Retail Traffic Counting System -3 WC Blog 470
Door counting sensor-4
Innovative Ideas Using A Door Counting System
Innovations to improve profits and service are always fascinating to me. I came across something that piqued my interest while in a grocery store with my wife. We were just starting to walk past the frozen food freezer units and I saw a light turn on. Initially I thought this was possibly a bad bulb but then I noticed that the rest of the lights in the other coolers were out. We then turned to walk down the aisle and as we progressed the lights in the units immediately in front of us came on. I thought it was cool that someone thought of this innovation to save money. But I also thought about what may be another added bonus to the system. The lights coming on as we passed by the front of the aisle attracted my attention. How many customers does this cause to turn into an aisle they may have passed by? Does this have an unintended impact on driving sales? As those questions came to my mind I thought about retail traffic counting systems as an innovation in retail. Sure, they can tell a store owner how many people are coming in a store that is the natural intent of the devices. Are there other benefits that may be considered afterthoughts to installing them as were the draw of the motion sensor lights in the freezers?
Before I explore this any further it would be a good idea to clarify what retail traffic counter systems are for the uninitiated reader. These are systems that utilize a door counting sensor to track how many people are entering a store. The information gleaned from the system is used to determine exactly what the traffic patterns in a store are by time of day and the day of the week. This information is then used by store managers and store owners to determine payroll allocations. Payroll is spent where trends indicate the busiest days and hours are from a historical perspective.
Back to my observation about side benefits how else might a store owner benefit if he/she were to place a door counting sensor at the entrance to the store? Is there more than knowing how to spend payroll more effectively? Consider what happens when a new window display is set up. Does management really know whether it was impactful to set up that mannequin or layout a new lawnmower or tool set? Using the data from retail traffic counting systems it is possible to compare days. Maybe last year 300 people entered the store on this day of the week. This year the totals were 350 people coming to visit. Barring any external factors that may have played a part such as snow or a special event in the community, something that might have drawn in people to the town, it would be fairly safe to assume the display was the draw. Note should be taken for next year on what was displayed you may have hit a jackpot.
Another positive effect of a retail traffic counting system is it can help measure your store social media presence. It is one thing to get tweets and re-tweets or hundreds of Facebook shares but that means nothing if you don’t know if your media presence translates to sales. On the other hand a tweet about a special event in your building or a Facebook post telling everyone there is a special one-time deal being offered may drive in people but you don’t have any clue how many unless you can track that number by foot traffic. I know what you are thinking, “I always have my receipt tape to tell me how my event impacted sales.” If you think this an accurate measure you might want to reconsider that line of thought. How many customers came in but did not buy anything? Perhaps they just wanted to browse merchandise but what if they didn’t buy because no one was available to offer assistance? A door counting sensor along with sales receipt data can paint a true picture of how many people were in your store and how many actually made purchases. This information can help in creating future action plans that will make sale promotions more profitable than in the past.
Innovation often requires looking at something more than on the surface. A motion sensor can save money on energy and draw in a customer. A door counting sensor can count people and give vital information that will help in assessing social media and advertising impact along with other statistical data. See how a retail traffic counting sensor can help drive up your sales.
Need information on a door counting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Innovations to improve profits and service are always fascinating to me. I came across something that piqued my interest while in a grocery store with my wife. We were just starting to walk past the frozen food freezer units and I saw a light turn on. Initially I thought this was possibly a bad bulb but then I noticed that the rest of the lights in the other coolers were out. We then turned to walk down the aisle and as we progressed the lights in the units immediately in front of us came on. I thought it was cool that someone thought of this innovation to save money. But I also thought about what may be another added bonus to the system. The lights coming on as we passed by the front of the aisle attracted my attention. How many customers does this cause to turn into an aisle they may have passed by? Does this have an unintended impact on driving sales? As those questions came to my mind I thought about retail traffic counting systems as an innovation in retail. Sure, they can tell a store owner how many people are coming in a store that is the natural intent of the devices. Are there other benefits that may be considered afterthoughts to installing them as were the draw of the motion sensor lights in the freezers?
Before I explore this any further it would be a good idea to clarify what retail traffic counter systems are for the uninitiated reader. These are systems that utilize a door counting sensor to track how many people are entering a store. The information gleaned from the system is used to determine exactly what the traffic patterns in a store are by time of day and the day of the week. This information is then used by store managers and store owners to determine payroll allocations. Payroll is spent where trends indicate the busiest days and hours are from a historical perspective.
