USING THE LOSS PREVENTION CALCULATOR TO DETERMINE ROI
Anytime I want something not in the budget, I have to convince my bosses that by spending that money, I can get the company a return on that investment. For example, last year I really wanted to install license plate readers in my store’s parking lots to aid in investigations. I had to put in some effort, since I don’t have some magic loss prevention calculator.
It definitely was a hard sell, as the cameras and software ran about $1,000 per location. I have 30 stores under my responsibility, so to convince the company to spend $30k was very hard, especially in the current retail climate. So how’d I do it? Well, I started small. I got the approval to test the idea in one store. So I chose the highest shrink store that I had. Once the system was installed, it didn’t take long for an instigation to hit my desk. I had some guys run out of the rear fire exit with several high end coolers, totaling well over $4,000. Guess what they hit on the way out? I was able to sell that save as a benefit to the plate reader system and ultimately secured my funding to deploy to all store locations. So what if there was some magic loss prevention ROI calculator? What would you use it for?
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you don’t have 30 stores, or multi-million dollar budgets. If I had to guess, your margins are razor thin and you’re looking for any and all ways to combat shoplifters that are eroding your profit. You’ve also probably been kicking around the idea of installing an anti-theft system, but maybe you’ve been concerned over the investment, and if you’ll ever seen your money come back. Well, the good folks over at Loss Prevention Systems developed their very own loss prevention calculator to help you see just how easy it is to see that return on your investment.
When you have time (like, right now) head over to www.losspreventionsytems.com/roi-calculator. The loss prevention calculator is so easy to use, almost anyone can do it, even store managers. Just plug in your sales information and the equipment cost. You can be set up with a new system for about $2,300. I added a few extra dollars to be conservative and to include hard tags/soft tags. Click the button and you’re all set. The loss prevention ROI calculator does all the work for you!
I think the best feature is the PDF print out it generates. You can physically see what your shrink expenses are, how much an EAS system will cost, and most importantly, how long would it take for you to see a return on your initial investment. Using the basic set up here, it would take less than a year for you to recoup your investment. Not only that, you’re setting yourself for continued savings each month through a reduction in overall shrink caused by internal and external theft. So what are you waiting for? Go see for yourself how easy the loss prevention ROI calculator is and how much money you can add back to your bottom line!
Get more information on ROI Calculator, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
AA blog 07: Electronic Article Surveillance
Electronic Article Surveillance: 4
EAS Labels: 5
Stop Shoplifting: 3
Where’s the Beef? Why Electronic Article Surveillance is a Necessary Part of Any Business.
If you have been in the local grocery store lately or if you happen to own one, you are very well aware of the constant inflation of food prices. I notice when prices are fluctuating, especially when I go to buy my favorite Honeycrisp apples, that are running anywhere from $2.00-$3.00 a pound, or a nice juicy steak that can cost me upwards of $15.00. Unfortunately for us consumers, we can’t do anything to reduce these costs, aside from comparative shopping and looking for local discounts. There are many reasons why our agricultural market continues to increase consumer prices by an average of 2-3% a year. Many variables contribute to this rate, which can fluctuate depending on the weather and other economic variables. The cost of oil is a huge factor in the cost of food products. This is due the rising price of gas, which affects delivery costs and can limit resource availability. Droughts in states such as California and Texas can affect crop and meat production and availability, which increase prices due to supply and demand issues. This also presents a problem for grocery store owners because they continue to mark-up prices in order to provide these products and maintain profits. As prices continue to rise we are also seeing higher theft rates in the food industry. So what are these companies doing to help secure their products and stop shoplifting? Many businesses are utilizing Electronic Article Surveillance solutions to label and detect theft.
