Anti-shoplifting – 5 WC Blog 785
Sensormatic Security System – 4
Fix Your Malfunctioning Monstrosity By Purchasing A New Anti-Shoplifting System.
Although it is not called an anti-shoplifting system (it is an anti-theft system) the library where I work does have a RFID system in place to keep people from walking out with library materials. About a week or so ago our system began alarming with no one around. What a nuisance! The alarm was doing what it was intended to do, attract the attention of employees but it was loud and after a few minutes a major distraction to patrons. I walked over and looked for a cause for the alarms but there wasn’t anything obvious in the area. I unplugged the system and plugged it back in but to no avail. No sooner did I walk away than the alarm started acting up again. Once more I looked around and could find no cause for the issue. There was a trash can nearby but it did not have anything in it that would have set off the tower. Finally, with no other recourse (besides allowing the alarm to drive out all of the patrons) I unplugged the tower and submitted a ticket to our technology staff. It would have been so much easier if this had been a retail store with a Sensormatic security system instead of this RFID company.
When I was a Loss Prevention Manager and an equipment failure or problem happened with a retail anti-shoplifting system I used to have the ability to put in a service call on my own. The response was usually quick. In the meantime, I would have to lose the protection of the system because I would unplug the unit. The erratic alarms and chirping were a distraction to customers and a signal to shoplifters that the system was out of order. Today’s technology allows a retailer to have a security system remotely analyzed and in some cases worked on without a technician having to come out to the store. It is a pain to wait for a system to be fixed. You worry about the criminals who are going to take advantage of your “down time”. With the purchase of a Sensormatic security system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. that down time may no longer present an issue for your store.
When you are deciding on where you should purchase your anti-shoplifting system you need to consider that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers remote service to their clients. To quote their website, “A simple connection allows Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. to conduct remote maintenance and fix some issues without an onsite service call at a fraction of the price.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that. I can also tell you that after having a conversation with Bill Bregar the CEO of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. he takes his commitments to his clients seriously. If your Sensormatic security system has a problem and it cannot be resolved remotely you are going to get a Sensormatic certified technician to complete the work. I have worked with sub-contractors in the past. Some are good at what they do but there are others who are not and it can be a hit or miss proposition with which one you would get. A Sensormatic certified technician knows the equipment and how to repair it properly.
An anti-shoplifting system has to work consistently if it is going to be effective at saving your store money. If you have a system that is constantly in need of attention to keep it operating you have a real problem on your hands. If you have a system that seems like it is on its’ last legs it may be time to look for a replacement and it may not be as expensive as you think it will be. A visit to the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator will show you how much you could save in shortage with a new (fully functional) Sensormatic security system. It will also show you how long it would take for a new system to pay for itself. What I am trying to get at is a broken down system is costing you money in service calls and stolen merchandise. A new system will pay for itself over time and with the purchase of a standard Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. you also get a one year warranty! Get on the road to savings with a reliable anti-shoplifting system.
Need information on an anti-shoplifting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Although it is not called an anti-shoplifting system (it is an anti-theft system) the library where I work does have a RFID system in place to keep people from walking out with library materials. About a week or so ago our system began alarming with no one around. What a nuisance! The alarm was doing what it was intended to do, attract the attention of employees but it was loud and after a few minutes a major distraction to patrons. I walked over and looked for a cause for the alarms but there wasn’t anything obvious in the area. I unplugged the system and plugged it back in but to no avail. No sooner did I walk away than the alarm started acting up again. Once more I looked around and could find no cause for the issue. There was a trash can nearby but it did not have anything in it that would have set off the tower. Finally, with no other recourse (besides allowing the alarm to drive out all of the patrons) I unplugged the tower and submitted a ticket to our technology staff. It would have been so much easier if this had been a retail store with a Sensormatic security system instead of this RFID company.
When I was a Loss Prevention Manager and an equipment failure or problem happened with a retail anti-shoplifting system I used to have the ability to put in a service call on my own. The response was usually quick. In the meantime, I would have to lose the protection of the system because I would unplug the unit. The erratic alarms and chirping were a distraction to customers and a signal to shoplifters that the system was out of order. Today’s technology allows a retailer to have a security system remotely analyzed and in some cases worked on without a technician having to come out to the store. It is a pain to wait for a system to be fixed. You worry about the criminals who are going to take advantage of your “down time”. With the purchase of a Sensormatic security system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. that down time may no longer present an issue for your store.
