Stop shoplifting -4 WC Blog 753
Employee Theft – 4
Are You Savvy Enough To Stop Shoplifting And Employee Theft?
I was training two new employees at the store where I work and they got a taste of how to stop shoplifting. I was training the guys on where merchandise in the store is located and in the process I came across a suspicious shopper and offered him extensive customer service. The shopper ended up leaving without making a purchase (and without stealing anything). I was able to use this as a training moment to explain to the two new employees what made me decide this was no shopper but a shoplifter wannabe. I transitioned from rendering customer service to giving aggressive customer service. My level of service changed based on my Loss Prevention experience and knowing that the statements and actions of the “customer” were not consistent with what a normal shopper would say or do. This brings me to the reason I chose to write on the topic of training, how do store owners who may not have a Loss Prevention background conduct training to prevent employee theft and stop shoplifting?
Effective training requires a certain level of expertise. This is not to say the trainer has to be a true expert in every aspect of a task or job but he/she should have more than a passing familiarity with that task. For example, I am familiar with some aspects of Human Resources but not enough to train someone else in it. Likewise I would not recommend someone who has responded to an electronic article surveillance alarm or two to teach others about how to identify when employee theft or shoplifting may be occurring. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is an outstanding training resource for retailers which cannot afford an internal Loss Prevention Officer. Major national retailer chains can afford teams of Loss Prevention Officers who can also act as trainers and investigators of internal theft. Since this is not a realistic consideration for independent store owners Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers an alternate solution.
From training to prevent employee theft and how to stop pilferage due to shoplifting Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) has a variety of training opportunities available to store owners and managers. Store owners can schedule live training seminars for their management teams that can help them understand the different types of shoplifters, their behaviors and even methods to approach them that won’t feel uncomfortable. Employee theft prevention training encompasses everything from the different ways workers may be stealing from you to the ways you can pre-empt it with sound hiring practices which include background checks. The great thing about LPSI’s programs are there are several means of receiving training including in-person seminars to live webinars.
One more training module that I believe is very important to any business is that LPSI offers a “Train the Trainer” course. You can train people to learn something but showing them how to train others is a different matter. Referring back to my suspected shoplifter, I was able to use that real-life incident to follow-up with my new co-workers. I had the experience to explain what it was that I keyed into to discern something was not right in the situation. Had they received this same information from someone with little more knowledge than they had the lesson would not have carried the same impact. Likewise, if you send a manager through training to stop shoplifting that alone will likely provide a sufficient level of knowledge for them to share with others and have the same result.
Did I have to share what I was seeing and hearing with my co-workers after the suspect left the store? No, I could have let the issue rest and gone back to what I was doing. By sharing my knowledge I hope that they will remember the lesson as they start working and use it to prevent theft. LPSI has a wealth of information that can help owners and managers make their businesses more prosperous. Stop shoplifting and dishonest staff members and dollars lost to shortage drop significantly. LPSI can assist you with all the training you will need to build a shortage and security savvy squad of employees.
Need information on how to stop shoplifting? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I was training two new employees at the store where I work and they got a taste of how to stop shoplifting. I was training the guys on where merchandise in the store is located and in the process I came across a suspicious shopper and offered him extensive customer service. The shopper ended up leaving without making a purchase (and without stealing anything). I was able to use this as a training moment to explain to the two new employees what made me decide this was no shopper but a shoplifter wannabe. I transitioned from rendering customer service to giving aggressive customer service. My level of service changed based on my Loss Prevention experience and knowing that the statements and actions of the “customer” were not consistent with what a normal shopper would say or do. This brings me to the reason I chose to write on the topic of training, how do store owners who may not have a Loss Prevention background conduct training to prevent employee theft and stop shoplifting?
Effective training requires a certain level of expertise. This is not to say the trainer has to be a true expert in every aspect of a task or job but he/she should have more than a passing familiarity with that task. For example, I am familiar with some aspects of Human Resources but not enough to train someone else in it. Likewise I would not recommend someone who has responded to an electronic article surveillance alarm or two to teach others about how to identify when employee theft or shoplifting may be occurring. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is an outstanding training resource for retailers which cannot afford an internal Loss Prevention Officer. Major national retailer chains can afford teams of Loss Prevention Officers who can also act as trainers and investigators of internal theft. Since this is not a realistic consideration for independent store owners Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers an alternate solution.