If you aren’t familiar with EAS Labels or how Electronic Article Surveillance works to reduce shrinkage, let me be the first to tell you what an important role they can play for you and your company. As a loss prevention manager I have seen the positive impact this system has had on businesses of all types and sizes. EAS labels come in various types and sizes to accommodate various products. They provide a discreet means to apply EAS technology to a product, which can be detected by EAS antennas, to stop shoplifting. Specially designed Checkpoint labels have been created specifically for the food industry. They are FDA approved and do not impact the integrity of the product. This allows them to be placed directly on fresh meat or frozen product packaging and is microwave safe. They are small sticker tags that are equipped with EAS technology. This technology is compatible with various checkout systems, which provide for a convenient way to deactivate the EAS signal at the time of checkout, with no added effort. These EAS labels can be printed at the store level, making the process simple and efficient. There are various other soft labels that are equipped with EAS that can be used for non-food products as well. This can be a benefit to those grocery stores that sell other products such as cosmetics, medicine and vitamins, jewelry and other high priced items such as electronics. These clear adhesive labels contain a small bar code that can be printed and affixed to products, without reducing the visibility of the product. These EAS labels will substantially reduce shoplifting through deterrence and detection.
If you want to stop shoplifting in your stores, reduce overhead cost, improve customer relations and increase profit, consider upgrading your security to include Electronic Article Surveillance. Adding EAS labels to your high valued items is imperative to reduce theft. As a consumer I will continue to look for lower prices and shop in stores that don’t over-stretch my budget. Pricing, quality and convenience will continue to drive purchasing preferences, so do yourself a favor and protect your merchandise, so you can remain competitive in the market.
Get more information on Electronic Article Surveillance, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547, now.
If you have been in the local grocery store lately or if you happen to own one, you are very well aware of the constant inflation of food prices. I notice when prices are fluctuating, especially when I go to buy my favorite Honeycrisp apples, that are running anywhere from $2.00-$3.00 a pound, or a nice juicy steak that can cost me upwards of $15.00. Unfortunately for us consumers, we can’t do anything to reduce these costs, aside from comparative shopping and looking for local discounts. There are many reasons why our agricultural market continues to increase consumer prices by an average of 2-3% a year. Many variables contribute to this rate, which can fluctuate depending on the weather and other economic variables. The cost of oil is a huge factor in the cost of food products. This is due the rising price of gas, which affects delivery costs and can limit resource availability. Droughts in states such as California and Texas can affect crop and meat production and availability, which increase prices due to supply and demand issues. This also presents a problem for grocery store owners because they continue to mark-up prices in order to provide these products and maintain profits. As prices continue to rise we are also seeing higher theft rates in the food industry. So what are these companies doing to help secure their products and stop shoplifting? Many businesses are utilizing Electronic Article Surveillance solutions to label and detect theft.
If you aren’t familiar with EAS Labels or how Electronic Article Surveillance works to reduce shrinkage, let me be the first to tell you what an important role they can play for you and your company. As a loss prevention manager I have seen the positive impact this system has had on businesses of all types and sizes. EAS labels come in various types and sizes to accommodate various products. They provide a discreet means to apply EAS technology to a product, which can be detected by EAS antennas, to stop shoplifting. Specially designed Checkpoint labels have been created specifically for the food industry. They are FDA approved and do not impact the integrity of the product. This allows them to be placed directly on fresh meat or frozen product packaging and is microwave safe. They are small sticker tags that are equipped with EAS technology. This technology is compatible with various checkout systems, which provide for a convenient way to deactivate the EAS signal at the time of checkout, with no added effort. These EAS labels can be printed at the store level, making the process simple and efficient. There are various other soft labels that are equipped with EAS that can be used for non-food products as well. This can be a benefit to those grocery stores that sell other products such as cosmetics, medicine and vitamins, jewelry and other high priced items such as electronics. These clear adhesive labels contain a small bar code that can be printed and affixed to products, without reducing the visibility of the product. These EAS labels will substantially reduce shoplifting through deterrence and detection.
If you want to stop shoplifting in your stores, reduce overhead cost, improve customer relations and increase profit, consider upgrading your security to include Electronic Article Surveillance. Adding EAS labels to your high valued items is imperative to reduce theft. As a consumer I will continue to look for lower prices and shop in stores that don’t over-stretch my budget. Pricing, quality and convenience will continue to drive purchasing preferences, so do yourself a favor and protect your merchandise, so you can remain competitive in the market.
Get more information on Electronic Article Surveillance, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547, now.