When you are deciding on where you should purchase your anti-shoplifting system you need to consider that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers remote service to their clients. To quote their website, “A simple connection allows Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. to conduct remote maintenance and fix some issues without an onsite service call at a fraction of the price.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that. I can also tell you that after having a conversation with Bill Bregar the CEO of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. he takes his commitments to his clients seriously. If your Sensormatic security system has a problem and it cannot be resolved remotely you are going to get a Sensormatic certified technician to complete the work. I have worked with sub-contractors in the past. Some are good at what they do but there are others who are not and it can be a hit or miss proposition with which one you would get. A Sensormatic certified technician knows the equipment and how to repair it properly.
An anti-shoplifting system has to work consistently if it is going to be effective at saving your store money. If you have a system that is constantly in need of attention to keep it operating you have a real problem on your hands. If you have a system that seems like it is on its’ last legs it may be time to look for a replacement and it may not be as expensive as you think it will be. A visit to the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator will show you how much you could save in shortage with a new (fully functional) Sensormatic security system. It will also show you how long it would take for a new system to pay for itself. What I am trying to get at is a broken down system is costing you money in service calls and stolen merchandise. A new system will pay for itself over time and with the purchase of a standard Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. you also get a one year warranty! Get on the road to savings with a reliable anti-shoplifting system.
Need information on an anti-shoplifting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Prevent shoplifting – 3 WC Blog 771
Sensormatic Safers – 4
Organized Retail Crime Can Be Subdued With Sensormatic Safers
Here are a few items that can be protected against shoplifting if a store uses Sensormatic Safers to protect them:
• Razors
• Deodorant
• Teeth Whitening Strips
What makes these items so special? They are among the top items targeted by Organized Retail Crime groups according to the National Retail Federation 2018 Organized Retail Crime Survey (pg. 6). This is significant and should be a concern to every retail owner. The report states that, “ORC costs retailers $777,877 per $1 billion in sales – an all-time survey high” (pg. 3). Now for those who are not familiar with Organized Retail Crime (ORC) groups I will tell you that these are not your opportunist or amateur shoplifters. These are professional organizations that steal merchandise in order to resell it through any number of sources. The merchandise may be sold through the internet, out of a warehouse or through a legitimate appearing corner retail store. There are also times when merchandise is returned to a store and a gift card is given for the refund. Those gift cards are then sold for cash, some to pawn shops and others online. The activity of these groups makes it extremely important that stores are using Sensormatic Safers to prevent shoplifting.
So, besides the reselling of the merchandise and the dollar amounts being taken you might be wondering why these shoplifters are any more destructive to stores than any other shoplifter. If a regular shoplifter is caught you have eliminated that player from preying on your store especially if you ask for a trespass notice. The ORC groups work much differently. They often have tiers or levels from the lowest workers sometimes called mules to an organization leader. The leader may even have several assistants who hire the mules or workers who do the actual work or stealing. Catching one of these mules does not necessarily eliminate the problem because the ORC does not rely on one person to do their stealing. Mules may not even know who it is who hired them. These people may be hired with the promise of drugs or some cash (usually somewhere around 25 cents on the dollar) to steal merchandise. The person recruiting the shoplifter will frequently remain anonymous to their mule. The recruiter is going to follow through on their agreed payment so he can use them again in the future. The shoplifter is willing to take the risk for instant gratification, be it drugs or cash. You can see where it is in the interest of the thief to avoid merchandise protected with devices that prevent shoplifting. The recruiter doesn’t care where the merchandise is taken from as long as they get what is on their “shopping list”. Should a mule be caught, even if they have the shopping list they won’t have much information to give to the police about who they are working for. The recruiter loses one worker for a while but they have other people lined up ready to work for them. Multiple recruiters mean multiple workers and so it takes a lot more effort to cut the head off of the organization.
The folks at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) know how these theft rings work. They know the most popular items ORC groups will steal and LPSI has the training and tools that can keep clients safe from these predators. Do you need to protect razors and razor blades? LPSI has Sensormatic Safers. DO you need to protect fragrances? They have flexible Safers? How about designer jeans, they are very popular with Organized Retail Crime gangs. LPSI has Sensormatic hard tags to prevent shoplifting. If you don’t have an electronic article surveillance system or maybe you need an upgrade to keep up with the latest criminal innovations, LPSI has Sensormatic towers for you. Criminal groups are always trying to get one-step ahead of retailers but LPSI offers solutions that can thwart their efforts.
Organized Retail Crime groups are out for razors, deodorant, whitening strips and other merchandise that could easily be protected with the use of Sensormatic Safers and electronic article surveillance towers. Because they are professional shoplifters they offer special challenges to retailers but LPSI offers the solutions store owners need to defeat them. Don’t risk becoming a victim to ORC shoplifting rings, contact LPSI today to find out how to get started today.
