Alpha Keepers-4 WC Blog 278
Gaming Keepers-4
Prevent Shoplifting-5
Retail Anti-theft Devices-3
Display Case Dilemma; A Loss Prevention Manager’s Discourse On Why He Prefers Gaming Keepers To Prevent Shoplifting Part 1
I was in a big box retail store just the other day with one of my sons who happens to be in his twenties. I mention this because it wasn’t like a young boy who wanted to find a game then hand something from a case to his dad. My son was looking at video games through the showcase glass at the game he wanted. Let me rant for a moment…I HATE showcases. Thanks, I had to get that off my chest. I will delve into that a little later in the article. Fortunately my son already knew which game he wanted so there was no need to browse through a locked display case to read information on other games he might want to consider for purchase. We stood at the case for a minute and when no one came over to assist, I mentioned to him that I had observed an employee an aisle over from us. As my son went to ask for assistance the young man walked by without looking in our direction. My son asked him for help and the associate walked over, opened the showcase, handed my son the game, locked up the showcase and when my son thanked him he said, “No Problem” and walked away. Having many years of Retail Loss Prevention experience under my belt I will be the first to acknowledge I may be a bit more critical of security procedures than most people. I do feel safe in saying I don’t think this was how the security procedures for this item was supposed to be handled. If a business is using showcases to prevent shoplifting then why are employees removing items from lock-up and handing them to a customer and walking away? Better retail anti-theft devices would be Alpha’s gaming keepers in this situation.
What are gaming keepers and why are they my preferred retail anti-theft devices when you want to prevent shoplifting of games? Gaming Keepers are clear, locking cases made of recyclable polycarbonate designed for individual videogame software units. They come in designs to fit smaller games for handheld units such as Gameboys or larger cases for console games such as the PS4 or Xbox One, just to name a few. Alpha keepers allow merchandise to be stocked in the open for easy accessibility by customers while at the same time they prevent shoplifting. The keepers are alarmed so if a shoplifter tries to force one open a high pitched alarm sounds and alerts employees to the attempted theft. Because they are see-through, game content and warning labels can be read. Since they are open display, customers have no need to wait for assistance to pick up a game and take it to check-out! Additionally, gaming keepers and for that matter, all Alpha Keepers are built with electronic article surveillance (EAS) capability so they cause an EAS antenna to alarm if carried into the range of the antenna.
I’ve addressed what Alpha Keepers are for games and I’ve discussed how they prevent shoplifting, but I only alluded to why they are my preferred retail anti-theft devices for video games. Showcases should be a last resort for any type of displayed merchandise. I have several reasons for saying this. First, the customer is resigned to wait if they simply want to look at a displayed item. That doesn’t even mean they will buy it. As someone who has been a Manager On Duty, this is a horrible way to spend payroll dollars. You have to have someone ready to respond immediately with showcase keys. And no, no guarantee you are selling anything to that customer. Second, if more customers need assistance, your employee is forced to stay with the patron at the showcase, are you staffing extra people to ensure you can help at showcases AND not lose customers who are waiting in other areas for help?
In part two of this series I will discuss other concerns and I have with showcases and I will also discuss important customer service issues for retailers. In the meantime, consider the advantages I have mentioned if you were to include Alpha Keepers in you strategy to prevent shoplifting of videogames. You can profit from reduced theft and reduced payroll.
Get more information on gaming keepers, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I was in a big box retail store just the other day with one of my sons who happens to be in his twenties. I mention this because it wasn’t like a young boy who wanted to find a game then hand something from a case to his dad. My son was looking at video games through the showcase glass at the game he wanted. Let me rant for a moment…I HATE showcases. Thanks, I had to get that off my chest. I will delve into that a little later in the article. Fortunately my son already knew which game he wanted so there was no need to browse through a locked display case to read information on other games he might want to consider for purchase. We stood at the case for a minute and when no one came over to assist, I mentioned to him that I had observed an employee an aisle over from us. As my son went to ask for assistance the young man walked by without looking in our direction. My son asked him for help and the associate walked over, opened the showcase, handed my son the game, locked up the showcase and when my son thanked him he said, “No Problem” and walked away. Having many years of Retail Loss Prevention experience under my belt I will be the first to acknowledge I may be a bit more critical of security procedures than most people. I do feel safe in saying I don’t think this was how the security procedures for this item was supposed to be handled. If a business is using showcases to prevent shoplifting then why are employees removing items from lock-up and handing them to a customer and walking away? Better retail anti-theft devices would be Alpha’s gaming keepers in this situation.