AA Blog 05: Alpha 3 Alarm
Alpha 3 Alarm: 4
Prevent Shoplifting: 3
Retail Anti-Theft Devices: 3
How Alpha Alpha 3 Alarm Technology Can Add a Whole New Level to Your Loss Prevention Program
In my experience as a police officer, I would have to say that the majority of the shopliftings I have responded to involved some sort of concealment on the part of the offender. This happens in various ways and occurs across a large spectrum of people. I have seen people blatantly conceal items on the retail floor, by placing them in their purse or backpack or inside their clothing. This is typical of the younger crowd, although I have arrested an older man for stealing vitamins, which may say more about our health care system, than it does retail theft. I have also seen people remove items from their packaging, to allow for easier concealment, or hide the item in a stroller or cart. I have also responded to the calls where someone took the item into the dressing room and placed it somewhere on their person, sometimes even layering clothing or undergarments. I have even seen someone conceal items in their person, which is going above and beyond if you ask me; nobody needs a necklace that bad. Regardless of the method, concealment seems to be the most popular method of shoplifting from my experience, and requires special consideration. The best method to prevent shoplifting, of this nature, is to utilize retail anti-theft devices
Alpha Security has a myriad of retail anti-theft devices that can be used to prevent shoplifting. They have hard tags and locks that can be used to protect any item in your inventory. Many of these devices can be equipped with the Alpha 3 Alarm, which provide an audible notification alarm. The cable locks, for example can be affixed to clothing and other items such as shoes, purses or other accessories and allow the retailer the ability to secure the item without having to pin expensive items. The locks come in various lengths and therefore provide a wide range of options in order to prevent shoplifting. They are small and easy to affix and can be equipped with the Alpha 3 Alarm technology, which is battery powered. The alarm is designed to sound if someone attempts to leave the store with the item or tries to remove the tag from the merchandise. These Alarms are designed to deter shoplifting because concealment will not play a factor with these types of devices. These tags and locks are reusable and can be affixed at the retail level. You can also purchase anti-theft devices for larger items such as televisions, gaming consoles, tools and other high priced items.
I know some retail owners believe that equipping their merchandise with locks or tags or other anti-shoplifting devices is too troublesome and expensive, but as an officer and consumer, the up-front cost outweighs the potential risk to your property and your pocketbook. As a law abiding citizen and a retail shopper, retail anti-theft devices are important to me as well. They ensure I am getting the products I want at a reasonable price. Preventing shoplifting doesn’t just improve profits for the retailer it also ensures retail prices are not marked up, due to inventory loss, associated with shoplifting. These devices will also reduce the amount of time you are seeing me in your store, at least in a law enforcement capacity that is, and will reduce your frustration. These devices are meant to supplement your existing loss prevention program and floor level associates with detection and deterrence. They also reduce your chances of having to deal with a lengthy judicial process, to try and reconcile your losses.
For more information about Alpha 3 Alarm technology, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
In my experience as a police officer, I would have to say that the majority of the shopliftings I have responded to involved some sort of concealment on the part of the offender. This happens in various ways and occurs across a large spectrum of people. I have seen people blatantly conceal items on the retail floor, by placing them in their purse or backpack or inside their clothing. This is typical of the younger crowd, although I have arrested an older man for stealing vitamins, which may say more about our health care system, than it does retail theft. I have also seen people remove items from their packaging, to allow for easier concealment, or hide the item in a stroller or cart. I have also responded to the calls where someone took the item into the dressing room and placed it somewhere on their person, sometimes even layering clothing or undergarments. I have even seen someone conceal items in their person, which is going above and beyond if you ask me; nobody needs a necklace that bad. Regardless of the method, concealment seems to be the most popular method of shoplifting from my experience, and requires special consideration. The best method to prevent shoplifting, of this nature, is to utilize retail anti-theft devices
Alpha Security has a myriad of retail anti-theft devices that can be used to prevent shoplifting.They have hard tags and locks that can be used to protect any item in your inventory. Many of these devices can be equipped with the Alpha 3 Alarm, which provide an audible notification alarm. The cable locks, for example can be affixed to clothing and other items such as shoes, purses or other accessories and allow the retailer the ability to secure the item without having to pin expensive items. The locks come in various lengths and therefore provide a wide range of options in order to prevent shoplifting. They are small and easy to affix and can be equipped with the Alpha 3 Alarm technology, which is battery powered. The alarm is designed to sound if someone attempts to leave the store with the item or tries to remove the tag from the merchandise. These Alarms are designed to deter shoplifting because concealment will not play a factor with these types of devices. These tags and locks are reusable and can be affixed at the retail level. You can also purchase anti-theft devices for larger items such as televisions, gaming consoles, tools and other high priced items.