From training to prevent employee theft and how to stop pilferage due to shoplifting Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) has a variety of training opportunities available to store owners and managers. Store owners can schedule live training seminars for their management teams that can help them understand the different types of shoplifters, their behaviors and even methods to approach them that won’t feel uncomfortable. Employee theft prevention training encompasses everything from the different ways workers may be stealing from you to the ways you can pre-empt it with sound hiring practices which include background checks. The great thing about LPSI’s programs are there are several means of receiving training including in-person seminars to live webinars.
One more training module that I believe is very important to any business is that LPSI offers a “Train the Trainer” course. You can train people to learn something but showing them how to train others is a different matter. Referring back to my suspected shoplifter, I was able to use that real-life incident to follow-up with my new co-workers. I had the experience to explain what it was that I keyed into to discern something was not right in the situation. Had they received this same information from someone with little more knowledge than they had the lesson would not have carried the same impact. Likewise, if you send a manager through training to stop shoplifting that alone will likely provide a sufficient level of knowledge for them to share with others and have the same result.
Did I have to share what I was seeing and hearing with my co-workers after the suspect left the store? No, I could have let the issue rest and gone back to what I was doing. By sharing my knowledge I hope that they will remember the lesson as they start working and use it to prevent theft. LPSI has a wealth of information that can help owners and managers make their businesses more prosperous. Stop shoplifting and dishonest staff members and dollars lost to shortage drop significantly. LPSI can assist you with all the training you will need to build a shortage and security savvy squad of employees.
Need information on how to stop shoplifting? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I was training two new employees at the store where I work and they got a taste of how to stop shoplifting. I was training the guys on where merchandise in the store is located and in the process I came across a suspicious shopper and offered him extensive customer service. The shopper ended up leaving without making a purchase (and without stealing anything). I was able to use this as a training moment to explain to the two new employees what made me decide this was no shopper but a shoplifter wannabe. I transitioned from rendering customer service to giving aggressive customer service. My level of service changed based on my Loss Prevention experience and knowing that the statements and actions of the “customer” were not consistent with what a normal shopper would say or do. This brings me to the reason I chose to write on the topic of training, how do store owners who may not have a Loss Prevention background conduct training to prevent employee theft and stop shoplifting?
Effective training requires a certain level of expertise. This is not to say the trainer has to be a true expert in every aspect of a task or job but he/she should have more than a passing familiarity with that task. For example, I am familiar with some aspects of Human Resources but not enough to train someone else in it. Likewise I would not recommend someone who has responded to an electronic article surveillance alarm or two to teach others about how to identify when employee theft or shoplifting may be occurring. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is an outstanding training resource for retailers which cannot afford an internal Loss Prevention Officer. Major national retailer chains can afford teams of Loss Prevention Officers who can also act as trainers and investigators of internal theft. Since this is not a realistic consideration for independent store owners Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers an alternate solution.
From training to prevent employee theft and how to stop pilferage due to shoplifting Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) has a variety of training opportunities available to store owners and managers. Store owners can schedule live training seminars for their management teams that can help them understand the different types of shoplifters, their behaviors and even methods to approach them that won’t feel uncomfortable. Employee theft prevention training encompasses everything from the different ways workers may be stealing from you to the ways you can pre-empt it with sound hiring practices which include background checks. The great thing about LPSI’s programs are there are several means of receiving training including in-person seminars to live webinars.
One more training module that I believe is very important to any business is that LPSI offers a “Train the Trainer” course. You can train people to learn something but showing them how to train others is a different matter. Referring back to my suspected shoplifter, I was able to use that real-life incident to follow-up with my new co-workers. I had the experience to explain what it was that I keyed into to discern something was not right in the situation. Had they received this same information from someone with little more knowledge than they had the lesson would not have carried the same impact. Likewise, if you send a manager through training to stop shoplifting that alone will likely provide a sufficient level of knowledge for them to share with others and have the same result.