What are gaming keepers and why are they my preferred retail anti-theft devices when you want to prevent shoplifting of games? Gaming Keepers are clear, locking cases made of recyclable polycarbonate designed for individual videogame software units. They come in designs to fit smaller games for handheld units such as Gameboys or larger cases for console games such as the PS4 or Xbox One, just to name a few. Alpha keepers allow merchandise to be stocked in the open for easy accessibility by customers while at the same time they prevent shoplifting. The keepers are alarmed so if a shoplifter tries to force one open a high pitched alarm sounds and alerts employees to the attempted theft. Because they are see-through, game content and warning labels can be read. Since they are open display, customers have no need to wait for assistance to pick up a game and take it to check-out! Additionally, gaming keepers and for that matter, all Alpha Keepers are built with electronic article surveillance (EAS) capability so they cause an EAS antenna to alarm if carried into the range of the antenna.
I’ve addressed what Alpha Keepers are for games and I’ve discussed how they prevent shoplifting, but I only alluded to why they are my preferred retail anti-theft devices for video games. Showcases should be a last resort for any type of displayed merchandise. I have several reasons for saying this. First, the customer is resigned to wait if they simply want to look at a displayed item. That doesn’t even mean they will buy it. As someone who has been a Manager On Duty, this is a horrible way to spend payroll dollars. You have to have someone ready to respond immediately with showcase keys. And no, no guarantee you are selling anything to that customer. Second, if more customers need assistance, your employee is forced to stay with the patron at the showcase, are you staffing extra people to ensure you can help at showcases AND not lose customers who are waiting in other areas for help?
In part two of this series I will discuss other concerns that I have with showcases and I will also discuss important customer service issues for retailers. In the meantime, consider the advantages I have mentioned if you were to include Alpha Keepers in you strategy to prevent shoplifting of videogames. You can profit from reduced theft and reduced payroll.
Get more information on gaming keepers, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
USING TRAINING TO REDUCE EMPLOYEE THEFT
You can have the absolute best security camera system. You can have all the latest EAS gadgets and devices. You can have the latest in physical security measures and use the best tags the industry has to offer. All of that is great, but if don’t consider training to reduce employee theft, you can still be open to loses.
Employee theft costs you tens of thousands of dollars in shrink each and every year. The longer your employees go without being caught, the bolder they become. What starts off as a stolen candy bar one day, eventually snowballs into larger and larger thefts as the employee gets more and more brazen in their actions. Knowing the indicators of employee theft can greatly assist you in reducing shortages and help to weed out those employees that are robbing you blind.
Why should you seek out training to reduce employee theft?
One, you’re a manager/owner. You probably don’t have a storied LP background. Loss Prevention professionals have a knack for seeing what most others don’t/can’t see. It’s our own personal “Spidey Sense”. I can walk into a store and within minutes, put a list together of potential dishonest employees, just based on short interactions with them. Additionally, years of experience have helped guide us in knowing all the more common ways (and not so common) that employee theft occurs.
What is the benefit in using training to reduce employee theft?
For most small business, the LP program involves pleading with your employees not to steal. Well, honestly, this isn’t very effective. You can’t simply talk a dishonest employee out of stealing from you. It’s like trying to talk a baby out of crying. A solid training program, like the one offered by Loss Prevention Systems Inc. can help you to understand the root causes of employee theft, how to handle these cases when they do arise and ways for you to prevent employees from ever stealing from you in the first place.
Throughout my LP career, training managers has been a key pillar of our loss prevention program. Your managers interact with your staff on an hourly basis. Your managers are the first line of defense when it comes to identifying suspicious behavior. Your managers should be the first to recognize changes in an employee’s behavior. Your managers should be able to quickly identify patters that could spell out employee theft. You should provide your managers with the tools and training to reduce employee theft!
Need information on training? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
You can have the absolute best security camera system. You can have all the latest EAS gadgets and devices. You can have the latest in physical security measures and use the best tags the industry has to offer. All of that is great, but if don’t consider training to reduce employee theft, you can still be open to loses.
Employee theft costs you tens of thousands of dollars in shrink each and every year. The longer your employees go without being caught, the bolder they become. What starts off as a stolen candy bar one day, eventually snowballs into larger and larger thefts as the employee gets more and more brazen in their actions. Knowing the indicators of employee theft can greatly assist you in reducing shortages and help to weed out those employees that are robbing you blind.
Why should you seek out training to reduce employee theft? One, you’re a manager/owner. You probably don’t have a storied LP background. Loss Prevention professionals have a knack for seeing what most others don’t/can’t see. It’s our own personal “Spidey Sense”. I can walk into a store and within minutes, put a list together of potential dishonest employees, just based on short interactions with them. Additionally, years of experience have helped guide us in knowing all the more common ways (and not so common) that employee theft occurs.
