Bug Tag-4 WC Blog 335
iPad Theft-3
Alpha Security-3
Ipads Improve Patient Services; Protect Those Ipads And The Information They Carry With Bug Tags
As the benefits of using mobile medical devices are becoming more apparent, it is interesting to see the ways various doctors’ offices are employing them. I was combing the internet and came across an interesting article on the use of iPads in the optometry field. In his article in Optometry Time, April 22, 2015, “iPads in the optometry office How I put technology to use on a day to day basis”, Chief Optometric Editor Ernie Bowling, OD, FAOO, writes about his transition to the use of iPads to improve service to his customers and improve office efficiency. He states, “In our office, use of the iPad begins when the patient enters the office if not before. The iPad has, as intended, completely replaced the clipboard in our office.” He writes that his patients can complete intake forms, “…once at the office, complete them on the iPad. We have several iPads dedicated to patient registration.” In my opinion, the option of going digital is a welcome change to the hassle of paper. My concern is that as I looked at the picture of his patients in the office completing the forms on the iPads, I see no protections for the devices to prevent someone from running off with one. The security professional in me sees this as a major concern but one that could be addressed with the use of an Alpha Security Bug Tag on each device and a Classic N10 Checkpoint antenna at the doors.
The Bug Tag has an adhesive sled attached to the body of the tag itself. The sled is stuck to whatever item the medical facility needs to protect and if the time comes the device is to be taken out of service, the body is detached from the sled and reused on a new item. The sled is disposable and therefore is simply thrown away. Before being removed from the device, the body of the tag must be detached from the sled with a detachment tool acquired from Alpha Security. Without the removal tool, any attempt to take the tag off will result in a tamper alarm being activated (bad news for criminals with the intent of an iPad theft). An additional protection the tag has is when it is used with electronic article surveillance towers at the front doors to a business. With towers like the Checkpoint Classic N10 system in place, a mobile device with a Bug Tag on it will be picked up by the towers and this sets off alarms and lights built in the tower. The alarms provide warning to employees that a theft attempt is taking place and they can recover the iPad or tablet before it leaves the building.
Aside from patient’s filling out new patient information on iPads, the doctor mentions several other uses he has for the mobile devices in his practice. His, “…technician has a dedicated iPad for patient preliminaries…I carry the iPad with me from room to room, accessing and reviewing the patient’s chart before entering the exam room.” The doctor goes on to mention that his practice uses the camera on the iPad to take pictures of the patient to help prevent insurance fraud and to avoid chart errors. They complete prescriptions on the iPads and reduce the potential errors they may have had when staff had to interpret his handwriting. He names a number of other functions they have used to improve their services but it is clear that with all of the patient data being stored, the risk of client information being compromised in the event of an iPad theft is significant.
Improving processes, reducing paperwork and finding ways to prevent medical errors and fraud are advantages that iPads can offer to healthcare providers. It is important to protect patient privacy and protected information and the Alpha Security Bug Tag can provide that security by preventing iPad theft.
Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
As the benefits of using mobile medical devices are becoming more apparent, it is interesting to see the ways various doctors’ offices are employing them. I was combing the internet and came across an interesting article on the use of i-pads in the optometry field. In his article in Optometry Time, April 22, 2015, “i-pads in the optometry office How I put technology to use on a day to day basis”, Chief Optometric Editor Ernie Bowling, OD, FAOO, writes about his transition to the use of i-pads to improve service to his customers and improve office efficiency. He states, “In our office, use of the i-pad begins when the patient enters the office if not before. The i-pad has, as intended, completely replaced the clipboard in our office.” He writes that his patients can complete intake forms, “…once at the office, complete them on the i-pad. We have several i-pads dedicated to patient registration.” In my opinion, the option of going digital is a welcome change to the hassle of paper. My concern is that as I looked at the picture of his patients in the office completing the forms on the i-pads, I see no protections for the devices to prevent someone from running off with one. The security professional in me sees this as a major concern but one that could be addressed with the use of an Alpha Security Bug Tag on each device and a Classic N10 Checkpoint antenna at the doors.
The Bug Tag has an adhesive sled attached to the body of the tag itself. The sled is stuck to whatever item the medical facility needs to protect and if the time comes the device is to be taken out of service, the body is detached from the sled and reused on a new item. The sled is disposable and therefore is simply thrown away. Before being removed from the device, the body of the tag must be detached from the sled with a detachment tool acquired from Alpha Security. Without the removal tool, any attempt to take the tag off will result in a tamper alarm being activated (bad news for criminals with the intent of an i-pad theft). An additional protection the tag has is when it is used with electronic article surveillance towers at the front doors to a business. With towers like the Checkpoint Classic N10 system in place, a mobile device with a Bug Tag on it will be picked up by the towers and this sets off alarms and lights built in the tower. The alarms provide warning to employees that a theft attempt is taking place and they can recover the iPad or tablet before it leaves the building.