Did I have to share what I was seeing and hearing with my co-workers after the suspect left the store? No, I could have let the issue rest and gone back to what I was doing. By sharing my knowledge I hope that they will remember the lesson as they start working and use it to prevent theft. LPSI has a wealth of information that can help owners and managers make their businesses more prosperous. Stop shoplifting and dishonest staff members and dollars lost to shortage drop significantly. LPSI can assist you with all the training you will need to build a shortage and security savvy squad of employees.
Need information on how to stop shoplifting? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I work in an office supply store and there are several different methods the store employs to prevent shoplifting. I am in the unique position that I can look at these strategies and make a professional judgement on their effectiveness. I have been involved in Retail Loss Prevention in one way or another for over 20 years. I have used the most effective retail anti-theft devices and the least effective tools for protecting merchandise. As a sales associate in my current role I can speak to the one strategy I really detest and that is keeping merchandise in a stockroom. It wasn’t long ago I had a customer who wanted to take a look at a couple of packages of pens. The store doesn’t keep these pens on the floor; instead there are placards with the picture of each type of pen on them. If the customer wants to look at the pen I have to go to the stockroom and get one out. I wanted to help this customer get what they came in for so I went to retrieve one so she could examine it. This was just to look at the pen, there was no guarantee she would purchase it (and ultimately she did not). On the way to the stockroom I had to stop and answer questions for two other customers. In one of those instances I had to ask the customer to wait until I was done helping my first customer then I would get back to her. What a terrible way to provide customer service. Yes, I called to see if anyone else could assist her but everyone was occupied with their own customer or they were busy in another department. If I had my choice I would protect the pens with Sensormatic Safers rather than the placard/stockroom lockup method.
There are two types of Safers available to prevent shoplifting. The first is the Flexible Safer and the second is the Adjustable Safer. Both types are equipped with electronic article surveillance technology. This means anyone attempting to carry a protected item out of the store is going to activate the Sensormatic pedestals and store associates can respond and recover the merchandise. The wonderful thing about Sensormatic Safers is that they are great for protecting small items or high dollar goods. For example Flexible Safers are a fantastic tool for protecting 4-packs of AAA lithium batteries or electric toothbrush heads. Adjustable Safers might be used to protect fragrances or skin care products (or pens). The use of these retail anti-theft devices allow merchants more options for stocking merchandise on the salesfloor and minimizing the use of stockrooms for holding merchandise. Protecting products and getting them in the hands of your customers alleviates the necessity of wasted manpower to retrieve products that may or may not be bought. It also makes the convenience of picking up an item and examining it an unstated selling point. As a shopper, I get frustrated when I can’t look at a locked up item because no one is nearby to readily unlock a display case or retrieve something from a stockroom. If it frustrates me, I know it frustrates others.
Sensormatic Safers were not available to me when I was a Loss prevention Manager. I wish they had been. I recall one of the hardest areas of the store to prevent shoplifting in was the health and beauty department. Within the specific department razor blades, perfumes and colognes were some of the specific items where we were constantly fighting shoplifting. We had some retail anti-theft devices we used but Safers would have been a better option if we had them available to us. We spent an exorbitant amount of time trying to brand these items to deter Organized Retail Crime groups and tagging them with electronic article surveillance tags. We were more successful than some of our peers but we still had theft problems that impacted our ability to keep product in-stock for paying customers. Of course, this hurt sales, on top of the financial impact of the theft itself.
Customer service is a powerful tool in retail. A negative experience for a customer may mean they don’t return for quite some time if at all. On the other hand a great experience leads to customer loyalty and a many return trips. Providing convenience to your customers contributes to an enhanced shopping trip and sales for your store. Sensormatic Safers can make the shopping experience easier and happier for your clients and that means more sales for you.
Get more information on Sensormatic Safers, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Electronic Article Surveillance – 3 WC Blog 760
Sensormatic Hard Tags – 4
Rely On Sensormatic Hard Tags For All Your Loss Prevention Needs
Can electronic article surveillance tags from one company be used with an anti-theft system from another manufacturer? The answer is yes, but why would you want to do this? I thought about this the other day as I was looking at purses and wallets in a department store with my wife. Well, she was looking at the purses and wallets I was looking at the mix of Sensormatic hard tags and another company’s hard tags. What I was seeing was a very strange mix of devices and even strategies. I have been in the Loss Prevention business for a very long time and I could not make heads or tails of what they were trying to do. From the mix of tags to what was tagged to HOW merchandise was tagged the only way I could describe what I saw was it looked like a mess.