What is the benefit in using training to reduce employee theft?For most small business, the LP program involves pleading with your employees not to steal. Well, honestly, this isn’t very effective. You can’t simply talk a dishonest employee out of stealing from you. It’s like trying to talk a baby out of crying. A solid training program, like the one offered by Loss Prevention Systems Inc. can help you to understand the root causes of employee theft, how to handle these cases when they do arise and ways for you to prevent employees from ever stealing from you in the first place.
Throughout my LP career, training managers has been a key pillar of our loss prevention program. Your managers interact with your staff on an hourly basis. Your managers are the first line of defense when it comes to identifying suspicious behavior. Your managers should be the first to recognize changes in an employee’s behavior. Your managers should be able to quickly identify patters that could spell out employee theft. You should provide your managers with the tools and training to reduce employee theft!
Need information on training? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Alpha Shark Tags-3 WC Blog 331
Return Fraud-4
Wardrobing-3
Return Fraud And Wardrobing Will Wane When You Begin Using Alpha Shark Tags
Have you ever had to go to an event and needed to buy an outfit for that one evening? How about a holiday party that you want to look good for but you really didn’t want to have to splurge on a new dress or suit? Over the past couple of years I have had a couple of graduations to attend for my children and while I would have been happy wearing my slightly snug, 1987 light blue sports coat, my wife would not permit me to do so. She says it is out of date (I contend it is retro and I would be a trend setter). She also says I have put on a few pounds since then, so it is too tight. I believe the jacket does not need to be buttoned and besides, the jacket just shrank in the closet and only needs stretched out. The few extra pounds are strictly muscle, attributed to a strict diet of protein (ie; hamburgers from my favorite fast food protein take out restaurant). Regardless of our disagreement I did breakdown and purchase a new sports coat, tie, and shirt. Now I would point out, I rarely wear these items, I wear business casual at one of my jobs, and a company polo shirt and slacks to my second job. Even my church clothes are my business casual attire. In my mind I could have saved the money on the new duds, but apparently I would have embarrassed my family. The jacket and tie sit in my closet waiting for the next big event. There are some people however, that make purchases for a specific night out or event, wear the clothes and return them for a full refund. This is a form of return fraud known as wardrobing and is a financial drain on retailers. A method to prevent this fraud is when a business uses Alpha Shark Tags on their garments.
When wardrobing takes place the “customer” is basically borrowing the merchandise for one or two activities and returning it. They are careful to conceal or remove clothing tags so they cannot be seen when the item(s) are worn but can be easily replaced or unhidden when they are ready to refund the purchase. The Alpha Shark Tags are brightly colored devices that are pinned to a location on an article of clothing where they can be seen if worn. Unlike retail anti-theft devices, the tags are removed at home by the buyer not at the point of sale. Once cut off, the tags cannot be replaced and the store can enforce a no-return policy. The tags do not interfere with the fit of a garment so there can be no excuse for removing the tag just to try on the merchandise. If the tag is intact and all manufacturer tags and receipts are present a retailer can give the appropriate refund for a return.
As a former Loss Prevention Manager and Manager On Duty I have had to deal with wardrobing fraud and it is more prevalent than you may imagine. The merchandise is returned with the receipt and if a reason for the return is needed, usually the excuse is that the clothes just didn’t fit right. There were many times I was called by the return desk personnel to look at merchandise being returned and there would be a stain from make-up or perfume or cologne odors. I couldn’t turn down the refund because clothes frequently get make-up stains on them just from being tried on in the fitting room. Perfume, cologne and even body odor smells could also permeate clothing when tried on so it wasn’t enough reason to decline a refund. Make no mistake, the activity is return fraud because the person has no intent to keep the merchandise, they don’t even want to rent it their intent is to borrow and return. It isn’t a criminal act however, since there are no laws broken and store policies are being followed. Unfortunately there is a cost associated with return fraud. Frequently merchandise that has been used for wardrobing quite often has to be significantly reduced in price, causing loss of profit margin. In the worst cases the clothing has to be marked out of stock and destroyed, costing the store the full retail value of the item.
You don’t need to be victim of return fraud and you don’t have to lose customers due to overly burdensome return policies. Use Alpha Shark Tags on all articles of clothing and improve the bottom line for your store.