Back to my observation about side benefits how else might a store owner benefit if he/she were to place a door counting sensor at the entrance to the store? Is there more than knowing how to spend payroll more effectively? Consider what happens when a new window display is set up. Does management really know whether it was impactful to set up that mannequin or layout a new lawnmower or tool set? Using the data from retail traffic counting systems it is possible to compare days. Maybe last year 300 people entered the store on this day of the week. This year the totals were 350 people coming to visit. Barring any external factors that may have played a part such as snow or a special event in the community, something that might have drawn in people to the town, it would be fairly safe to assume the display was the draw. Note should be taken for next year on what was displayed you may have hit a jackpot.
Another positive effect of a retail traffic counting system is it can help measure your store social media presence. It is one thing to get tweets and re-tweets or hundreds of Facebook shares but that means nothing if you don’t know if your media presence translates to sales. On the other hand a tweet about a special event in your building or a Facebook post telling everyone there is a special one-time deal being offered may drive in people but you don’t have any clue how many unless you can track that number by foot traffic. I know what you are thinking, “I always have my receipt tape to tell me how my event impacted sales.” If you think this an accurate measure you might want to reconsider that line of thought. How many customers came in but did not buy anything? Perhaps they just wanted to browse merchandise but what if they didn’t buy because no one was available to offer assistance? A door counting sensor along with sales receipt data can paint a true picture of how many people were in your store and how many actually made purchases. This information can help in creating future action plans that will make sale promotions more profitable than in the past.
Innovation often requires looking at something more than on the surface. A motion sensor can save money on energy and draw in a customer. A door counting sensor can count people and give vital information that will help in assessing social media and advertising impact along with other statistical data. See how a retail traffic counting sensor can help drive up your sales.
Need information on a door counting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Pre-employment screening is not simply a means of cutting down the amount of time it takes to wade through an applicant pool. Though it can be one benefit of the process, there are practical benefits from a Loss Prevention standpoint as well. Often employers will place job ads in various locations in order to fill positions, and they will get a large response to the ad. At first glance, this seems like it would be a good thing for the employer, but then the process of reviewing applications takes place and it becomes obvious that there are many that you would never want on the team. It may be the applications are not completely filled out or there are glaring omissions and gaps in employment. Then further review has to take place to find those people that look like they would be good to interview. Depending on how deep the application pool is this can be a tedious task. From a Loss Prevention point of view it can be a nightmare. Bill Bregar, CEO of Loss Prevention Systems Inc. wants to help stores establish a strong team of employees without concern over a risk of bringing criminals or poor performers on board. Employee background checks and pre-employment screening in addition to applicant management combine to make hiring easier and create a secure environment.
Loss Prevention Systems Inc. is now offering an applicant management center to employers. This new tool will aid owners and managers in the hiring process and reduce the paperwork normally associated with filling position vacancies. For example, LPSI offers background checks to employers to ensure there are no concerns about the applicant’s past. Getting authorization forms signed by applicants could be a pain in the neck in the past. With an applicant management system, LPSI can accomplish the task electronically and include an electronic mouse signature that captures an applicant’s authorization to conduct the search. Additionally, the new system allows background checks to be an automatic part of the hiring process. Applicants will give their consent electronically and the process will begin. The option for manual review and submission is still something that can be done; the choice is up to the prospective employer. The applicant management process will also allow you to create a variety of job positions for different work centers, and you can flag specific questions for applicants to assist in the streamlining of your pool. In other words, if you require specific talents or skills, you can have questions that must be answered in a certain way or the application will not be included for consideration. You can see the benefit that is derived from having a one-stop shop for an application and hiring process.
As a former Loss Prevention Manager, I like the benefits associated with an automatic pre-employment screening process in conjunction with flagging application questions. Questions I have seen for applicants have included, “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?”, “Have you ever shoplifted?” or “Have you ever stolen from your employer?” Flagging these questions can help eliminate applicants who have answered yes and who would be a risk for you to add to your team. The background check can be conducted on the pool of applicants you are considering and if those results conflict with the answers provided in the questionnaire you can use the email support and conduct a further inquiry on the applicant. Having caught employees stealing who did not have employee background checks completed prior to bringing them on board, I know the negative impact those hires can have on a business. Automating this into your hiring process can save you a lot of money and prevent a lot of shortage in the long run.
Employee Background Checks are an important part of any employer’s hiring process to ensure the best qualified talent is brought on a team. Trying to manage all of the parts of the process of hiring can be challenging and time consuming. LPSI can simplify paperwork and conduct the thorough pre-employment screening for your applicants that will streamline your hiring process, so you can spend more time on other aspects of driving sales for your business.