Aside from patient’s filling out new patient information on i-pads, the doctor mentions several other uses he has for the mobile devices in his practice. His, “…technician has a dedicated i-pad for patient preliminaries…I carry the i-pad with me from room to room, accessing and reviewing the patient’s chart before entering the exam room.” The doctor goes on to mention that his practice uses the camera on the i-pad to take pictures of the patient to help prevent insurance fraud and to avoid chart errors. They complete prescriptions on the i-pads and reduce the potential errors they may have had when staff had to interpret his handwriting. He names a number of other functions they have used to improve their services but it is clear that with all of the patient data being stored, the risk of client information being compromised in the event of an i-pad theft is significant.
Improving processes, reducing paperwork and finding ways to prevent medical errors and fraud are advantages that i-pads can offer to healthcare providers. It is important to protect patient privacy and protected information and the Alpha Security Bug Tag can provide that security by preventing i-pad theft.
Need information on Bug Tags? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
AA Blog 46
Checkpoint Label: 5
Stop shoplifting: 3
Inventory Control: 3
Are You Having A Problem Maintaining A Current Inventory Due To Shoplifting? Checkpoint Labels Can Provide a Cost-Efficient Means To Protect All Your Products Safely and Efficiently.
As a consumer I typically do not have a certain item that I shop for on a regular basis or that I have a hard time locating when I need it. I am a pretty simple person and my needs are pretty easily met, however that changed recently. I am a mother of three now, which I never thought would happen. All of my children are spread out quite a bit in age. My first daughter is now 18 and in college, and initially she was going to be our one and only child, but as you know life changes things. Unexpectedly we learned ten years in that we were having another baby, who is now 8. Although unplanned she was well received and I couldn’t think of my life any other way. I got divorced about 4 years ago and remarried a man who had never been married and had no children, which brought this topic to the forefront. Needless to say it was decided we would try one more time, and were blessed with a baby boy. Now if you are a parent, I don’t need to tell you how much can change when you have babies a decade or so apart. I was astonished by all of the products out there that made life much more convenient than they did almost 20 years ago. Although, this also caused me to learn how hard it can be to find a product that you need on a regular basis. My son had some stomach issues, which resulted in his need for a sensitive formula. He went through a lot of formula and every time I needed more, I could never find it. I would literally travel or call at least ten stores in my area to look for the formula I needed, just to find them out of stock. If I did find it, I would purchase at least 6 or more at a time, knowing that the product was hard to find. This can be rather expensive since they cost almost $30.00 a can, but I didn’t have much choice. It made me wonder why there was such an issue maintaining a proper inventory on this item. Was it hard to get from the manufacturer? Did they feel they didn’t sell it frequently enough to stock a large quantity? Or did they have an inventory control problem, which prevented them from having an accurate count? I am not quite sure, but at $30 a can, I can presume that theft may be an issue. If theft is an issue, which knowing the industry, I can safely say it probably accounts for some of it, I would recommend they use a Checkpoint label to stop shoplifting in their store.
Checkpoint labels offer protection for a wide variety of products. They provide a convenient and inexpensive means to protect all your products and stop shoplifting. The enhanced performance labels are equipped with EAS technology, and are designed to be even more detectable, in comparison to other tags on the market. They have a strong adhesive that prevents removal in the store and they have less EAS failures than other brands. The Checkpoint labels are very convenient and can be easily placed on the products, with an applicator, for in store application. These tags can also be printed on site, to allow for individualization, which can incorporate the pricing, logo and other information into one easy to use tag. These tags can be safely placed on any item, to include food.
I am not sure if my troubles finding in stock formula was related to theft or if it was simply an inventory control problem, but I do know that Checkpoint labels would be a great way to stop shoplifting of expensive products like these, and many others. If you are having inventory control problems, associated with theft, I recommend these labels. They are a convenient and cost-efficient way to protect all your items, reduce shrinkage and increase profit.