Alpha Shark Tags are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Have you ever had to go to an event and needed to buy an outfit for that one evening? How about a holiday party that you want to look good for but you really didn’t want to have to splurge on a new dress or suit? Over the past couple of years I have had a couple of graduations to attend for my children and while I would have been happy wearing my slightly snug, 1987 light blue sports coat, my wife would not permit me to do so. She says it is out of date (I contend it is retro and I would be a trend setter). She also says I have put on a few pounds since then, so it is too tight. I believe the jacket does not need to be buttoned and besides, the jacket just shrank in the closet and only needs stretched out. The few extra pounds are strictly muscle, attributed to a strict diet of protein (ie; hamburgers from my favorite fast food protein take out restaurant). Regardless of our disagreement I did breakdown and purchase a new sports coat, tie, and shirt. Now I would point out, I rarely wear these items, I wear business casual at one of my jobs, and a company polo shirt and slacks to my second job. Even my church clothes are my business casual attire. In my mind I could have saved the money on the new duds, but apparently I would have embarrassed my family. The jacket and tie sit in my closet waiting for the next big event. There are some people however, that make purchases for a specific night out or event, wear the clothes and return them for a full refund. This is a form of return fraud known as wardrobing and is a financial drain on retailers. A method to prevent this fraud is when a business uses Alpha Shark Tags on their garments.
When wardrobing takes place the “customer” is basically borrowing the merchandise for one or two activities and returning it. They are careful to conceal or remove clothing tags so they cannot be seen when the item(s) are worn but can be easily replaced or unhidden when they are ready to refund the purchase. The Alpha Shark Tags are brightly colored devices that are pinned to a location on an article of clothing where they can be seen if worn. Unlike retail anti-theft devices, the tags are removed at home by the buyer not at the point of sale. Once cut off, the tags cannot be replaced and the store can enforce a no-return policy. The tags do not interfere with the fit of a garment so there can be no excuse for removing the tag just to try on the merchandise. If the tag is intact and all manufacturer tags and receipts are present a retailer can give the appropriate refund for a return.
As a former Loss Prevention Manager and Manager On Duty I have had to deal with wardrobing fraud and it is more prevalent than you may imagine. The merchandise is returned with the receipt and if a reason for the return is needed, usually the excuse is that the clothes just didn’t fit right. There were many times I was called by the return desk personnel to look at merchandise being returned and there would be a stain from make-up or perfume or cologne odors. I couldn’t turn down the refund because clothes frequently get make-up stains on them just from being tried on in the fitting room. Perfume, cologne and even body odor smells could also permeate clothing when tried on so it wasn’t enough reason to decline a refund. Make no mistake, the activity is return fraud because the person has no intent to keep the merchandise, they don’t even want to rent it their intent is to borrow and return. It isn’t a criminal act however, since there are no laws broken and store policies are being followed. Unfortunately there is a cost associated with return fraud. Frequently merchandise that has been used for wardrobing quite often has to be significantly reduced in price, causing loss of profit margin. In the worst cases the clothing has to be marked out of stock and destroyed, costing the store the full retail value of the item.
You don’t need to be victim of return fraud and you don’t have to lose customers due to overly burdensome return policies. Use Alpha Shark Tags on all articles of clothing and improve the bottom line for your store.
Alpha Shark Tags are important and we can help you with them. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Pre-employment Screening- 4 WC Blog 275
Employee background checks-3
Background check company-4
Job Performance, Employment Terminations And Dishonest Employee Interviews Can Be Dangerous; Pre-employment Screening Can Make It Safer – Part 3
Whoever thinks about a discussion with an employee as having the potential to be dangerous? Well, I can look back over my career and I have had several instances of employees threatening me or themselves during job terminations and internal theft interviews. I had one young man I was releasing for performance issues and during the discussion he pulled out a box cutter and threatened to kill himself. I had several dishonest employees threaten to “get me later” as I was confronting them about their theft activity. I have even had an employee get mad at me when I was speaking with him about his job performance and what I expected of him to improve. None of these are pleasant conversations. I much prefer to give praise or recognition, who doesn’t? The reality is, we as managers HAVE to have the tough talks with our employees and when we don’t we damage team morale since others feel they have to work harder. We damage the store reputation because that employee’s performance reflects how the business is run. If the person is stealing then obviously it hurts profits and if they are intimidating or dangerous it scares employees and customers. If we have to have the really hard conversations involving job termination or employee theft, we have to prepare ourselves AND our environment. I am going to give a few pointers on how you can be ready for the hard talks with your employees. I do want to make a point first, if you aren’t using a background check company to conduct pre-employment screening before you are making hiring decisions, you could be making these talks harder and more dangerous.
A background check company that does pre-employment screening investigates the pool of applicants you send them. They validate application information such as dates of employment, criminal history, education qualifications and even driving history checks. If the pre-employment screening turns up omissions, information such as a violent past, or contradictions, an employer can remove the applicant from consideration. This is the type of information you can use to help make your workplace safer.