Need information on applicant management? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Clothing Security Tags-5 WC Blog 483
Checkpoint Tags-3
Clothing Security Tags Deter Most Thieves
Clothing security tags are really good at deterring and preventing shoplifting. There are times in the world of Retail Loss Prevention when you see someone steal clothing regardless of whether or not merchandise is tagged. It isn’t too surprising that people will do a lot of dumb things but what can be surprising is who we see stealing and sometimes what people are stealing. Checkpoint tags on clothes are effective but it just so happens there are a few people that don’t worry themselves over them. I want to share about two such shoplifters I dealt with in my Loss Prevention Career.
I should take a break from my story about odd shoplifters I have encountered and discuss what clothing security tags are. These aren’t the clothing hang tags from the manufacturer (although soft Checkpoint tags can be embedded in them) I am referring to a hard tag that is attached to a garment. These tags are placed in a prominent location on a clothing item and most of the time will deter a criminal who sees them. The tags are nearly impossible to remove from clothing without damaging the product. When clothes are damaged it renders it useless to the criminal. The tags also have the ability to activate Checkpoint pedestals when carried too close to them. Even when concealed in a bag or being worn by a would-be thief merchandise that is tagged sets off an alarm and lights in a pedestal. Associates respond, conduct receipt checks and using training they have received recover merchandise. So, deterrence and detection can save a store a vast amount of money in reduced shortage.
But like I was alluding to in the beginning of my article not everyone is necessarily concerned about clothing security tags or even Retail Loss Prevention people for that matter. These can turn into odd shoplifting cases. One case I had was as a Loss Prevention Associate in a department store. It was a slow night and I was in the camera room looking for activity. I noticed an older woman walking through departments and she seemed to be browsing. I casually observed her since there was no other activity and she had a large purse in her shopping cart. I thought I noticed her pick up an item without paying much attention to it and place it in her purse. I admit I was shocked as this woman could have been my grandmother! A few more minutes and she did it again. I reviewed my videotape to be sure I saw what I thought I saw. Sure enough she had concealed the item. At that time our store did not use clothing security tags on everything so I was not sure she would set off any alarms when she would eventually leave. Eventually my 72 year old shopper did leave the store without paying for the merchandise. I did stop her and contacted the police. She was released by them to her husband who apparently had to deal with this on a regular basis.
Another odd shoplifter I encountered was when I was a Loss Prevention Manager. I had a male shopper in our lingerie department. I had other experiences like this that were less than pleasant to deal with. The guy was standing behind fixtures and appeared to be looking at female shoppers nearby. I began watching him anticipating that I would have to go and intervene. It wasn’t long before I saw him pick up a piece of lingerie and hide it under his shirt. That was NOT what I was expecting. A few more lingerie items were concealed and he walked towards the doors. In this instance one or more of the items had Checkpoint tags on them and the pedestals alarmed as I stopped him. We returned to the security office and I recovered the merchandise from the blushing blunderer. I’m still not sure if he was blushing for being caught or for what he was stealing. He did get a one-way ride to the city jail where he could share his exploits with the fellas.
Clothing security tags are an effective means of preventing theft and deterring crime. Two things must be remembered. The best protection is when everything is tagged and when you understand that there are a few people who will disregard those tags and steal anyways. Be ready to respond to pedestal alarms and don’t be shocked if it turns out to be someone’s grandmother who is trying to rip you off.
Clothing security tags are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Clothing security tags are really good at deterring and preventing shoplifting. There are times in the world of Retail Loss Prevention when you see someone steal clothing regardless of whether or not merchandise is tagged. It isn’t too surprising that people will do a lot of dumb things but what can be surprising is who we see stealing and sometimes what people are stealing. Checkpoint tags on clothes are effective but it just so happens there are a few people that don’t worry themselves over them. I want to share about two such shoplifters I dealt with in my Loss Prevention Career.
I should take a break from my story about odd shoplifters I have encountered and discuss what clothing security tags are. These aren’t the clothing hang tags from the manufacturer (although soft Checkpoint tags can be embedded in them) I am referring to a hard tag that is attached to a garment. These tags are placed in a prominent location on a clothing item and most of the time will deter a criminal who sees them. The tags are nearly impossible to remove from clothing without damaging the product. When clothes are damaged it renders it useless to the criminal. The tags also have the ability to activate Checkpoint pedestals when carried too close to them. Even when concealed in a bag or being worn by a would-be thief merchandise that is tagged sets off an alarm and lights in a pedestal. Associates respond, conduct receipt checks and using training they have received recover merchandise. So, deterrence and detection can save a store a vast amount of money in reduced shortage.
