential errors has aided in creating a system that has more checks and balances built into it. I am always excited to see technology help improve access to medical care for patients who may not have the same ease as others. I just want to be sure that the technology is secure and so is the data it holds.
I am pleased to see the implementation and growth of a telepharmacy system but it is important not to lose sight of the risks to patients if their information is stolen. CEO of Loss Prevention Systems inc., Bill Bregar recognizes that keeping patient data secure is a priority. He recommends that along with encrypting devices, the use of a Bug Tag and EAS towers to prevent iPad theft will instill confidence clients. The confidence of clients will help in the future growth of the business as they share their experiences with friends and family.
For more information about the Bug Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
I have recently learned of a new use of iPad technology in the pharmacy field but it does give me a bit of a concern over the potential for iPad theft. I was unaware that a new expansion of the traditional pharmacy store is now called telepharmacy. The idea is that pharmacists can expand their reach to rural residents more easily than in the past. In telepharmacy the Pharmacist and the patient can communicate over the telephone or an iPad for a consultation when a prescription is ready for pick-up. The concern I have is over what information the Pharmacist may have stored on an iPad about a patient. Assuming the pharmacy is using the technology on their end it is possible an iPad theft could take place and in such a situation what patient information is at risk? This risk can be mitigated with the use of a Bug Tag on each pharmacy iPad or computer tablet.
The Bug Tag prevents the theft of mobile medical iPads and tablets through the use of electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology. Each tag possesses a coil that sends off a radio wave. This radio wave is detected by EAS towers when a tag is in the area. In other words, carry an iPad with a Bug Tag attached to it into the vicinity of an EAS tower and an alarm will sound and lights flash from the tower. This will alert nearby personnel of an attempted theft of a device. Personnel can then recover the item before it is carried out of the building along with all of the patient data it may be holding. The tags are easy enough to attach to devices using an adhesive sled that can be replaced if a tag has to be removed for some reason. Concerned about a thief removing the tag and walking off anyways? No need to be worried, the tags are tamper proof and will sound their own alarm if someone tries to pry one off of a unit. The key to having a secure system is to also have EAS towers at each entrance and exit to a building. This ensures there is no way for someone to sneak out through a side door or vendor entrance.
So how much different is the telepharmacy from a standard pharmacy? At least one telepharmacy I read about will only have a full-time pharmacist present 16 hours a month. The use of the iPad will allow them to verify the prescription and hold the consultation with the patient who may have to travel some distance to get to the pharmacy to pick up the medication(s). Most of us are able to get to a pharmacy, drop off the prescription or have it called in and we can wait for it to be filled in the store and talk to the pharmacist. This system will provide the same level of service with the same professional review without the patient having to be concerned over the possibility the pharmacist may not be in by the time they can get to the store.
What is another advantage of a telepharmacy? You may be surprised to learn that “In a study performed as part of the North Dakota Telepharmacy Project, telepharmacy sites reported a lower overall medication dispensing error rate than standard, traditional pharmacies”, reported in a blog on the Telepharm website by Zach Schladetzky, “The 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Telepharmacy” dated January 27, 2017 http://blog.telepharm.com/the-10-most-frequently-asked-questions-about-telepharmacy It would seem that an in-person dispensing system would be more accurate than an online system. It may be, however, that the concern over potential errors has aided in creating a system that has more checks and balances built into it. I am always excited to see technology help improve access to medical care for patients who may not have the same ease as others. I just want to be sure that the technology is secure and so is the data it holds.
I am pleased to see the implementation and growth of a telepharmacy system but it is important not to lose sight of the risks to patients if their information is stolen. CEO of Loss Prevention Systems inc., Bill Bregar recognizes that keeping patient data secure is a priority. He recommends that along with encrypting devices, the use of a Bug Tag and EAS towers to prevent iPad theft will instill confidence clients. The confidence of clients will help in the future growth of the business as they share their experiences with friends and family.
For more information about the Bug Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Electronic Article Surveillance – 4 WC Blog 409
Stop Shoplifting -4
Poor Inventory Results? Take Action To Stop Shoplifting And Operational Losses By Creating A Shortage Action Plan
Change quite often can be uncomfortable. Have you ever noticed that usually when people are sitting at their dinner table everyone has a particular seat they sit in? I know that in church my wife and I have a tendency to sit in the same seats. Consider your routines when you wake up in the morning. I have a set order I do things, I wake up, shower, walk the dogs, drink a pot of coffee, read from my Bible, brush my teeth and head off to work. I detest being late for something so I set my watch 10 minutes ahead (of course when I am going to go somewhere with my wife and I feel we are running late she tells me my watch is 10 minutes fast, “What’s the rush?”).The point I am trying to make is that we all get into routines and whether we want to admit it or not it can be difficult to change whether it is something about ourselves, something about our habits or something having to do with our environment. I believe retail owners who are reluctant to take adequate steps to stop shoplifting with the use of electronic article surveillance systems are avoiding changes they are not comfortable with.