Tips to prepare for a conversation with an employee before talking to them about involvement in theft or the need to end their employment:
• Make notes on what it is the employee has or hasn’t done that has brought you to this point. If you haven’t reviewed your facts and you are addressing something out of suspicion or because you are angry, you can make an error and the employee can make strong rebuttals.
• Stay calm and don’t allow the employee to get your temper worked up. The employee may get mad or insulting, that is natural. Staying calm on your part diffuses the situation.
• If you conduct employee background checks, review the employee’s file for pertinent information you may have overlooked that could help you in challenging the employee’s defensive arguments. Have the employee file with you, but it should be for your review, don’t offer to put it in the employee’s hands.
• Prepare the office space where the conversation will take place. The office and especially the desk should be sterile. Any loose object on a desk can be used as a weapon. If the employee goes into a rage, you don’t want them to have an object available to throw or hit with.
• Have a witness sit in and take notes (or appear to take notes in the case of a termination). The appearance of being outnumbered can be a deterrent to violence.
• Do sit so you have access to an exit. If the employee becomes violent you don’t want to be trapped in the room.
• Be prepared with a cell phone and number to the police or ready to call 911 if the employee becomes violent or threatens violence.
• Report any threats by the employee to the police, even if you believe they are benign. “I’m going to get you” is a general statement but should be reported to the police to have the report on file.
These are a few ways you can conduct a safer conversation and minimize the opportunity for violence. Conducting employee background checks through a background check company also minimizes the chance you will have that violent person on staff.
Use employee background checks and pre-employment screening to improve your chances of hiring the best workers for your team. You will reduce the number of negative conversations you will have to conduct and when you do have to conduct them you can be more confident you will be safe doing so.
Get more information on Pre-employment Screening, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Whoever thinks about a discussion with an employee as having the potential to be dangerous? Well, I can look back over my career and I have had several instances of employees threatening me or themselves during job terminations and internal theft interviews. I had one young man I was releasing for performance issues and during the discussion he pulled out a box cutter and threatened to kill himself. I had several dishonest employees threaten to “get me later” as I was confronting them about their theft activity. I have even had an employee get mad at me when I was speaking with him about his job performance and what I expected of him to improve. None of these are pleasant conversations. I much prefer to give praise or recognition, who doesn’t? The reality is, we as managers HAVE to have the tough talks with our employees and when we don’t we damage team morale since others feel they have to work harder. We damage the store reputation because that employee’s performance reflects how the business is run. If the person is stealing then obviously it hurts profits and if they are intimidating or dangerous it scares employees and customers. If we have to have the really hard conversations involving job termination or employee theft, we have to prepare ourselves AND our environment. I am going to give a few pointers on how you can be ready for the hard talks with your employees. I do want to make a point first, if you aren’t using a background check company to conduct pre-employment screening before you are making hiring decisions, you could be making these talks harder and more dangerous.
A background check company that does pre-employment screening investigates the pool of applicants you send them. They validate application information such as dates of employment, criminal history, education qualifications and even driving history checks. If the pre-employment screening turns up omissions, information such as a violent past, or contradictions, an employer can remove the applicant from consideration. This is the type of information you can use to help make your workplace safer.
Tips to prepare for a conversation with an employee before talking to them about involvement in theft or the need to end their employment:
• Make notes on what it is the employee has or hasn’t done that has brought you to this point. If you haven’t reviewed your facts and you are addressing something out of suspicion or because you are angry, you can make an error and the employee can make strong rebuttals.
• Stay calm and don’t allow the employee to get your temper worked up. The employee may get mad or insulting, that is natural. Staying calm on your part diffuses the situation.
• If you conduct employee background checks, review the employee’s file for pertinent information you may have overlooked that could help you in challenging the employee’s defensive arguments. Have the employee file with you, but it should be for your review, don’t offer to put it in the employee’s hands.
• Prepare the office space where the conversation will take place. The office and especially the desk should be sterile. Any loose object on a desk can be used as a weapon. If the employee goes into a rage, you don’t want them to have an object available to throw or hit with.
• Have a witness sit in and take notes (or appear to take notes in the case of a termination). The appearance of being outnumbered can be a deterrent to violence.
• Do sit so you have access to an exit. If the employee becomes violent you don’t want to be trapped in the room.
• Be prepared with a cell phone and number to the police or ready to call 911 if the employee becomes violent or threatens violence.
• Report any threats by the employee to the police, even if you believe they are benign. “I’m going to get you” is a general statement but should be reported to the police to have the report on file.
These are a few ways you can conduct a safer conversation and minimize the opportunity for violence. Conducting employee background checks through a background check company also minimizes the chance you will have that violent person on staff.
Use employee background checks and pre-employment screening to improve your chances of hiring the best workers for your team. You will reduce the number of negative conversations you will have to conduct and when you do have to conduct them you can be more confident you will be safe doing so.