How bad could things be when we are only talking about electronic article surveillance tagging? The mix of tags was the first sign of confusion in this store. Sensormatic tags are top of the line for protecting merchandise. They are reliable and can be counted on to activate the pedestals at the doors in the event someone tries to leave without paying for merchandise that is tagged. When it comes to durability their tags are as tough as tags come. There is very little chance a criminal is going to be able to force Sensormatic hard tags off of any piece of merchandise without seriously damaging the product. Since that defeats what the crook is trying to do, steal for personal use or re-sale, the criminal is usually going to go elsewhere. It makes no sense that a retailer would choose to use another brand of tag when Sensormatic provides all the protection that is needed.
If the mix of tags wasn’t confusing enough to me I then looked at what the store had tagged and what they had not tagged. This was a mish-mash that I could not untangle in my mind. I observed a $108 handbag sitting out with no security tag. I found $50 wallets on open display with no electronic article surveillance tags and I even looked through the wallets for hidden tags (yes, I know where these tend to be concealed). I did find $50 key chains secured with two hard tags which brings me to my final head scratcher.
I was impressed when I saw the key chains with Sensormatic hard tags looped through them by lanyards which are accessories available from Sensormatic. I was perplexed when I then saw the Sensormatic tag was secured to a stationary fixture by a different company’s alarm cable lock! Despite my best effort I could not figure out what the Loss Prevention department was trying to do. First, the purpose of any Sensormatic tag is to allow the store to put merchandise on open display so customers can pick up merchandise, examine it and have the freedom to carry the item. Associates are freed up from having to unlock display cases or secure fixtures to “show” merchandise that might not be sold. The store owner can be reassured the merchandise will be safe with Sensormatic security tags attached to products. It increases sales and reduces shortage. The idea of securing a security device with another security device makes my head spin. To use two different brands to do something this convoluted just seems nutty to me.
If you are looking to prevent theft in your store look at a Sensormatic security system for the protection you need. Sensormatic hard tags and labels come in all of the varieties and styles necessary to keep your merchandise safe from predators while giving your customers the freedom they want to shop in your store. There are other brands on the market but none as good as a genuine Sensormatic tag. THAT is the sense of security every retailer needs to have in order to grow a business.
Sensormatic security tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Can electronic article surveillance tags from one company be used with an anti-theft system from another manufacturer? The answer is yes, but why would you want to do this? I thought about this the other day as I was looking at purses and wallets in a department store with my wife. Well, she was looking at the purses and wallets I was looking at the mix of Sensormatic hard tags and another company’s hard tags. What I was seeing was a very strange mix of devices and even strategies. I have been in the Loss Prevention business for a very long time and I could not make heads or tails of what they were trying to do. From the mix of tags to what was tagged to HOW merchandise was tagged the only way I could describe what I saw was it looked like a mess.
How bad could things be when we are only talking about electronic article surveillance tagging? The mix of tags was the first sign of confusion in this store. Sensormatic tags are top of the line for protecting merchandise. They are reliable and can be counted on to activate the pedestals at the doors in the event someone tries to leave without paying for merchandise that is tagged. When it comes to durability their tags are as tough as tags come. There is very little chance a criminal is going to be able to force Sensormatic hard tags off of any piece of merchandise without seriously damaging the product. Since that defeats what the crook is trying to do, steal for personal use or re-sale, the criminal is usually going to go elsewhere. It makes no sense that a retailer would choose to use another brand of tag when Sensormatic provides all the protection that is needed.
If the mix of tags wasn’t confusing enough to me I then looked at what the store had tagged and what they had not tagged. This was a mish-mash that I could not untangle in my mind. I observed a $108 handbag sitting out with no security tag. I found $50 wallets on open display with no electronic article surveillance tags and I even looked through the wallets for hidden tags (yes, I know where these tend to be concealed). I did find $50 key chains secured with two hard tags which brings me to my final head scratcher.