But like I was alluding to in the beginning of my article not everyone is necessarily concerned about clothing security tags or even Retail Loss Prevention people for that matter. These can turn into odd shoplifting cases. One case I had was as a Loss Prevention Associate in a department store. It was a slow night and I was in the camera room looking for activity. I noticed an older woman walking through departments and she seemed to be browsing. I casually observed her since there was no other activity and she had a large purse in her shopping cart. I thought I noticed her pick up an item without paying much attention to it and place it in her purse. I admit I was shocked as this woman could have been my grandmother! A few more minutes and she did it again. I reviewed my videotape to be sure I saw what I thought I saw. Sure enough she had concealed the item. At that time our store did not use clothing security tags on everything so I was not sure she would set off any alarms when she would eventually leave. Eventually my 72 year old shopper did leave the store without paying for the merchandise. I did stop her and contacted the police. She was released by them to her husband who apparently had to deal with this on a regular basis.
Another odd shoplifter I encountered was when I was a Loss Prevention Manager. I had a male shopper in our lingerie department. I had other experiences like this that were less than pleasant to deal with. The guy was standing behind fixtures and appeared to be looking at female shoppers nearby. I began watching him anticipating that I would have to go and intervene. It wasn’t long before I saw him pick up a piece of lingerie and hide it under his shirt. That was NOT what I was expecting. A few more lingerie items were concealed and he walked towards the doors. In this instance one or more of the items had Checkpoint tags on them and the pedestals alarmed as I stopped him. We returned to the security office and I recovered the merchandise from the blushing blunderer. I’m still not sure if he was blushing for being caught or for what he was stealing. He did get a one-way ride to the city jail where he could share his exploits with the fellas.
Clothing security tags are an effective means of preventing theft and deterring crime. Two things must be remembered. The best protection is when everything is tagged and when you understand that there are a few people who will disregard those tags and steal anyways. Be ready to respond to pedestal alarms and don’t be shocked if it turns out to be someone’s grandmother who is trying to rip you off.
Clothing security tags are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
BOOSTERS LEAVE RETAILER EMPTY HANDED, AFTER ATTEMPTING TO STEAL HIGH DOLLAR ITEMS SECURED WITH CLOTHING SECURITY TAGS!
Clothing Security Tags -4 ML Blog 25
Security tags on clothes – 3
Boosters drive Loss Prevention teams absolute CRAZY. They wipe out shelves within minutes, killing your sales and shrink numbers. There are several incidents while I am just at lunch, and boosters were in and out of my location! My store had a policy at the time, to not utilize security devices on certain items we sold. Stores struggle on the decision of utilizing security devices on products or not. A lot of retailers worry about the cost versus seeing the return on investment from using merchandise protection standards. However, these were the “hot” items that the boosters wanted currently. Instead of being frustrated daily, I took it upon myself to do a Best Practice Security Device Program. I wrote up an action plan up on why I was going to go above and beyond with tagging standards. I ordered clothing security tags to deter the thieves and to prove how this program can really work. You learn truly by experimenting with different devices, figuring out what actually deters merchandise from leaving the building. Normally this will send boosters to your competitors, keeping your items on your shelves to sell. Why not invest your money on what has been proven to stop shoplifting in other retailers?! I personally like to invest in security tags on clothes, in order to reduce their amount of loss each year. I have had several, crazy experiences to prove this method.