Need information on Checkpoint Labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
As a consumer I typically do not have a certain item that I shop for on a regular basis or that I have a hard time locating when I need it. I am a pretty simple person and my needs are pretty easily met, however that changed recently. I am a mother of three now, which I never thought would happen. All of my children are spread out quite a bit in age. My first daughter is now 18 and in college, and initially she was going to be our one and only child, but as you know life changes things. Unexpectedly we learned ten years in that we were having another baby, who is now 8. Although unplanned she was well received and I couldn’t think of my life any other way. I got divorced about 4 years ago and remarried a man who had never been married and had no children, which brought this topic to the forefront. Needless to say it was decided we would try one more time, and were blessed with a baby boy. Now if you are a parent, I don’t need to tell you how much can change when you have babies a decade or so apart. I was astonished by all of the products out there that made life much more convenient than they did almost 20 years ago. Although, this also caused me to learn how hard it can be to find a product that you need on a regular basis. My son had some stomach issues, which resulted in his need for a sensitive formula. He went through a lot of formula and every time I needed more, I could never find it. I would literally travel or call at least ten stores in my area to look for the formula I needed, just to find them out of stock. If I did find it, I would purchase at least 6 or more at a time, knowing that the product was hard to find. This can be rather expensive since they cost almost $30.00 a can, but I didn’t have much choice. It made me wonder why there was such an issue maintaining a proper inventory on this item. Was it hard to get from the manufacturer? Did they feel they didn’t sell it frequently enough to stock a large quantity? Or did they have an inventory control problem, which prevented them from having an accurate count? I am not quite sure, but at $30 a can, I can presume that theft may be an issue. If theft is an issue, which knowing the industry, I can safely say it probably accounts for some of it, I would recommend they use a Checkpoint label to stop shoplifting in their store.
Checkpoint labels offer protection for a wide variety of products. They provide a convenient and inexpensive means to protect all your products and stop shoplifting. The enhanced performance labels are equipped with EAS technology, and are designed to be even more detectable, in comparison to other tags on the market. They have a strong adhesive that prevents removal in the store and they have less EAS failures than other brands. The Checkpoint labels are very convenient and can be easily placed on the products, with an applicator, for in store application. These tags can also be printed on site, to allow for individualization, which can incorporate the pricing, logo and other information into one easy to use tag. These tags can be safely placed on any item, to include food.
I am not sure if my troubles finding in stock formula was related to theft or if it was simply an inventory control problem, but I do know that Checkpoint labels would be a great way to stop shoplifting of expensive products like these, and many others. If you are having inventory control problems, associated with theft, I recommend these labels. They are a convenient and cost-efficient way to protect all your items, reduce shrinkage and increase profit.
Need information on Checkpoint Labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Ipad theft-4 WC Blog 332
Bug Tag-3
i-pads In Neonatal Care Units Keep Moms In Touch With Their Babies; Keep Those i-pads Secure With Bug Tags
Having your baby in a neonatal intensive care unit is stressful and scary. I know this because 21 years ago my wife and I went through the experience and not with just one baby, but with our twins who were born prematurely. I remember those days like they were yesterday. For the first week my wife was in her hospital room recovering, our twins were in the NICU and we could only briefly go in and see them in their incubators and then we would have to go back in the hall and my wife had to eventually get back to her bed. I was torn between visiting my wife and our infants, going back and forth between the two rooms. After the first week I had to return to work. My wife was released from the hospital but could not drive so before and after work I would drive us up and we would spend every available minute at the hospital visiting. Some days my wife would stay at the hospital while I worked then I would pick her up late at night and return home. This went on for approximately five weeks until our babies were eventually healthy enough to take home. It was difficult to not be with our little ones. We knew they were getting great care, but the unknowns and the separation weighed heavily on us. Today, hospitals are using i-pads in NICU units to help connect mothers and fathers to their newborns. I would have loved to have this technology available to us twenty-one years ago. It would have been a relief for me to be able to peek in on my children while I was at work or my wife could have checked in on them from her hospital room or from home until we could get to the hospital to visit. While this technology is great for hospitals, knowing criminals don’t concern themselves with who might be impacted by their crimes, I have to wonder what hospitals are doing to prevent i-pad theft in these neonatal care units.
Medical i-pad theft is a real concern not only because of the value of the i-pads but also many of these mobile devices carry patient information. Patient information is protected under HIPPA laws and when a data breach takes place the agency that experienced the breach is required to report it to the Department of Health and Human Services. The best method to protect against i-pad theft is to keep a device from leaving the building in the first place. An Alpha Bug Tag used with electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals provides protection against attempted theft by activating a pedestal alarm if a mobile device is carried into the pedestal detection range. The alarm alerts staff someone is trying to take an i-pad out of the building and they can recover it. The Bug Tag is attached directly to the mobile unit and has tamper protections that create an alarm if there is an attempt to forcibly remove the tag, again giving employees an opportunity to respond and prevent a theft.
While one hospital that uses video chat for parents with an infant in the NICU states in an article that they erase the memory after each chat, it does imply that there is stored data on their i-pads. I would imagine that they do a pretty good job of erasing data, but I also know that with any human element there is a chance of error. NICU’s can get hectic, I’ve been there and observed it. In the course of dealing with critical situations cleaning a mobile device of information is going to be relatively low on the priority list. That makes it all the more important to take steps to prevent i-pad theft.