I know some retail owners believe that equipping their merchandise with locks or tags or other anti-shoplifting devices is too troublesome and expensive, but as an officer and consumer, the up-front cost outweighs the potential risk to your property and your pocketbook. As a law abiding citizen and a retail shopper, retail anti-theft devices are important to me as well. They ensure I am getting the products I want at a reasonable price. Preventing shoplifting doesn’t just improve profits for the retailer it also ensures retail prices are not marked up, due to inventory loss, associated with shoplifting. These devices will also reduce the amount of time you are seeing me in your store, at least in a law enforcement capacity that is, and will reduce your frustration. These devices are meant to supplement your existing loss prevention program and floor level associates with detection and deterrence. They also reduce your chances of having to deal with a lengthy judicial process, to try and reconcile your losses.
For more information about Alpha 3 Alarm technology, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Having worked in retail for so many years now, I have always hated to see what I considered wasted payroll. Some stores seem to be over staffed when there is no need for it and then there are times I look around a store and can’t seem to find any help.When I get to a checkout counter and there is only one lane open and a line of customers waiting to check out, I shake my head and just wonder what is going on with that store’s payroll and scheduling. I have also been a Manager On Duty and experienced the frustration of a schedule that was too light due to an automated scheduling system that supposedly gave payroll hours based on “historical” data. How about a schedule based on numbers of patrons, not just sales data like dollars spent or someone’s perception of what payroll should be. How beneficial would it be to your store to have a customer counting system that provides actual head counts so you can staff your store effectively?
The VisiPlus retail traffic counting system gives the store the ability to make accurate decisions on how many people should be staffed and at what times. Perhaps you staff your store with 10 employees every day from open to close. No changes to the schedule, just plug in 10 people and go. Do you truly need the same 10 people at 8:00 a.m. that you have scheduled at 10:00 p.m.? What time does your customer traffic really pick up? Wouldn’t it be nice to have 12 or 13 people on the schedule during your busiest hours? A customer counting system can help you do that. A door counting system works by measuring the people entering and exiting the building. Rather than estimating the number of patrons a store has had based on transactions, real numbers of patrons are counted.
So what is the difference between estimated numbers and real customer counts through a retail traffic counting system? Estimating customer counts through sales does not take into account those customers who may have left the store without making a purchase due to frustrations at wait times. If there is inadequate staffing at peak hours, customers who may have been seeking sales floor assistance may not have received it. Customers who saw the lines of a checkout counter and left due to the anticipated wait time are not counted. Customer counting systems give actual data and can provide day of the week and time break downs to make scheduling much more effective. I may need 10 people for 3 hours to stock merchandise and run the store, but if my counts show I have low customer counts for a few hours afterwards then I can send two or three workers home when the work is done. I can use historical counts to staff 13 or 14 people for 4 or 5 hours or more, based on what my door counting system has shown as peak times. In this way, I ensure ample coverage is in place to serve the additional foot traffic shopping in the store. Those additional three or four people can ensure I am serving my customers on the floor and getting them through the checkout lines quickly. As I improve my service, my sales will go up.
As a Manager On Duty I also closed a store with far too few people to get a proper recovery done. Because of poor scheduling we would have just enough staff to help customers, but not enough at those peak times to also recover the store as it was being torn up. Sales data showed a slowdown in traffic so, why have extra help at 10:00 p.m.? Basing staffing on the results of a door counting system, proper payroll allocation can be adjusted to make sure ALL tasks get done, patrons are served AND you get your staff out on time. I can’t tell you how much payroll I see overspent because staffs are kept past scheduled hours to straighten a store.