It’s 5:00pm on a Saturday, and the store is packed with customers on this busy weekend. The store team is running around helping shoppers, while I am scanning CCTV cameras looking for boosters. I am waiting for 2 subjects that target my store once a month on specific weekend days. I was able to develop their trend, and knew they were going to hit my store at some point that weekend. I kept my cameras pointed on the highly targeted woman’s shirts and played the waiting game. Finally by 7:30pm, I see the familiar subjects that I know all too well. They were scoping the store suspiciously for cameras, then quickly headed for the woman’s department. I keep CCTV on the subjects and within minutes of seeing their strange behaviors, both subjects walk right up to the woman’s shirts they have targeted previously. Just 2 weeks ago, I received my new clothing security tags in and I had the store team place them on this entire fixture. Subject 1, quickly goes up to the rack and grabs a stack of the shirts priced at $49.99 per piece. Subject 2 scopes the area, and then signals for Subject 1 to go to the fitting room. They both go into the fitting room and stay in there for 10 minutes. I watch them exit the fitting room, and see them come out with the stack of shirts, dumping them on a random fixture. I run to check the fixture to make sure they didn’t take any. I check the shirts and literally start jumping in the air for joy! All of the associates in the area looked at me like I was crazy, but I was extremely pumped! I was able to see that they dumped everything because they couldn’t get the clothing security tags off of the products! Finally, I was able to put a stop to these boosters! After dumping the clothes, they exited the building quickly and you could actually see them frowning and upset! A HUGE win for our store! They left my store and never came back. I never spotted them again, which shows the deterrent tag method really worked. I ended up totaling up how much these boosters would have left my store with, if I did not have the security devices present: a grand total of $499.90! Within minutes it went from close to $500.00 going right out the door, to the boosters leaving immediately with NOTHING. However, think about how much they got away with previously or when I was not there to observe? I was lucky that I figured out who they were and when they were coming in. This investigation led us to take action by placing security tags on clothes. It is such a small task, for such a big prevention. In this day and age, it is not realistic for associate awareness on the sales floor to be enough in deterring the thieves. Retailers have to use more advanced protection devices that really deters the thieves from coming into the store. I’ve learned that associates including myself cannot observe everything that is going on every day. Even an entire Loss Prevention team cannot observe everything that is going on every single day. So what are you going to do to stop the booster craziness?!
In my several years of being an Asset Protection Manager, I see a massive amount of these same incidents happening on camera due to security tags on clothes. The boosters panicking leaving all items behind, after seeing what tags we use. This is the route to go, if you are looking for an inexpensive fix that truly puts boosters to a stop!
For more information about Clothing Security Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Boosters drive Loss Prevention teams absolute CRAZY. They wipe out shelves within minutes, killing your sales and shrink numbers. There are several incidents while I am just at lunch, and boosters were in and out of my location! My store had a policy at the time, to not utilize security devices on certain items we sold. Stores struggle on the decision of utilizing security devices on products or not. A lot of retailers worry about the cost versus seeing the return on investment from using merchandise protection standards. However, these were the “hot” items that the boosters wanted currently. Instead of being frustrated daily, I took it upon myself to do a Best Practice Security Device Program. I wrote up an action plan up on why I was going to go above and beyond with tagging standards. I ordered clothing security tags to deter the thieves and to prove how this program can really work. You learn truly by experimenting with different devices, figuring out what actually deters merchandise from leaving the building. Normally this will send boosters to your competitors, keeping your items on your shelves to sell. Why not invest your money on what has been proven to stop shoplifting in other retailers?! I personally like to invest in security tags on clothes, in order to reduce their amount of loss each year. I have had several, crazy experiences to prove this method.
It’s 5:00pm on a Saturday, and the store is packed with customers on this busy weekend. The store team is running around helping shoppers, while I am scanning CCTV cameras looking for boosters. I am waiting for 2 subjects that target my store once a month on specific weekend days. I was able to develop their trend, and knew they were going to hit my store at some point that weekend. I kept my cameras pointed on the highly targeted woman’s shirts and played the waiting game. Finally by 7:30pm, I see the familiar subjects that I know all too well. They were scoping the store suspiciously for cameras, then quickly headed for the woman’s department. I keep CCTV on the subjects and within minutes of seeing their strange behaviors, both subjects walk right up to the woman’s shirts they have targeted previously. Just 2 weeks ago, I received my new clothing security tags in and I had the store team place them on this entire fixture. Subject 1, quickly goes up to the rack and grabs a stack of the shirts priced at $49.99 per piece. Subject 2 scopes the area, and then signals for Subject 1 to go to the fitting room. They both go into the fitting room and stay in there for 10 minutes. I watch them exit the fitting room, and see them come out with the stack of shirts, dumping them on a random fixture. I run to check the fixture to make sure they didn’t take any. I check the shirts and literally start jumping in the air for joy! All of the associates in the area looked at me like I was crazy, but I was extremely pumped! I was able to see that they dumped everything because they couldn’t get the clothing security tags off of the products! Finally, I was able to put a stop to these boosters! After dumping the clothes, they exited the building quickly and you could actually see them frowning and upset! A HUGE win for our store! They left my store and never came back. I never spotted them again, which shows the deterrent tag method really worked. I ended up totaling up how much these boosters would have left my store with, if I did not have the security devices present: a grand total of $499.90! Within minutes it went from close to $500.00 going right out the door, to the boosters leaving immediately with NOTHING. However, think about how much they got away with previously or when I was not there to observe? I was lucky that I figured out who they were and when they were coming in. This investigation led us to take action by placing security tags on clothes. It is such a small task, for such a big prevention. In this day and age, it is not realistic for associate awareness on the sales floor to be enough in deterring the thieves. Retailers have to use more advanced protection devices that really deters the thieves from coming into the store. I’ve learned that associates including myself cannot observe everything that is going on every day. Even an entire Loss Prevention team cannot observe everything that is going on every single day. So what are you going to do to stop the booster craziness?!