Health care providers are doing a wonderful service for parents that have a baby in the NICU by providing video viewing with mobile devices. Making sure that the devices are secure and preventing HIPPA violations can be done easily by using Alpha’s Bug Tag and installing EAS towers at the doors.
Get more information on Bug Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Having your baby in a neonatal intensive care unit is stressful and scary. I know this because 21 years ago my wife and I went through the experience and not with just one baby, but with our twins who were born prematurely. I remember those days like they were yesterday. For the first week my wife was in her hospital room recovering, our twins were in the NICU and we could only briefly go in and see them in their incubators and then we would have to go back in the hall and my wife had to eventually get back to her bed. I was torn between visiting my wife and our infants, going back and forth between the two rooms. After the first week I had to return to work. My wife was released from the hospital but could not drive so before and after work I would drive us up and we would spend every available minute at the hospital visiting. Some days my wife would stay at the hospital while I worked then I would pick her up late at night and return home. This went on for approximately five weeks until our babies were eventually healthy enough to take home. It was difficult to not be with our little ones. We knew they were getting great care, but the unknowns and the separation weighed heavily on us. Today, hospitals are using i-pads in NICU units to help connect mothers and fathers to their newborns. I would have loved to have this technology available to us twenty-one years ago. It would have been a relief for me to be able to peek in on my children while I was at work or my wife could have checked in on them from her hospital room or from home until we could get to the hospital to visit. While this technology is great for hospitals, knowing criminals don’t concern themselves with who might be impacted by their crimes, I have to wonder what hospitals are doing to prevent i-pad theft in these neonatal care units.
Medical i-pad theft is a real concern not only because of the value of the i-pads but also many of these mobile devices carry patient information. Patient information is protected under HIPPA laws and when a data breach takes place the agency that experienced the breach is required to report it to the Department of Health and Human Services. The best method to protect against i-pad theft is to keep a device from leaving the building in the first place. An Alpha Bug Tag used with electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestals provides protection against attempted theft by activating a pedestal alarm if a mobile device is carried into the pedestal detection range. The alarm alerts staff that someone is trying to take an i-pad out of the building and they can recover it. The Bug Tag is attached directly to the mobile unit and has tamper protections that create an alarm if there is an attempt to forcibly remove the tag, again giving employees an opportunity to respond and prevent a theft.
While one hospital that uses video chat for parents with an infant in the NICU states in an article that they erase the memory after each chat, it does imply that there is stored data on their i-pads. I would imagine that they do a pretty good job of erasing data, but I also know that with any human element there is a chance of error. NICU’s can get hectic, I’ve been there and observed it. In the course of dealing with critical situations cleaning a mobile device of information is going to be relatively low on the priority list. That makes it all the more important to take steps to prevent i-pad theft.
Health care providers are doing a wonderful service for parents that have a baby in the NICU by providing video viewing with mobile devices. Making sure that the devices are secure and preventing HIPPA violations can be done easily by using Alpha’s Bug Tag and installing EAS towers at the doors.
Get more information on Bug Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Alpha Spider Wrap-3 WC Blog 347
Retail anti-theft devices-3
Prevent shoplifting-3
Let Go Of My Lego! Toy Thieves Aren’t Playing Around And Neither Should You; Use Retail Anti-Theft Devices To Stop Shoplifting
I’m a big kid at heart and I still like walking through the toy aisles of stores to see what’s new and what continues to thrive on the market all these years later. It tickles me to see some of my favorite toys and games repackaged in order to pique the interest of today’s generation who are geared towards electronic gadgets. One all-time favorite of mine that continues to fascinate kids today are the Lego toys. They come in very small sets that sell for a few dollars to huge collector editions that sell in the hundreds of dollars. Add to the mix the cute Lego movies and video games and it’s no wonder they have been so successful. Unfortunately when something is popular with consumers, thieves see another market and it becomes a target for them. These items were popular when I was a Loss Prevention Manager trying to prevent shoplifting of them by small time crooks. Today there are theft rings targeting Lego toys and we are talking about some major dollars! I saw an online article headline on the subject and started surfing around the internet and came across several stories involving theft of Legos and not just in the U.S.:
• June 11, 2015, The Guardian.com reported police had foiled a $100,000 Lego Crime Ring
• Nov 5, 2005 Fox News website reported a Reno, Nevada man had been arrested for stealing $200,000 of Lego toys.
• August 26, 2016 King5.com reported a ring had been stealing sets valued at more than $300 each.
• Jan 19, 2017 stuff.co.nz headline: Lego crime wave hits Melbourne: Police ask for help to catch brick obsessed thief.
• March 22,2017 wrg.com: Hundreds of dollars’ worth of Legos stolen from Arlington specialty shop
Obviously Legos aren’t just for kids anymore, but trying to prevent shoplifting of these toys isn’t an easy task. When I was in the field we were limited in what we could do to protect the merchandise aside from limiting floor quantities. If I had to find a solution today my preference would be to use some type of retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Spider Wrap to stop thieves.