Electronic article surveillance systems use radio frequency waves transmitted from a tag or label and picked up by a receiver tower to sound an alarm when tagged merchandise is carried in the field of a tower. Some of the tags also have their own internal alarms that activate when a shoplifter tries to pry it off of merchandise. Because of the variety of tags and labels on the market through Checkpoint Systems and other companies, there are very few items that cannot be protected in one manner or another to stop shoplifting. There are labels that can be peeled from a roll and applied to boxes, shrink wrap, cloth and cardboard hang tags, etc. Hard tags are available that can be pinned to merchandise and not pulled off or detached without a removal key. Tagged goods are items that shoplifters prefer to leave alone. When shoplifters know that merchandise is protected with electronic article surveillance labels or tags they frequently choose to find another store rather than take the risk of being caught stealing.
It is funny but when I first started as a Loss Prevention Manager we would conduct our inventory and get the results back. When I would begin work on a shortage action plan I remember trying to get other managers to give input. Inevitably the very first cause of shortage for almost ANY category was attributed to theft. Why? Well, first it is always easy to attribute shortage to theft, the primary responsibility for actions to address it fall on Loss Prevention in a big store. If other areas are identified that are related to operations, it meant someone else would have to take an active role in the plan. That also meant following up to ensure any action step was being followed. Lastly, it meant taking a hard look at one’s own department and taking responsibility for things that may not have been done correctly.
I am of the opinion this is why many managers in retail don’t like to make shortage action plans or if they do make them they don’t always follow up on their plans after the first few weeks. I’ve run into this as a Loss Prevention Manager trying to work with the “store side” managers to create realistic plans and then follow through with them. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit…with shortage action plans I would say 21 months is more like it. For stores experiencing high inventory shortage, it is important to identify the areas/departments with the highest losses, look at the possible causes of the shortages and create action plans with action items, follow-ups and due dates. When theft is the issue, identify it and look for way to stop shoplifting or internal theft. When the issue involves operations call it as you see it, make a plan to fix the problem, execute the plan and follow up to make the store is doing what you committed to doing. If you are only making a plan for the sake of making a plan, don’t waste your time and don’t expect shortage to come down.
Electronic article surveillance can go a long way to stop shoplifting. Controls over vendors, stockroom access, shipment check-ins, etc. can make a significant impact on operational shortage. Remember, improving shortage results impacts profits and sales.
Get more information on electronic article surveillance, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Change quite often can be uncomfortable. Have you ever noticed that usually when people are sitting at their dinner table everyone has a particular seat they sit in? I know that in church my wife and I have a tendency to sit in the same seats. Consider your routines when you wake up in the morning. I have a set order I do things, I wake up, shower, walk the dogs, drink a pot of coffee, read from my Bible, brush my teeth and head off to work. I detest being late for something so I set my watch 10 minutes ahead (of course when I am going to go somewhere with my wife and I feel we are running late she tells me my watch is 10 minutes fast, “What’s the rush?”).The point I am trying to make is that we all get into routines and whether we want to admit it or not it can be difficult to change whether it is something about ourselves, something about our habits or something having to do with our environment. I believe retail owners who are reluctant to take adequate steps to stop shoplifting with the use of electronic article surveillance systems are avoiding changes they are not comfortable with.
Electronic article surveillance systems use radio frequency waves transmitted from a tag or label and picked up by a receiver tower to sound an alarm when tagged merchandise is carried in the field of a tower. Some of the tags also have their own internal alarms that activate when a shoplifter tries to pry it off of merchandise. Because of the variety of tags and labels on the market through Checkpoint Systems and other companies, there are very few items that cannot be protected in one manner or another to stop shoplifting. There are labels that can be peeled from a roll and applied to boxes, shrink wrap, cloth and cardboard hang tags, etc. Hard tags are available that can be pinned to merchandise and not pulled off or detached without a removal key. Tagged goods are items that shoplifters prefer to leave alone. When shoplifters know that merchandise is protected with electronic article surveillance labels or tags they frequently choose to find another store rather than take the risk of being caught stealing.
It is funny but when I first started as a Loss Prevention Manager we would conduct our inventory and get the results back. When I would begin work on a shortage action plan I remember trying to get other managers to give input. Inevitably the very first cause of shortage for almost ANY category was attributed to theft. Why? Well, first it is always easy to attribute shortage to theft, the primary responsibility for actions to address it fall on Loss Prevention in a big store. If other areas are identified that are related to operations, it meant someone else would have to take an active role in the plan. That also meant following up to ensure any action step was being followed. Lastly, it meant taking a hard look at one’s own department and taking responsibility for things that may not have been done correctly.
I am of the opinion this is why many managers in retail don’t like to make shortage action plans or if they do make them they don’t always follow up on their plans after the first few weeks. I’ve run into this as a Loss Prevention Manager trying to work with the “store side” managers to create realistic plans and then follow through with them. They say it takes 21 days to form a habit…with shortage action plans I would say 21 months is more like it. For stores experiencing high inventory shortage, it is important to identify the areas/departments with the highest losses, look at the possible causes of the shortages and create action plans with action items, follow-ups and due dates. When theft is the issue, identify it and look for way to stop shoplifting or internal theft. When the issue involves operations call it as you see it, make a plan to fix the problem, execute the plan and follow up to make the store is doing what you committed to doing. If you are only making a plan for the sake of making a plan, don’t waste your time and don’t expect shortage to come down.
Electronic article surveillance can go a long way to stop shoplifting. Controls over vendors, stockroom access, shipment check-ins, etc. can make a significant impact on operational shortage. Remember, improving shortage results impacts profits and sales.
Get more information on electronic article surveillance, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