In my several years of being an Asset Protection Manager, I see a massive amount of these same incidents happening on camera due to security tags on clothes. The boosters panicking leaving all items behind, after seeing what tags we use. This is the route to go, if you are looking for an inexpensive fix that truly puts boosters to a stop!
For more information about Clothing Security Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Can Loss Prevention Be Free? -4 wc blog 436
Loss Prevention Calculator-3
There Are A Lot Of Dumb Questions To Be Answered In Retail But “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” Is Not One Of Them
Working in retail it is funny the kinds of questions I get asked by customers. When there was a chance of a hurricane coming in the direction of the area where I live, I had one woman and her daughter ask me if they should evacuate from the area. I have been through quite a few hurricanes and typhoons so I knew what I was planning for myself and my family but trying to tell someone else what to do is not something I like to do. I told this customer what I was going to do but my recommendation for her was that she should do what she was comfortable with for herself. Another question I am asked frequently when I am selling a desk or chair to a customer is, “Is this hard to put together?” My usual reply is that the item is not too hard to put together as long as you look over the directions, lay out the parts and take your time. When I was a Loss Prevention Manager and I would catch an employee stealing I would inevitably be asked, “Am I going to jail?” Although the answer seemed pretty obvious to me I would try to deflect the answer until after I completed my theft interview with them and then give the answer in the affirmative (most of the time). One question I have never been asked but one day wish I would get as an inquiry is, “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” It may sound absurd to ask, but the answer may not be as obvious as you would think it would be.
Can Loss Prevention be free? It is an interesting question but the answer is within your grasp if you take the time to use the Loss Prevention Calculator on the Loss Prevention Systems Inc. website. This calculator gives a retail business owner to the ability to see how long it would take for a Checkpoint Security System to pay for itself through inventory shortage reduction due to theft. The way the Loss Prevention Calculator does this is it allows a store owner to input the annual sales for their business, it estimates the annual inventory shortage at about 1.2% shrink (the average shortage for retailers nationwide) and then the user inputs how much they would be willing to invest in a Checkpoint Security System. The calculator reduces shortage to .65% and then gives the number of months it would take for the system to pay for itself in shortage reduction savings for the store. So the answer to the question, “Can Loss Prevention be free?” is a resounding YES!
Some of you are thinking to yourselves, “If I have to pay for it then it isn’t free.” But you need to think of it in these terms that will make more sense. Let’s pretend your annual stock shortage is $10,000 for arguments sake. You reduce that amount by about half in the first year you own your system. You have now saved almost $5,000 in reduced shortage. Depending on how much you spent on your Checkpoint System and tags you may have almost paid for your investment. Keep your shortage down to $5,000 in the next year and you can see how much you have saved over two years. After you have recouped your investment you are now just adding money to your bottom line. You may choose to invest in expanding your business, hiring more people or adding additional Loss Prevention Measures to save even more. In a sense Loss Prevention is paying for itself.
The Loss Prevention Calculator is free to use and requires no sign on or registration to use. You can make as many entries and variations of them as you like and if you decide you are interested then YOU make the choice to speak to LPSI about a Loss Prevention System. They don’t call you or harass you with unsolicited phone calls. So while I may never get the question, “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” I am giving you the answer anyways, YES it can be and it can make your company more profitable in the long run.
Need information on the Loss Prevention Calculator? Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 now.
Working in retail it is funny the kinds of questions I get asked by customers. When there was a chance of a hurricane coming in the direction of the area where I live, I had one woman and her daughter ask me if they should evacuate from the area. I have been through quite a few hurricanes and typhoons so I knew what I was planning for myself and my family but trying to tell someone else what to do is not something I like to do. I told this customer what I was going to do but my recommendation for her was that she should do what she was comfortable with for herself. Another question I am asked frequently when I am selling a desk or chair to a customer is, “Is this hard to put together?” My usual reply is that the item is not too hard to put together as long as you look over the directions, lay out the parts and take your time. When I was a Loss Prevention Manager and I would catch an employee stealing I would inevitably be asked, “Am I going to jail?” Although the answer seemed pretty obvious to me I would try to deflect the answer until after I completed my theft interview with them and then give the answer in the affirmative (most of the time). One question I have never been asked but one day wish I would get as an inquiry is, “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” It may sound absurd to ask, but the answer may not be as obvious as you would think it would be.