For more information about Sensormatic Safers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Here are a few items that can be protected against shoplifting if a store uses Sensormatic Safers to protect them:
• Razors
• Deodorant
• Teeth Whitening Strips
What makes these items so special? They are among the top items targeted by Organized Retail Crime groups according to the National Retail Federation 2018 Organized Retail Crime Survey (pg. 6). This is significant and should be a concern to every retail owner. The report states that, “ORC costs retailers $777,877 per $1 billion in sales – an all-time survey high” (pg. 3). Now for those who are not familiar with Organized Retail Crime (ORC) groups I will tell you that these are not your opportunist or amateur shoplifters. These are professional organizations that steal merchandise in order to resell it through any number of sources. The merchandise may be sold through the internet, out of a warehouse or through a legitimate appearing corner retail store. There are also times when merchandise is returned to a store and a gift card is given for the refund. Those gift cards are then sold for cash, some to pawn shops and others online. The activity of these groups makes it extremely important that stores are using Sensormatic Safers to prevent shoplifting.
So, besides the reselling of the merchandise and the dollar amounts being taken you might be wondering why these shoplifters are any more destructive to stores than any other shoplifter. If a regular shoplifter is caught you have eliminated that player from preying on your store especially if you ask for a trespass notice. The ORC groups work much differently. They often have tiers or levels from the lowest workers sometimes called mules to an organization leader. The leader may even have several assistants who hire the mules or workers who do the actual work or stealing. Catching one of these mules does not necessarily eliminate the problem because the ORC does not rely on one person to do their stealing. Mules may not even know who it is who hired them. These people may be hired with the promise of drugs or some cash (usually somewhere around 25 cents on the dollar) to steal merchandise. The person recruiting the shoplifter will frequently remain anonymous to their mule. The recruiter is going to follow through on their agreed payment so he can use them again in the future. The shoplifter is willing to take the risk for instant gratification, be it drugs or cash. You can see where it is in the interest of the thief to avoid merchandise protected with devices that prevent shoplifting. The recruiter doesn’t care where the merchandise is taken from as long as they get what is on their “shopping list”. Should a mule be caught, even if they have the shopping list they won’t have much information to give to the police about who they are working for. The recruiter loses one worker for a while but they have other people lined up ready to work for them. Multiple recruiters mean multiple workers and so it takes a lot more effort to cut the head off of the organization.
The folks at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) know how these theft rings work. They know the most popular items ORC groups will steal and LPSI has the training and tools that can keep clients safe from these predators. Do you need to protect razors and razor blades? LPSI has Sensormatic Safers. DO you need to protect fragrances? They have flexible Safers? How about designer jeans, they are very popular with Organized Retail Crime gangs. LPSI has Sensormatic hard tags to prevent shoplifting. If you don’t have an electronic article surveillance system or maybe you need an upgrade to keep up with the latest criminal innovations, LPSI has Sensormatic towers for you. Criminal groups are always trying to get one-step ahead of retailers but LPSI offers solutions that can thwart their efforts.
Organized Retail Crime groups are out for razors, deodorant, whitening strips and other merchandise that could easily be protected with the use of Sensormatic Safers and electronic article surveillance towers. Because they are professional shoplifters they offer special challenges to retailers but LPSI offers the solutions store owners need to defeat them. Don’t risk becoming a victim to ORC shoplifting rings, contact LPSI today to find out how to get started today.
For more information about Sensormatic Safers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Sensormatic tags – 3 WC Blog 769
Clothing Security – 3
Are You Contributing To Dangerous Crimes When You Don’t Use Sensormatic Tags? Part 1
This may not seem fair to some of you but I am going on one of my rants about the need for retailers to use Sensormatic tags on clothes. The target of this tirade is aimed at least in part to the retail shop owners who refuse to use anti-theft devices on all of their clothing. I’m angry because I read another story about another moronic shoplifter who decided to steal and attempted to get away from police leading them on a high speed chase. The chases are bad enough but when these criminals then cause accidents, injuries to others or damage the property of others I get really angry. And if anyone out there wants to argue that police shouldn’t be engaging in pursuits your argument in falling on deaf ears. The idea that Law Enforcement should just disengage if a criminal decides to try to get away is ridiculous. Would you feel the same way if someone broke into your home, stole valuables and police officers saw the suspect’s vehicle but chose not to chase them because when they turned on their lights the crook sped up? You would be livid. I digress. In a report on wlbt.com, February 8, 2019 by Morgan Howard and David Kenney, “Richland police arrest woman suspected of shoplifting after high speed chase into Jackson” the story says a woman had been spotted stealing two televisions from Walmart. Police attempted to stop her and she led them on a high speed chase and she ended up going off the road, driving through a yard and “crashing just inches from a house.” “So what does this have to do with clothing security?” you ask, “these were televisions”. Well it turned out televisions were not the only thing this criminal had in her vehicle the police also recovered a pair of jeans.