Get more information on Pre-employment Screening, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Free Loss Prevention Calculator-3 WC Blog 277
Can Loss Prevention Be Free?-3
Loss Prevention Calculator-3
Can’t Afford A Loss Prevention System To Prevent Shoplifting? You Can If It Pays For Itself – Find Out With The Free Loss Prevention Calculator
There is a television commercial out that I get a kick out of when I see it. It has a worker standing in front of his boss and he is being told he is going to get a pay raise. The employee thanks the boss and then tells him he doesn’t want it. In the next scene a father brings a birthday gift to his daughter who is sitting at a table and he tells her she received another present and she turns it down. The point of the commercial is that people don’t turn down free offers, especially when they will benefit from them. I don’t know about you but I take a chance at the offer of free things frequently like a sweepstakes to win my house mortgage to be paid for a year…I just entered that one today. My wife spends time entering a publisher’s sweepstakes looking for $5,000 a week for life. I even took the time to take a car key in to a dealership to try to win a new car. After I irritated the saleslady who spent half an hour trying to convince me to apply for a loan for a car I told her I had no intention of applying for I was allowed to try my key and lost. Nonetheless I took a chance on the possibility, as slim as the chance was that I might get a free car. Would it make sense to turn down an offer to use a Free Loss Prevention Calculator to find the answer to the question, “Can Loss Prevention be free?”
I have your attention now don’t I? Can Loss Prevention be free? The answer is yes, it can be free. As a store reduces its’ losses due to theft, and even some operational issues, stock shortage or merchandise shortage goes down. That reduction in losses comes from the installation of a Checkpoint Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system. The savings from reduced shortage pays for the system and then adds profit to the store once it is paid for. So the next question is going to be what will it cost me to find out how I can get this free system? There is absolutely no expense and better yet, no registration that will generate unwanted phone calls or emails. To use the Free Loss Prevention Calculator you go the website, enter your store(s) annual sales information and how much you would be willing to spend on a Checkpoint EAS system and the Loss Prevention Calculator tabulates the information. The Loss Prevention Calculator assumes a 1.2% shortage rate for all stores (this is about average for retailers across the nation) and estimates that a Checkpoint EAS system would reduce a store’s shortage to .65%. The result shows approximately how many months it will take for the system to pay for itself, affirming the answer to the question, “Can Loss Prevention be free?” There is an option for printing out the information for future consideration if an owner/manager wants to think about it. No registration, no fees, no follow-up phone call or emails, just a free loss prevention calculator for all to use.
For a small business owner on a tight budget that can pose some interesting possibilities. Right now you may be running a store or a couple of stores that are getting by, but could be much more profitable if an EAS system were installed. If you could prevent product from being stolen, you would not have to sell as much merchandise to make up for the losses you are experiencing. When I was a Loss Prevention Manager we estimated it required selling 10 units of an item to make up for the profit loss of one stolen unit of that product! Think of it like this, if a $1 pack of gum is stolen, you have to sell 10 packs of that gum to make up for that single theft. That is a lot of selling to turn a profit. Now, instead of a $1 pack of gum, what if the item is a $20 stolen pair of jeans? You are selling at least $200 in jeans to make a profit. That might be a little easier for a big box store to do, but for the small or medium store that becomes a challenge. Now put that $20 pair of jeans back on the shelf and have it available for your paying customers. A much brighter picture isn’t it?
Try out the Loss Prevention Calculator and see how affordable a Checkpoint system can be. Then imagine your store(s) becoming more profitable with less effort.
Need information on the Free Loss Prevention Calculator? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
There is a television commercial out that I get a kick out of when I see it. It has a worker standing in front of his boss and he is being told he is going to get a pay raise. The employee thanks the boss and then tells him he doesn’t want it. In the next scene a father brings a birthday gift to his daughter who is sitting at a table and he tells her she received another present and she turns it down. The point of the commercial is that people don’t turn down free offers, especially when they will benefit from them. I don’t know about you but I take a chance at the offer of free things frequently like a sweepstakes to win my house mortgage to be paid for a year…I just entered that one today. My wife spends time entering a publisher’s sweepstakes looking for $5,000 a week for life. I even took the time to take a car key in to a dealership to try to win a new car. After I irritated the saleslady who spent half an hour trying to convince me to apply for a loan for a car I told her I had no intention of applying for I was allowed to try my key and lost. Nonetheless I took a chance on the possibility, as slim as the chance was that I might get a free car. Would it make sense to turn down an offer to use a Free Loss Prevention Calculator to find the answer to the question, “Can Loss Prevention be free?”