There are several reasons I would lean towards the Alpha Spider Wrap for this particular product. First is that this retail anti-theft device is secured around all sides of a box. It hinders the thief from getting to the contents and removing parts and pieces from a set. A second benefit is the electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology contained in each Spider Wrap. The EAS part of the device allows it to be detected by EAS pedestals near entry/exit doors in the event anyone was to try to shoplift a box. Finally, the devices are tamper proof meaning that if a criminal attempts to cut a wire, the device sounds an alarm alerting associates to the activity.
Someone may wonder why a lock up showcase wouldn’t be a better option to prevent shoplifting. The use of showcases allows stores to fill their shelves and keeps the bad guys from getting access to merchandise you want to control. These are legitimate points but there are two major drawbacks to using showcases. First, a store has to have enough people readily available with a set of keys to respond and open a case up and that may be just so the customer can browse. If you don’t make a sale from the time spent do you think that was the best use of your employee’s time? Second and sort of related to the first, failure to respond to a customer request in a timely manner impacts the customer’s perception of your service. If people don’t feel like they are receiving great service they may not return to shop at your store. The other issue is that if someone doesn’t get immediate service at a showcase they may walk off and the opportunity for the sale is lost. Yes, showcases may keep product secure but they can hamper sales and customer service.
Using retail anti-theft devices gives retailers the flexibility to keep toy shelves full and drive up sales. Legos and other high theft merchandise are protected to prevent shoplifting and shoppers have access to goods without the requirement of a salesperson to open a case or stand with them while they browse. It is a win-win solution for store owners/managers.
Don’t let Lego lifters empty your shelves and your pockets. Try using Alpha Spider Wrap to deter thieves and watch how much your in-stock percent improves and sales increase.
Get more information on Alpha Spider Wraps, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I’m a big kid at heart and I still like walking through the toy aisles of stores to see what’s new and what continues to thrive on the market all these years later. It tickles me to see some of my favorite toys and games repackaged in order to pique the interest of today’s generation who are geared towards electronic gadgets. One all-time favorite of mine that continues to fascinate kids today are the Lego toys. They come in very small sets that sell for a few dollars to huge collector editions that sell in the hundreds of dollars. Add to the mix the cute Lego movies and video games and it’s no wonder they have been so successful. Unfortunately when something is popular with consumers, thieves see another market and it becomes a target for them. These items were popular when I was a Loss Prevention Manager trying to prevent shoplifting of them by small time crooks. Today there are theft rings targeting Lego toys and we are talking about some major dollars! I saw an online article headline on the subject and started surfing around the internet and came across several stories involving theft of Legos and not just in the U.S.:
• June 11, 2015, The Guardian.com reported police had foiled a $100,000 Lego Crime Ring
• Nov 5, 2005 Fox News website reported a Reno, Nevada man had been arrested for stealing $200,000 of Lego toys.
• August 26, 2016 King5.com reported a ring had been stealing sets valued at more than $300 each.
• Jan 19, 2017 stuff.co.nz headline: Lego crime wave hits Melbourne: Police ask for help to catch brick obsessed thief.
• March 22,2017 wrg.com: Hundreds of dollars’ worth of Legos stolen from Arlington specialty shop
Obviously Legos aren’t just for kids anymore, but trying to prevent shoplifting of these toys isn’t an easy task. When I was in the field we were limited in what we could do to protect the merchandise aside from limiting floor quantities. If I had to find a solution today my preference would be to use some type of retail anti-theft devices such as Alpha Spider Wrap to stop thieves.
There are several reasons I would lean towards the Alpha Spider Wrap for this particular product. First is this retail anti-theft device is secured around all sides of a box. It hinders the thief from getting to the contents and removing parts and pieces from a set. A second benefit is the electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology contained in each Spider Wrap. The EAS part of the device allows it to be detected by EAS pedestals near entry/exit doors in the event anyone was to try to shoplift a box. Finally, the devices are tamper proof meaning that if a criminal attempts to cut a wire, the device sounds an alarm alerting associates to the activity.
Someone may wonder why a lock up showcase wouldn’t be a better option to prevent shoplifting. The use of showcases allows stores to fill their shelves and keeps the bad guys from getting access to merchandise you want to control. These are legitimate points but there are two major drawbacks to using showcases. First, a store has to have enough people readily available with a set of keys to respond and open a case up and that may be just so the customer can browse. If you don’t make a sale from the time spent do you think that was the best use of your employee’s time? Second and sort of related to the first, failure to respond to a customer request in a timely manner impacts the customer’s perception of your service. If people don’t feel like they are receiving great service they may not return to shop at your store. The other issue is that if someone doesn’t get immediate service at a showcase they may walk off and the opportunity for the sale is lost. Yes, showcases may keep product secure but they can hamper sales and customer service.