I was impressed when I saw the key chains with Sensormatic hard tags looped through them by lanyards which are accessories available from Sensormatic. I was perplexed when I then saw the Sensormatic tag was secured to a stationary fixture by a different company’s alarm cable lock! Despite my best effort I could not figure out what the Loss Prevention department was trying to do. First, the purpose of any Sensormatic tag is to allow the store to put merchandise on open display so customers can pick up merchandise, examine it and have the freedom to carry the item. Associates are freed up from having to unlock display cases or secure fixtures to “show” merchandise that might not be sold. The store owner can be reassured the merchandise will be safe with Sensormatic security tags attached to products. It increases sales and reduces shortage. The idea of securing a security device with another security device makes my head spin. To use two different brands to do something this convoluted just seems nutty to me.
If you are looking to prevent theft in your store look at a Sensormatic security system for the protection you need. Sensormatic hard tags and labels come in all of the varieties and styles necessary to keep your merchandise safe from predators while giving your customers the freedom they want to shop in your store. There are other brands on the market but none as good as a genuine Sensormatic tag. THAT is the sense of security every retailer needs to have in order to grow a business.
Sensormatic security tags are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Stop shoplifting – 3 WC blog 744
Sensormatic labels – 4
Is New Technology More Effective To Stop Shoplifting?
Okay folks I am just going to say this, all of our new fancy technologies are just interfering with all of the old tried and true methods of doing things including how we stop shoplifting. What got me started on this bandwagon you may ask? Let me tell you what started this. My children bought fast food and brought it home and I happened to note an advertisement for a food delivery service that can bring fast food (or other restaurant fare) to your home. Now c’mon, a drive through wasn’t fast enough for you? I mean now we have to have that food brought to us? Geez, let’s hire someone to feed it to us too! And there’s a PHONE APP for this! Why, in my day you picked up the receiver and you put your index finger in the rotary dial and called to see if a restaurant was open or if a pizza could be delivered. And let’s talk about other technology. You couldn’t be satisfied with a beeper alerting you that someone was trying to reach you? No, that wasn’t good enough you had to come up with your fancy flip phones. Okay, I bit and I got one too and guess what I still have one! Now you had to go and upgrade to your smart-phones and all of your apps that you download. You’re turning on and off lights when you aren’t home. You talk to family and friends face to face on a phone!! Even in Retail Loss Prevention the use of Sensormatic labels and towers has changed. It worked just fine when we had to put those big 2-inch EAS tags on merchandise to keep goods from being stolen. Those clunky electronic article surveillance towers worked just fine with their hit or miss tag detection. Now you’ve gone and mucked that all up too!
Nowadays we don’t have one-size fits all EAS tags. No, you had to go and make them small and more convenient to protect more types of merchandise. Now you have Sensormatic labels small enough to protect cosmetic items. In my day you just sucked it up and either took the hit in shortage due to theft or you took a gamble and tried to stop shoplifting by apprehending people you suspected of taking a $3.00 mascara bottle. Add to this, Bill Bregar and his company Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. recommending Sensormatic systems and products to his customers as the best method of cutting expenses and building sales through reduced theft! What has happened to the days of using black and white pan-tilt-zoom camera to try to catch that thief pocketing merchandise and the thrill of stopping them and hoping they didn’t drop it? Doggone it you even have Bill recommending a Sensormatic Synergy Camera to attach to compatible antennas to capture alarm events as they happen when Sensormatic labels activate the tower. Need a snapshot? It can do that. If you prefer video, you can have that instead.
Oh, and if you think I’ve covered everything you are mistaken. I remember the days when we had to go to a computer terminal to look up reports and research information to help us identify potential theft and to stop shoplifting. Now you retail managers have even gone mobile in your stores and carry your fancy-shmancy phones to access store reporting. So what does Sensormatic do? They create Shrink Management as a Service (SMaaS) to assist managers in their Loss Prevention Programs and enhance sales. In MY day if you wanted to know when alarms had taken place you went to the alarm log and assumed all activity was entered correctly. Equipment problems were identified by testing your system on a daily basis and if you were off for a week then it would just wait until you returned. Now this software can analyze problems for you!