I have your attention now don’t I? Can Loss Prevention be free? The answer is yes, it can be free. As a store reduces its’ losses due to theft, and even some operational issues, stock shortage or merchandise shortage goes down. That reduction in losses comes from the installation of a Checkpoint Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system. The savings from reduced shortage pays for the system and then adds profit to the store once it is paid for. So the next question is going to be what will it cost me to find out how I can get this free system? There is absolutely no expense and better yet, no registration that will generate unwanted phone calls or emails. To use the Free Loss Prevention Calculator you go the website, enter your store(s) annual sales information and how much you would be willing to spend on a Checkpoint EAS system and the Loss Prevention Calculator tabulates the information. The Loss Prevention Calculator assumes a 1.2% shortage rate for all stores (this is about average for retailers across the nation) and estimates that a Checkpoint EAS system would reduce a store’s shortage to .65%. The result shows approximately how many months it will take for the system to pay for itself, affirming the answer to the question, “Can Loss Prevention be free?” There is an option for printing out the information for future consideration if an owner/manager wants to think about it. No registration, no fees, no follow-up phone call or emails, just a free loss prevention calculator for all to use.
For a small business owner on a tight budget that can pose some interesting possibilities. Right now you may be running a store or a couple of stores that are getting by, but could be much more profitable if an EAS system were installed. If you could prevent product from being stolen, you would not have to sell as much merchandise to make up for the losses you are experiencing. When I was a Loss Prevention Manager we estimated it required selling 10 units of an item to make up for the profit loss of one stolen unit of that product! Think of it like this, if a $1 pack of gum is stolen, you have to sell 10 packs of that gum to make up for that single theft. That is a lot of selling to turn a profit. Now, instead of a $1 pack of gum, what if the item is a $20 stolen pair of jeans? You are selling at least $200 in jeans to make a profit. That might be a little easier for a big box store to do, but for the small or medium store that becomes a challenge. Now put that $20 pair of jeans back on the shelf and have it available for your paying customers. A much brighter picture isn’t it?
Try out the Loss Prevention Calculator and see how affordable a Checkpoint system can be. Then imagine your store(s) becoming more profitable with less effort.
Need information on the Free Loss Prevention Calculator? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
i-pad Theft-3 WC Blog 328
Bug Tag-3
Classic N10-3
Don’t Trust In Encryption Alone To Protect Your Mobile Medical Devices; Use The Alpha Bug Tag 2 To Boost Security
I don’t like to cry wolf and I don’t like to unnecessarily scare people. On the flip side of that, I do believe being too nonchalant about some things, like data security on computer devices can lead to harmful situations. Take for instance mobile medical devices, some web sites seem to suggest that encryption protects computing devices from hacking so there is not a lot to be concerned with in terms of protecting patient’s personal information. I will grant you that encryption is a powerful tool, but I would not be confident in it as my only defense should an ipad theft take place in my hospital, clinic or practice. Medical facilities MUST protect all patient data even if it only seems to be harmless on the surface, like an address. There are thieves trying to gain access to patient information be it addresses, credit billing information, names, prescription drug data, etc. They use the information to obtain prescription medications, file fraudulent medical bills with insurers, obtain credit information and so on. Medical providers must do more to protect mobile devices than depend on encryption. One effective method is to physically protect devices with the Alpha Bug Tag 2.
The Bug Tag is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) anti-theft device that works using a radio frequency (rf) signal in concert with an EAS pedestal, such as the Checkpoint Classic N10 unit. It has rounded edges that give it a flush fit with a device such as a tablet computer or i-pad. The design of the tag makes it nearly impossible for a criminal to pry it off of whatever item it is attached to. The built in tamper alarm ensures that even if it were pried off, the tag will sound a 95 decibel squealing alarm alerting employees to an attempted i-pad theft or tablet theft. With Classic N10 pedestals set in place at entrances and exits to a building, any attempt to smuggle a protected item out the door will result in an alarm from the tower. Again, staffs are alerted and can respond to the event and recover the item before a thief gets away.
Why would someone completely trust in encryption to protect their devices? For starters on their iOS security white paper, March 2017, Apple includes the statement on page 10, “iOS has additional encryption and data protection features to safeguard user data even in cases where other parts of the security infrastructure have been compromised…This provides benefits for both users and IT administrators protecting personal and corporate information at all times and providing methods for instant and complete remote wipe in the case of device theft or loss.” https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf I am not an expert in encryption and I know that the people at Apple are great at what they do. I only point out that one is left with the impression that there is no need to worry should a device be stolen. I would like to suggest that IF a breach were to take place, fines from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can be hefty. On top of the fines that could be levied, there is also the loss of public confidence in the facility where the breach has occurred and that can impact profitability.