Using retail anti-theft devices gives retailers the flexibility to keep toy shelves full and drive up sales. Legos and other high theft merchandise are protected to prevent shoplifting and shoppers have access to goods without the requirement of a salesperson to open a case or stand with them while they browse. It is a win-win solution for store owners/managers.
Don’t let Lego lifters empty your shelves and your pockets. Try using Alpha Spider Wrap to deter thieves and watch how much your in-stock percent improves and sales increase.
Get more information on Alpha Spider Wraps, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
STOP SHOPLFITING: A STORY OF FIRSTS
I’d never worked an LP role before in my life. I was a store manager for quite a few years and really enjoyed the LP side of the business. There happen to open a district position in my area and I thought, why not just apply? To my surprise, the company gave me a chance, and I’ve never looked back. 10 years later and I’m still amazed at what I see on a daily basis. I get to help my company improve profits and I get to Stop Shoplifting. It’s the perfect balance between work and play.
The other night, I was cleaning out some files in my home office and stumbled upon some old letters. I had forgotten about this one and when I saw the name, it all came rushing back to me. There are things in life you never forget; your first kiss, your senior prom date, first job, etc. This is a story about one of my firsts in life.
I had just come back from lunch and decided to take a few laps around the store. My eyes had grown weary of an audit of Checkpoint Tags I was working on. I was still learning my new role so I spent as much time as possible talking with employees and managers to better support them in their shrink reduction goals. I visited the electronics section, as it is generally a high theft area. It was a Monday afternoon, so traffic was slow. I spoke with a few employees and the department supervisor about ways to Stop Shoplifting. The company philosophy was to use customer service to combat thieves, and I re-emphasized this to them. I made my way to the four corners of the store; proactively walking those often-overlooked areas and blind-spots. Here’s where I first locked eyes with her.
She was quite a looker if I may say so. Hair pulled up in a bun, reminiscent of a grade school librarian. She stood on the edge of the aisle, in her not-so-well-fitting jeans with holes in the knee caps and a Pink Floyd T-shirt. Her ensemble was capped with a pair of mis-matched black and orange flip flops. I approached with a smile from ear to ear, and said “hello”. There, I caught a scent of her, wafting down the aisle. A scent that I’ll never forget. This, I thought to myself, was the one.
She offered a sincere “good afternoon” to me, as I kept walking down the aisle. I turned the corner, just out of sight, but peeked around the back end-cap to just get one more look at her. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She had my complete attention, as she looked curiously at the Checkpoint Tags that were used to secure the shirts she seemed to adore.
For the next 25 minutes, I kept her in my sights, although I was too coy to let her see me. I couldn’t focus on anything else. I felt like I knew her as she visited aisle after aisle. I sensed we had so much in common, as she was just as interested in Checkpoint Tags as I was. I gazed as she seemed to drift from one corner of the store to the other. It was as if she had no other care aside from what was in front of her; no worries, no stress. As our time seemed to be fading, I watched as she slowly meandered to front of the store, where she walked right out of the door, and of my life.
NO! I thought. I couldn’t let her get away. It was destiny. No, it was fate that brought us together and the universe had put us on the same aisle, in the same store, on the same day for a reason. So, heart pumping and adrenaline coursing through my veins, I rushed outside and to my surprise found her right outside the door. Her, now taking a long drag from a freshly lit Salem-Light, looks at me as I fumble with my words. I manage to muster “Ma’am!”. She looks down to me with a half grimace on her face and she shoots me a smile. A full smile that shows all her tooth.
I catch my breath, compose myself and build the courage to continue talking. “Ma’am”, I stumble out again, “I’m for the store to Stop Shoplifting. I need you to come back inside with me to discuss the items that you didn’t pay for.” I was off the script that I had practiced for so long, but it didn’t matter. I made my point. Reluctantly, just like the very first girl I asked on a date, and after a bit of convincing that I was a nice guy, she came back inside with me. Once acquainted, I offered her a nice new bracelet set. It was silver and it even came with free room and board for the next few days at the county lock-up.
My first shoplifter!
For more information about Checkpoint Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
I’d never worked an LP role before in my life. I was a store manager for quite a few years and really enjoyed the LP side of the business. There happen to open a district position in my area and I thought, why not just apply? To my surprise, the company gave me a chance, and I’ve never looked back. 10 years later and I’m still amazed at what I see on a daily basis. I get to help my company improve profits and I get to Stop Shoplifting. It’s the perfect balance between work and play.