Can Loss Prevention be free? It is an interesting question but the answer is within your grasp if you take the time to use the Loss Prevention Calculator on the Loss Prevention Systems Inc. website. This calculator gives a retail business owner to the ability to see how long it would take for a Checkpoint Security System to pay for itself through inventory shortage reduction due to theft. The way the Loss Prevention Calculator does this is it allows a store owner to input the annual sales for their business, it estimates the annual inventory shortage at about 1.2% shrink (the average shortage for retailers nationwide) and then the user inputs how much they would be willing to invest in a Checkpoint Security System. The calculator reduces shortage to .65% and then gives the number of months it would take for the system to pay for itself in shortage reduction savings for the store. So the answer to the question, “Can Loss Prevention be free?” is a resounding YES!
Some of you are thinking to yourselves, “If I have to pay for it then it isn’t free.” But you need to think of it in these terms that will make more sense. Let’s pretend your annual stock shortage is $10,000 for arguments sake. You reduce that amount by about half in the first year you own your system. You have now saved almost $5,000 in reduced shortage. Depending on how much you spent on your Checkpoint System and tags you may have almost paid for your investment. Keep your shortage down to $5,000 in the next year and you can see how much you have saved over two years. After you have recouped your investment you are now just adding money to your bottom line. You may choose to invest in expanding your business, hiring more people or adding additional Loss Prevention Measures to save even more. In a sense Loss Prevention is paying for itself.
The Loss Prevention Calculator is free to use and requires no sign on or registration to use. You can make as many entries and variations of them as you like and if you decide you are interested then YOU make the choice to speak to LPSI about a Loss Prevention System. They don’t call you or harass you with unsolicited phone calls. So while I may never get the question, “Can Loss Prevention Be Free?” I am giving you the answer anyways, YES it can be and it can make your company more profitable in the long run.
Need information on the Loss Prevention Calculator? Contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 now.
Retail Anti-Theft Devices – 4 WC Blog 405
Alpha Security – 3
Prevent Shoplifting – 3
Financial Security For Your Retail Business Can Be Secured With Retail Anti-Theft Devices
I’ve recently been toying with the idea of getting a 401k account with my primary employer. I already am participating in the pension plan fund but I don’t know that I have full confidence that will be enough security for me when I am ready to retire…LOTS of years down the road, no matter what my wife or friends may say to the contrary. I also have a small pension I earned while working for a retailer as a Loss Prevention Manager but I will not be collecting that money for a LOT of years (I’m just emphasizing this in case anyone who knows me may be reading this and cracking age jokes at my expense). While I am hopeful that social security will be around then I don’t want to put all my eggs in that basket either. The point I am making is this, my financial security is a priority and I have goals I have set, a family to take care of and bills that must be paid. It is therefore MY responsibility to do all that I can to look out for the security of my wife and our future. Small retail business owners have to be concerned with financial security too. Their financial security is more complex than mine. Not only is cash flow a consideration but so are factors that directly impact profits and therefore financial security. For example using retail anti-theft devices impacts the financial security of a retailer.
It would make sense at this point to clarify what I mean by anti-theft devices. Retail anti-theft devices from Checkpoint’s Alpha security line of products are applied to merchandise such as clothing or if a wrap or cable is used it is wrapped around a product. In either case the devices are meant to deter and prevent shoplifting. These protective tools are built with a radio frequency coil inside of them that will cause an electronic article surveillance pedestal to alarm when tagged items are carried too close. Most of us have heard pedestals of one type or another get set off at exit doors. That annoying beeping sound and those flashing lights that draws EVERYONE’s attention elicits a response from trained store employees. Those employees combine tact and service with receipt checks to retrieve merchandise a criminal was going to steal.
Consider the impact of empty shelves or clothing racks on the financial security of the business. Are you selling goods and not getting freight back on the floor? Poor logistics can cripple a store. Customers can’t buy what isn’t there. Determining the causes for lack of product is also important for financial security. If freight isn’t being shipped to the store is there an issue with the purchasing process? If freight is at the store but not getting on to the floor there could be a breakdown in the push process. If product is getting to the floor and it is being sold great, then go back to step one and evaluate replenishment again. If it is being stolen the negative financial impact is tripled, stolen merchandise is lost profit, no merchandise translates to lost sales and third more merchandise has to be bought to replace what was taken. Financial losses due to theft can be avoided by placing Checkpoint’s Alpha security retail anti-theft devices on all merchandise.