Do portable devices get stolen from facilities? According to the hhs.gov website, in 2017 alone there have been four reported thefts or losses of “other portable electronic devices” and four “thefts of laptops” https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf This does not include all the breaches due to paper losses or thefts, network server hackings, unauthorized email disclosures and so on. In one case of theft, “A computer and storage device have been discovered to have been stolen from San Diego-based healthcare provider Sharp Healthcare. The devices were taken from a locked cabinet in an access-controlled patient treatment area of the Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion in Kearney Mesa in San Diego, CA.” (emphasis mine). The article goes on to report that, “750 current and former patients are understood to have been impacted by the incident.” http://www.hipaajournal.com/sharp-healthcare-says-stolen-devices-contained-phi-of-patients-8718/ The story does not indicate the type of storage device or computer and it may or may not have been an i-pad theft but with the increased use of mobile devices in medicine the necessary precautions are the same.
Using the Bug Tag 2 on mobile medical devices and having Classic N10 pedestals installed in doorways is an additional security step you can take to protect your business and clients. Don’t allow i-pad theft or tablet theft to take your reputation or result in astronomical fines.
Get more information on the Bug Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547today.
I don’t like to cry wolf and I don’t like to unnecessarily scare people. On the flip side of that, I do believe being too nonchalant about some things, like data security on computer devices can lead to harmful situations. Take for instance mobile medical devices, some web sites seem to suggest that encryption protects computing devices from hacking so there is not a lot to be concerned with in terms of protecting patient’s personal information. I will grant you that encryption is a powerful tool, but I would not be confident in it as my only defense should an ipad theft take place in my hospital, clinic or practice. Medical facilities MUST protect all patient data even if it only seems to be harmless on the surface, like an address. There are thieves trying to gain access to patient information be it addresses, credit billing information, names, prescription drug data, etc. They use the information to obtain prescription medications, file fraudulent medical bills with insurers, obtain credit information and so on. Medical providers must do more to protect mobile devices than depend on encryption. One effective method is to physically protect devices with the Alpha Bug Tag 2.
The Bug Tag is an electronic article surveillance (EAS) anti-theft device that works using a radio frequency (rf) signal in concert with an EAS pedestal, such as the Checkpoint Classic N10 unit. It has rounded edges that give it a flush fit with a device such as a tablet computer or i-pad. The design of the tag makes it nearly impossible for a criminal to pry it off of whatever item it is attached to. The built in tamper alarm ensures that even if it were pried off, the tag will sound a 95 decibel squealing alarm alerting employees to an attempted i-pad theft or tablet theft. With Classic N10 pedestals set in place at entrances and exits to a building, any attempt to smuggle a protected item out the door will result in an alarm from the tower. Again, staffs are alerted and can respond to the event and recover the item before a thief gets away.
Why would someone completely trust in encryption to protect their devices? For starters on their iOS security white paper, March 2017, Apple includes the statement on page 10, “iOS has additional encryption and data protection features to safeguard user data even in cases where other parts of the security infrastructure have been compromised…This provides benefits for both users and IT administrators protecting personal and corporate information at all times and providing methods for instant and complete remote wipe in the case of device theft or loss.” https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf I am not an expert in encryption and I know that the people at Apple are great at what they do. I only point out that one is left with the impression that there is no need to worry should a device be stolen. I would like to suggest that IF a breach were to take place, fines from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can be hefty. On top of the fines that could be levied, there is also the loss of public confidence in the facility where the breach has occurred and that can impact profitability.
Do portable devices get stolen from facilities? According to the hhs.gov website, in 2017 alone there have been four reported thefts or losses of “other portable electronic devices” and four “thefts of laptops” https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/breach/breach_report.jsf This does not include all the breaches due to paper losses or thefts, network server hackings, unauthorized email disclosures and so on. In one case of theft, “A computer and storage device have been discovered to have been stolen from San Diego-based healthcare provider Sharp Healthcare. The devices were taken from a locked cabinet in an access-controlled patient treatment area of the Sharp Memorial Outpatient Pavilion in Kearney Mesa in San Diego, CA.” (emphasis mine). The article goes on to report that, “750 current and former patients are understood to have been impacted by the incident.” http://www.hipaajournal.com/sharp-healthcare-says-stolen-devices-contained-phi-of-patients-8718/ The story does not indicate the type of storage device or computer and it may or may not have been an i-pad theft but with the increased use of mobile devices in medicine the necessary precautions are the same.
Using the Bug Tag 2 on mobile medical devices and having Classic N10 pedestals installed in doorways is an additional security step you can take to protect your business and clients. Don’t allow i-pad theft or tablet theft to take your reputation or result in astronomical fines.
Get more information on the Bug Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547today.