The other night, I was cleaning out some files in my home office and stumbled upon some old letters. I had forgotten about this one and when I saw the name, it all came rushing back to me. There are things in life you never forget; your first kiss, your senior prom date, first job, etc. This is a story about one of my firsts in life.
I had just come back from lunch and decided to take a few laps around the store. My eyes had grown weary of an audit of Checkpoint Tags I was working on. I was still learning my new role so I spent as much time as possible talking with employees and managers to better support them in their shrink reduction goals. I visited the electronics section, as it is generally a high theft area. It was a Monday afternoon, so traffic was slow. I spoke with a few employees and the department supervisor about ways to Stop Shoplifting. The company philosophy was to use customer service to combat thieves, and I re-emphasized this to them. I made my way to the four corners of the store; proactively walking those often-overlooked areas and blind-spots. Here’s where I first locked eyes with her.
She was quite a looker if I may say so. Hair pulled up in a bun, reminiscent of a grade school librarian. She stood on the edge of the aisle, in her not-so-well-fitting jeans with holes in the knee caps and a Pink Floyd T-shirt. Her ensemble was capped with a pair of mis-matched black and orange flip flops. I approached with a smile from ear to ear, and said “hello”. There, I caught a scent of her, wafting down the aisle. A scent that I’ll never forget. This, I thought to myself, was the one.
She offered a sincere “good afternoon” to me, as I kept walking down the aisle. I turned the corner, just out of sight, but peeked around the back end-cap to just get one more look at her. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She had my complete attention, as she looked curiously at the Checkpoint Tags that were used to secure the shirts she seemed to adore.
For the next 25 minutes, I kept her in my sights, although I was too coy to let her see me. I couldn’t focus on anything else. I felt like I knew her as she visited aisle after aisle. I sensed we had so much in common, as she was just as interested in Checkpoint Tags as I was. I gazed as she seemed to drift from one corner of the store to the other. It was as if she had no other care aside from what was in front of her; no worries, no stress. As our time seemed to be fading, I watched as she slowly meandered to front of the store, where she walked right out of the door, and of my life.
NO! I thought. I couldn’t let her get away. It was destiny. No, it was fate that brought us together and the universe had put us on the same aisle, in the same store, on the same day for a reason. So, heart pumping and adrenaline coursing through my veins, I rushed outside and to my surprise found her right outside the door. Her, now taking a long drag from a freshly lit Salem-Light, looks at me as I fumble with my words. I manage to muster “Ma’am!”. She looks down to me with a half grimace on her face and she shoots me a smile. A full smile that shows all her tooth.
I had to catch my breath, compose myself and build the courage to continue talking. “Ma’am”, I stumble out again, “I’m for the store to Stop Shoplifting. I need you to come back inside with me to discuss the items that you didn’t pay for.” I was off the script that I had practiced for so long, but it didn’t matter. I made my point. Reluctantly, just like the very first girl I asked on a date, and after a bit of convincing that I was a nice guy, she came back inside with me. Once acquainted, I offered her a nice new bracelet set. It was silver and it even came with free room and board for the next few days at the county lock-up.
My first shoplifter!
For more information about Checkpoint Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
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Display Case Dilemma; A Loss Prevention Manager’s Discourse On Why He Prefers Gaming Keepers To Prevent Shoplifting Part 2
In part 2 of my article on the pros of using gaming keepers versus display cases in order to prevent shoplifting, I want to visit some of less obvious issues that can and do arise when showcases are the primary means to deter theft. I am suggesting there are much better retail anti-theft devices called Alpha Keepers that can stop merchandise shrinkage AND improve other aspects of your business. I am also going to provide some suggestions for improving the customer’s shopping experience in your store which can drive up sales. The basis for these articles came from a recent shopping trip I made to a big box store and two big faux Pas I would like to see other stores avoid. The trip was made so that my son could purchase a video game for a game system he owns. The game he wanted was in a display case and required us to wait for help, until the game was removed from the showcase, handed to my son and the employee walked off. When my son said, “Thank You” the reply was “No problem”.
Display cases do prevent shoplifting but they can also impede sales. Customers have to wait or seek help in an effort just to LOOK at something in a case. People rarely look at something in a showcase without browsing other items before making a buying decision. Alpha Keepers, and specifically in this case, gaming keepers are designed of clear polycarbonate material that makes it easy for a shopper to see all of the packaging information. It’s sort of like having a mini display case in the palms of your hands. All Alpha Keepers lock so shoplifters can’t get to the product but honest customers can pick up the item, continue shopping and take it to the checkout line at their convenience. Alpha Keepers are also created so they will cause electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas to sound if protected merchandise is carried too close to the antennas. The deterrence value of the gaming keepers and the potential of the EAS alarm serve to shift criminal activity to other stores and away from yours.