What else impacts the financial security of a business? Consider safety issues and concerns as potential drains on a business. Is your parking lot lighting adequate? Poor parking lot lighting can lead to an increase in crime and that can reduce the customer traffic visiting your store resulting in decreased sales. As the criminal activity outside the store increases so does the criminal activity inside the store. It is more difficult to prevent shoplifting when the perception is criminals are being invited to the store. Are panhandlers permitted to loiter on your property or approach customers as they walk through the parking lot? I have had to chase off panhandlers who were intimidating customers. I have seen customers afraid to leave the safety of their vehicles because a panhandler was standing at their door as soon as the vehicle was placed in park. In a sense you could say financial security starts when the customer drives into your parking lot.
The financial security of a small business depends on a lot of factors. Prevent shoplifting by using Alpha security retail anti-theft devices and you can make a significant impact on profits through improved in-stocks and in turn, increased sales.
Get more information on retail anti-theft devices, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I’ve recently been toying with the idea of getting a 401k account with my primary employer. I already am participating in the pension plan fund but I don’t know that I have full confidence that will be enough security for me when I am ready to retire…LOTS of years down the road, no matter what my wife or friends may say to the contrary. I also have a small pension I earned while working for a retailer as a Loss Prevention Manager but I will not be collecting that money for a LOT of years (I’m just emphasizing this in case anyone who knows me may be reading this and cracking age jokes at my expense). While I am hopeful that social security will be around then I don’t want to put all my eggs in that basket either. The point I am making is this, my financial security is a priority and I have goals I have set, a family to take care of and bills that must be paid. It is therefore MY responsibility to do all that I can to look out for the security of my wife and our future. Small retail business owners have to be concerned with financial security too. Their financial security is more complex than mine. Not only is cash flow a consideration but so are factors that directly impact profits and therefore financial security. For example using retail anti-theft devices impacts the financial security of a retailer.
It would make sense at this point to clarify what I mean by anti-theft devices. Retail anti-theft devices from Checkpoint’s Alpha security line of products are applied to merchandise such as clothing or if a wrap or cable is used it is wrapped around a product. In either case the devices are meant to deter and prevent shoplifting. These protective tools are built with a radio frequency coil inside of them that will cause an electronic article surveillance pedestal to alarm when tagged items are carried too close. Most of us have heard pedestals of one type or another get set off at exit doors. That annoying beeping sound and those flashing lights that draws EVERYONE’s attention elicits a response from trained store employees. Those employees combine tact and service with receipt checks to retrieve merchandise a criminal was going to steal.
Consider the impact of empty shelves or clothing racks on the financial security of the business. Are you selling goods and not getting freight back on the floor? Poor logistics can cripple a store. Customers can’t buy what isn’t there. Determining the causes for lack of product is also important for financial security. If freight isn’t being shipped to the store is there an issue with the purchasing process? If freight is at the store but not getting on to the floor there could be a breakdown in the push process. If product is getting to the floor and it is being sold great, then go back to step one and evaluate replenishment again. If it is being stolen the negative financial impact is tripled, stolen merchandise is lost profit, no merchandise translates to lost sales and third more merchandise has to be bought to replace what was taken. Financial losses due to theft can be avoided by placing Checkpoint’s Alpha security retail anti-theft devices on all merchandise.
What else impacts the financial security of a business? Consider safety issues and concerns as potential drains on a business. Is your parking lot lighting adequate? Poor parking lot lighting can lead to an increase in crime and that can reduce the customer traffic visiting your store resulting in decreased sales. As the criminal activity outside the store increases so does the criminal activity inside the store. It is more difficult to prevent shoplifting when the perception is criminals are being invited to the store. Are panhandlers permitted to loiter on your property or approach customers as they walk through the parking lot? I have had to chase off panhandlers who were intimidating customers. I have seen customers afraid to leave the safety of their vehicles because a panhandler was standing at their door as soon as the vehicle was placed in park. In a sense you could say financial security starts when the customer drives into your parking lot.
The financial security of a small business depends on a lot of factors. Prevent shoplifting by using Alpha security retail anti-theft devices and you can make a significant impact on profits through improved in-stocks and in turn, increased sales.
Get more information on retail anti-theft devices, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