A retail counting system can help you be smarter in payroll spending. In doing so you will be able to better serve your customers, and increase transactions and dollars. Don’t depend on sales that have been missed as a measure of your customer traffic, see what a difference a customer counting system can make for your staffing model!
Need information on a customer counting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Checkpoint Security System-3 WC Blog 263
Checkpoint Systems-3
Checkpoint Tags-5
Checkpoint Labels-4
Stop Shoplifting-3
Checkpoint Security Systems Are Key To Your Inventory Control: Part 1
Loss Prevention professionals like to throw around the term inventory control whenever we are discussing merchandise shrinkage and how to prevent it. While the idea of inventory control is valid, there are many facets about it that must be considered when we are making reference to it. Often, I believe we in Loss Prevention start to discuss tactics to control inventory and we can lose sight of the object of those tactics. Here is what I mean; inventory control is the ability to accurately know what is coming into your building, knowing where it is in your building, knowing all that transpires with that merchandise (ie; markdowns, buy backs, vendor credits, etc.) and knowing how it leaves the building (via point of sale, vendor returns, chargebacks, etc.). When you have all that knowledge you have control over inventory. Implementing strategies to control inventory includes such things as Direct to Store Delivery processing, receipt of vendor credits, building alarm controls, key controls, stockroom access controls and so on. Each process can make a significant impact on shortage come inventory time. What I would like to discuss are several strategies a retailer can use to exert more control over their inventory. The first strategy I want to strongly encourage is to invest in a Checkpoint Security System.
By purchasing a Checkpoint Security System you are taking measures to stop shoplifting and you can also deter internal theft and vendor theft as well. Checkpoint systems include electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas in a variety of models, Checkpoint tags and Checkpoint labels, deactivation pads and detachment tools for checkout stands. When used together, Checkpoint Tags and Checkpoint Labels are placed on merchandise to stop shoplifting and when shoplifting is attempted, these devices cause the EAS antennas to sound their alarms and alert employees that merchandise is being removed from the store. Deactivation pads basically “turn off” Checkpoint labels after an item is purchased so the EAS antennas don’t alarm. Removal tools allow cashiers to take the hard Checkpoint tags off of items as they are purchased.
Store goods can be protected with soft Checkpoint Labels that can be applied to a variety of different products, from meat soaker pads to blister packed merchandise and even cosmetics. Hard Checkpoint Tags provide protective solutions for almost any other product carried, including but not limited to clothing, softlines accessories, peg hole protection, the list goes on. My point is, once merchandise is protected it is hard for anyone to sneak products out of a store. Not only do Checkpoint tags stop shoplifting but the employee who wants to steal has a difficult time getting past security measures. I have apprehended dishonest employees who had stolen merchandise that was protected but had to go to significant lengths to try to bypass our Checkpoint Security System. There are also vendors that will try to steal, taking merchandise out in purses, bags, between empty cartons and Checkpoint Systems detect them too making no distinctions between shoplifters, employees or vendors.
Where does inventory control begin with tagging? It begins as soon as merchandise is received. Arrangements can be made through Checkpoint for vendor source tagging of some items and other merchandise a store will be responsible for tagging. Tagging products immediately eliminates most opportunities for any type of theft and store owners/managers have exerted control over how that product will leave their building.
Inventory Control is a simple concept, controlling where your merchandise is or where it is going. Checkpoint Systems can help ensure your merchandise stays in the store until it goes out through a point of sale and drive up profits.
Need information on Checkpoint Security Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Loss Prevention professionals like to throw around the term inventory control whenever we are discussing merchandise shrinkage and how to prevent it. While the idea of inventory control is valid, there are many facets about it that must be considered when we are making reference to it. Often, I believe we in Loss Prevention start to discuss tactics to control inventory and we can lose sight of the object of those tactics. Here is what I mean; inventory control is the ability to accurately know what is coming into your building, knowing where it is in your building, knowing all that transpires with that merchandise (ie; markdowns, buy backs, vendor credits, etc.) and knowing how it leaves the building (via point of sale, vendor returns, chargebacks, etc.). When you have all that knowledge you have control over inventory. Implementing strategies to control inventory includes such things as Direct to Store Delivery processing, receipt of vendor credits, building alarm controls, key controls, stockroom access controls and so on. Each process can make a significant impact on shortage come inventory time. What I would like to discuss are several strategies a retailer can use to exert more control over their inventory. The first strategy I want to strongly encourage is to invest in a Checkpoint Security System.