On a serious note, the advances in Sensormatic labels and technologies is amazing. While it would be nice if every store could afford a Loss Prevention staff the fact is it is expensive and not in the budget for most small retailers. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. does have practical and affordable solutions for you. I have seen what they have to offer and they can provide all of the tools necessary to improve your profits. From reduced shrink to improved hiring and staffing processes with their Applicant Management Center they offer everything that I could only wish I had available when I was Loss Prevention Manager and a Manager on Duty for a major retail chain. I recommend you check out their website and yes, go ahead and use your fancy smart phone to do it.
For more information on Sensormatic labels contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Okay folks I am just going to say this, all of our new fancy technologies are just interfering with all of the old tried and true methods of doing things including how we stop shoplifting. What got me started on this bandwagon you may ask? Let me tell you what started this. My children bought fast food and brought it home and I happened to note an advertisement for a food delivery service that can bring fast food (or other restaurant fare) to your home. Now c’mon, a drive through wasn’t fast enough for you? I mean now we have to have that food brought to us? Geez, let’s hire someone to feed it to us too! And there’s a PHONE APP for this! Why, in my day you picked up the receiver and you put your index finger in the rotary dial and called to see if a restaurant was open or if a pizza could be delivered. And let’s talk about other technology. You couldn’t be satisfied with a beeper alerting you that someone was trying to reach you? No, that wasn’t good enough you had to come up with your fancy flip phones. Okay, I bit and I got one too and guess what I still have one! Now you had to go and upgrade to your smart-phones and all of your apps that you download. You’re turning on and off lights when you aren’t home. You talk to family and friends face to face on a phone!! Even in Retail Loss Prevention the use of Sensormatic labels and towers has changed. It worked just fine when we had to put those big 2-inch EAS tags on merchandise to keep goods from being stolen. Those clunky electronic article surveillance towers worked just fine with their hit or miss tag detection. Now you’ve gone and mucked that all up too!
Nowadays we don’t have one-size fits all EAS tags. No, you had to go and make them small and more convenient to protect more types of merchandise. Now you have Sensormatic labels small enough to protect cosmetic items. In my day you just sucked it up and either took the hit in shortage due to theft or you took a gamble and tried to stop shoplifting by apprehending people you suspected of taking a $3.00 mascara bottle. Add to this, Bill Bregar and his company Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. recommending Sensormatic systems and products to his customers as the best method of cutting expenses and building sales through reduced theft! What has happened to the days of using black and white pan-tilt-zoom camera to try to catch that thief pocketing merchandise and the thrill of stopping them and hoping they didn’t drop it? Doggone it you even have Bill recommending a Sensormatic Synergy Camera to attach to compatible antennas to capture alarm events as they happen when Sensormatic labels activate the tower. Need a snapshot? It can do that. If you prefer video, you can have that instead.
Oh, and if you think I’ve covered everything you are mistaken. I remember the days when we had to go to a computer terminal to look up reports and research information to help us identify potential theft and to stop shoplifting. Now you retail managers have even gone mobile in your stores and carry your fancy-shmancy phones to access store reporting. So what does Sensormatic do? They create Shrink Management as a Service (SMaaS) to assist managers in their Loss Prevention Programs and enhance sales. In MY day if you wanted to know when alarms had taken place you went to the alarm log and assumed all activity was entered correctly. Equipment problems were identified by testing your system on a daily basis and if you were off for a week then it would just wait until you returned. Now this software can analyze problems for you!
On a serious note, the advances in Sensormatic labels and technologies is amazing. While it would be nice if every store could afford a Loss Prevention staff the fact is it is expensive and not in the budget for most small retailers. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. does have practical and affordable solutions for you. I have seen what they have to offer and they can provide all of the tools necessary to improve your profits. From reduced shrink to improved hiring and staffing processes with their Applicant Management Center they offer everything that I could only wish I had available when I was Loss Prevention Manager and a Manager on Duty for a major retail chain. I recommend you check out their website and yes, go ahead and use your fancy smart phone to do it.
For more information on Sensormatic labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