So how are you going to improve the shopping experience for your customers by going away from display cases in favor of Alpha retail anti-theft devices? I mentioned that the keepers are like a mini display case. What if I did not have to wait at that showcase for a sales person to open it? My son could have picked up the game he wanted and we could have continued shopping. While the delay was somewhat aggravating, having a long retail background helps me be a little more patient with such things. As a Manager On Duty, I had the fun experience of dealing with customers who do not have that same patience and will let you know it. There is also the potential for missed sales when a customer does not want to wait any longer for help and walks away. How much money have your display cases cost you?
How about showcase key security? As a Loss Prevention Manager I had to be concerned every time display keys were lost or missing. Sometimes it was a salesperson leaving with them for the day. Sometimes the keys were put down while in the process of helping a customer and then there were the times I would find keys still in the lock of the case. If keys are lost, security is compromised and locks have to be re-cored, a headache and a needless expense (take it from someone who has had to do it). Gaming keepers require only a detachment key, secured at the cash register. No need to carry them around and risk loss.
Another issue with display cases is the training of personnel on how to handle lock up merchandise. As in my situation, the employee simply removed the game from the case and handed it to my son. If it is locked up, it should only make sense it was not to be handed to the customer. Training and follow-up still does not ensure procedures are going to be followed.
Finally, a word on customer service. I would like to encourage store owners and managers, train your staff not to say, “No problem” to a customer. It may seem small but your customers were not a problem to begin with. Set expectations that you want from them. Be sure to treat customers with respect.
You can prevent shoplifting and improve the customer experience by using gaming keepers for your high value merchandise. Consider all the advantages you could have over your competition with new retail anti-theft devices.
Gaming keepers are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
In part 2 of my article on the pros of using gaming keepers versus display cases in order to prevent shoplifting, I want to visit some of less obvious issues that can and do arise when showcases are the primary means to deter theft. I am suggesting there are much better retail anti-theft devices called Alpha Keepers that can stop merchandise shrinkage AND improve other aspects of your business. I am also going to provide some suggestions for improving the customer’s shopping experience in your store which can drive up sales. The basis for these articles came from a recent shopping trip I made to a big box store and two big faux Pas I would like to see other stores avoid. The trip was made so that my son could purchase a video game for a game system he owns. The game he wanted was in a display case and required us to wait for help, until the game was removed from the showcase, handed to my son and the employee walked off. When my son said, “Thank You” the reply was “No problem”.
Display cases do prevent shoplifting but they can also impede sales. Customers have to wait or seek help in an effort just to LOOK at something in a case. People rarely look at something in a showcase without browsing other items before making a buying decision. Alpha Keepers, and specifically in this case, gaming keepers are designed of clear polycarbonate material that makes it easy for a shopper to see all of the packaging information. It’s sort of like having a mini display case in the palms of your hands. All Alpha Keepers lock so shoplifters can’t get to the product but honest customers can pick up the item, continue shopping and take it to the checkout line at their convenience. Alpha Keepers are also created so they will cause electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas to sound if protected merchandise is carried too close to the antennas. The deterrence value of the gaming keepers and the potential of the EAS alarm serve to shift criminal activity to other stores and away from yours.
So how are you going to improve the shopping experience for your customers by going away from display cases in favor of Alpha retail anti-theft devices? I mentioned that the keepers are like a mini display case. What if I did not have to wait at that showcase for a sales person to open it? My son could have picked up the game he wanted and we could have continued shopping. While the delay was somewhat aggravating, having a long retail background helps me be a little more patient with such things. As a Manager On Duty, I had the fun experience of dealing with customers who do not have that same patience and will let you know it. There is also the potential for missed sales when a customer does not want to wait any longer for help and walks away. How much money have your display cases cost you?
How about showcase key security? As a Loss Prevention Manager I had to be concerned every time display keys were lost or missing. Sometimes it was a salesperson leaving with them for the day. Sometimes the keys were put down while in the process of helping a customer and then there were the times I would find keys still in the lock of the case. If keys are lost, security is compromised and locks have to be re-cored, a headache and a needless expense (take it from someone who has had to do it). Gaming keepers require only a detachment key, secured at the cash register. No need to carry them around and risk loss.
Another issue with display cases is the training of personnel on how to handle lock up merchandise. As in my situation, the employee simply removed the game from the case and handed it to my son. If it is locked up, it should only make sense it was not to be handed to the customer. Training and follow-up still does not ensure procedures are going to be followed.
Finally, a word on customer service. I would like to encourage store owners and managers, train your staff not to say, “No problem” to a customer. It may seem small but your customers were not a problem to begin with. Set expectations that you want from them. Be sure to treat customers with respect.
You can prevent shoplifting and improve the customer experience by using gaming keepers for your high value merchandise. Consider all the advantages you could have over your competition with new retail anti-theft devices.
Gaming keepers are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