By purchasing a Checkpoint Security System you are taking measures to stop shoplifting and you can also deter internal theft and vendor theft as well. Checkpoint systems include electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas in a variety of models, Checkpoint tags and Checkpoint labels, deactivation pads and detachment tools for checkout stands. When used together, Checkpoint Tags and Checkpoint Labels are placed on merchandise to stop shoplifting and when shoplifting is attempted, these devices cause the EAS antennas to sound their alarms and alert employees that merchandise is being removed from the store. Deactivation pads basically “turn off” Checkpoint labels after an item is purchased so the EAS antennas don’t alarm. Removal tools allow cashiers to take the hard Checkpoint tags off of items as they are purchased.
Store goods can be protected with soft Checkpoint Labels that can be applied to a variety of different products, from meat soaker pads to blister packed merchandise and even cosmetics. Hard Checkpoint Tags provide protective solutions for almost any other product carried, including but not limited to clothing, softlines accessories, peg hole protection, the list goes on. My point is, once merchandise is protected it is hard for anyone to sneak products out of a store. Not only do Checkpoint tags stop shoplifting but the employee who wants to steal has a difficult time getting past security measures. I have apprehended dishonest employees who had stolen merchandise that was protected but had to go to significant lengths to try to bypass our Checkpoint Security System. There are also vendors that will try to steal, taking merchandise out in purses, bags, between empty cartons and Checkpoint Systems detect them too making no distinctions between shoplifters, employees or vendors.
Where does inventory control begin with tagging? It begins as soon as merchandise is received. Tagging products immediately eliminates most opportunities for any type of theft and store owners/managers have exerted control over how that product will leave their building.
Inventory Control is a simple concept, controlling where your merchandise is or where it is going. Checkpoint Systems can help ensure your merchandise stays in the store until it goes out through a point of sale and drive up profits.
Need information on Checkpoint Security Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Checkpoint tags-4 WC blog 237
Clothing alarm-3
Clothing security tags-3
Do’s And Don’ts In Responding To A Clothing Alarm Part 1
You may be considering the important decision to invest in Checkpoint tags to prevent the theft of clothes from your store. If you do decide to take this important step you will certainly make your store more profitable. But did you know that there is more to do once electronic article surveillance antennas are installed and you have placed security tags on clothes? In order to have an effective plan for clothing security you will need to train employees on how to properly respond to alarm activations. I have been involved with Retail Loss Prevention for a long time and I have witnessed positive and negative results from EAS alarms based on how employees respond to those alarms. When a store has an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system installed the company will provide initial training but it is incumbent on the store to conduct ongoing training to its employees. In this article I will be addressing the DO’s and DON’Ts of EAS alarm response when security tags on clothes trigger an alarm.
Let’s begin the discussion with a review of what clothing security tags are and how they work. Checkpoint tags for clothes are designed to be pinned to clothing and only removed with a special detachment key. Any attempt to forcibly remove the tags or pry them off of a garment damages the product and undermines the reason someone would steal the merchandise in the first place. Clothing security tags are designed and built to emit a radio frequency signal that can be picked up by an EAS antenna when carried within the receiving range of the antenna. Once carried into that range or field a tag will cause the antenna to sound an alarm. It is this alarm that employees respond to in order to recover merchandise. There are times when the alarm itself is enough to cause a criminal to drop the item they were going to steal. In many instances it is how effectively an employee responds to the alarm that determines whether merchandise is recovered.
I mentioned that my point in writing this is that there are proper ways to respond to a clothing alarm and there are certainly ways NOT to respond. Employees get initial training when a system is installed and after that it is up to the store owner or supervisors to conduct ongoing training. It is important to train correctly and these are my tips.
DON’Ts to EAS alarm responses:
• Don’t approach the person with an accusatory tone or aggressive stance. Aggressive attitudes tend to elicit a similar response which can escalate a situation.
• Don’t automatically take a person’s bag, purse or backpack from them.
• Don’t accuse someone of trying to steal, even if a receipt check or bag inspection results in recovering merchandise.
• Don’t assume that if garments have Checkpoint tags on them that they have been stolen. The receipt check could reveal the cashier failed to remove clothing security tags.
• Don’t make a scene.
• Don’t stand in front of the person with whom you are interacting. If they are stealing they may stop for an alarm, however if they feel you are finding something they may assume you are going to put them in jail and they may try to run. You could be pushed out of the way, possibly getting injured in the process.
• If you make a recovery due to a clothing alarm, don’t follow the suspect into the parking lot to get a tag number from the car. I have seen people back all the way to the end of a parking lot, endangering other drivers in order to avoid their license plate number being seen.
In part 2 I will be discussing the steps an employee should DO in the event of a clothing alarm. The old saying goes that you attract more flies with honey than vinegar, and the same principle applies to recovering merchandise when Checkpoint tags sets off an EAS antenna alarm. Train employees on proper responses to alarms and see how much your clothing security can pay off.
Clothing security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
You may be considering the important decision to invest in Checkpoint tags to prevent the theft of clothes from your store. If you do decide to take this important step you will certainly make your store more profitable. But did you know that there is more to do once electronic article surveillance antennas are installed and you have placed security tags on clothes? In order to have an effective plan for clothing security you will need to train employees on how to properly respond to alarm activations. I have been involved with Retail Loss Prevention for a long time and I have witnessed positive and negative results from EAS alarms based on how employees respond to those alarms. When a store has an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system installed the company will provide initial training but it is incumbent on the store to conduct ongoing training to its employees. In this article I will be addressing the DO’s and DON’Ts of EAS alarm response when security tags on clothes trigger an alarm.
Let’s begin the discussion with a review of what clothing security tags are and how they work. Checkpoint tags for clothes are designed to be pinned to clothing and only removed with a special detachment key. Any attempt to forcibly remove the tags or pry them off of a garment damages the product and undermines the reason someone would steal the merchandise in the first place. Clothing security tags are designed and built to emit a radio frequency signal that can be picked up by an EAS antenna when carried within the receiving range of the antenna. Once carried into that range or field a tag will cause the antenna to sound an alarm. It is this alarm that employees respond to in order to recover merchandise. There are times when the alarm itself is enough to cause a criminal to drop the item they were going to steal. In many instances it is how effectively an employee responds to the alarm that determines whether merchandise is recovered.
I mentioned that my point in writing this is that there are proper ways to respond to a clothing alarm and there are certainly ways NOT to respond. Employees get initial training when a system is installed and after that it is up to the store owner or supervisors to conduct ongoing training. It is important to train correctly and these are my tips.
DON’Ts to EAS alarm responses:
• Don’t approach the person with an accusatory tone or aggressive stance. Aggressive attitudes tend to elicit a similar response which can escalate a situation.
• Don’t automatically take a person’s bag, purse or backpack from them.
• Don’t accuse someone of trying to steal, even if a receipt check or bag inspection results in recovering merchandise.
• Don’t assume that if garments have Checkpoint tags on them that they have been stolen. The receipt check could reveal the cashier failed to remove clothing security tags.
• Don’t make a scene.
• Don’t stand in front of the person with whom you are interacting. If they are stealing they may stop for an alarm, however if they feel you are finding something they may assume you are going to put them in jail and they may try to run. You could be pushed out of the way, possibly getting injured in the process.
• If you make a recovery due to a clothing alarm, don’t follow the suspect into the parking lot to get a tag number from the car. I have seen people back all the way to the end of a parking lot, endangering other drivers in order to avoid their license plate number being seen.
In part 2 I will be discussing the steps an employee should DO in the event of a clothing alarm. The old saying goes that you attract more flies with honey than vinegar, and the same principle applies to recovering merchandise when Checkpoint tags sets off an EAS antenna alarm. Train employees on proper responses to alarms and see how much your clothing security can pay off.
Clothing security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