Would the use of Sensormatic tags have stopped this criminal suspect from stealing jeans and would that have had any bearing on the theft of televisions? I am going to say there is a strong likelihood that the incident would not have happened if Sensormatic tags had been used on all merchandise. I am specifically directing my remarks to the jeans because if they came from Walmart as did the televisions I know from my own shopping experience they do not tag their jeans. They DO use anti-theft devices on some televisions but I have personally prevented a shoplifting in one of their stores when a thief was going to try to roll out a television that did not have any protective device. From my years in Retail Loss Prevention I will say that in the vast majority of cases when my team or I caught shoplifters the merchandise had no clothing security tags or other type of security label. If someone did try to walk out with tagged product the electronic article surveillance alarm sounded and a supervisor or trained cashier responded and recovered the merchandise through a receipt check. When stores use tags and labels on all of their merchandise shoplifters shift their attention to stores that don’t use electronic article surveillance equipment.
“Okay, so you showed me one case of a shoplifter fleeing and wrecking their car but no one was injured, what’s the big deal?” Glad I could ask for you. It isn’t an isolated case, I have had shoplifters run from me, jump into their car and slam it into reverse and back all the way out of the parking lot to avoid me seeing their license plate. I have seen shoplifters nearly run into other cars. But if my personal experiences are not evidence enough, let me give you one more news report from keyt.com, “Sheriff Deputy injured as shoplifter flees scene”, May 15, 2018 by Ryder Christ. The story relates that a shoplifter who was trying to flee from police jumped out of his moving car and the vehicle hit “a Sheriff’s deputy on a motorcycle.” The officer was injured due to the recklessness of the thief but fortunately was able to be treated at the scene of the incident. Shoplifters can be extremely dangerous. Whether it is intentional or through stupidity they often put others at risk.
Store owners and managers, if you are not using clothing security and other anti-theft tools to stop this activity from taking place you are contributing to the problem. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can get you started in the right direction to put an end to this dangerous activity and make your store more profitable in the process. In Part 2 we will look at more dangerous shoplifting incidents and discuss what Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can do to help you stop them from taking place in your buildings.
Get more information on Sensormatic Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
This may not seem fair to some of you but I am going on one of my rants about the need for retailers to use Sensormatic tags on clothes. The target of this tirade is aimed at least in part to the retail shop owners who refuse to use anti-theft devices on all of their clothing. I’m angry because I read another story about another moronic shoplifter who decided to steal and attempted to get away from police leading them on a high speed chase. The chases are bad enough but when these criminals then cause accidents, injuries to others or damage the property of others I get really angry. And if anyone out there wants to argue that police shouldn’t be engaging in pursuits your argument in falling on deaf ears. The idea that Law Enforcement should just disengage if a criminal decides to try to get away is ridiculous. Would you feel the same way if someone broke into your home, stole valuables and police officers saw the suspect’s vehicle but chose not to chase them because when they turned on their lights the crook sped up? You would be livid. I digress. In a report on wlbt.com, February 8, 2019 by Morgan Howard and David Kenney, “Richland police arrest woman suspected of shoplifting after high speed chase into Jackson” the story says a woman had been spotted stealing two televisions from Walmart. Police attempted to stop her and she led them on a high speed chase and she ended up going off the road, driving through a yard and “crashing just inches from a house.” “So what does this have to do with clothing security?” you ask, “these were televisions”. Well it turned out televisions were not the only thing this criminal had in her vehicle the police also recovered a pair of jeans.
Would the use of Sensormatic tags have stopped this criminal suspect from stealing jeans and would that have had any bearing on the theft of televisions? I am going to say there is a strong likelihood that the incident would not have happened if Sensormatic tags had been used on all merchandise. I am specifically directing my remarks to the jeans because if they came from Walmart as did the televisions I know from my own shopping experience they do not tag their jeans. They DO use anti-theft devices on some televisions but I have personally prevented a shoplifting in one of their stores when a thief was going to try to roll out a television that did not have any protective device. From my years in Retail Loss Prevention I will say that in the vast majority of cases when my team or I caught shoplifters the merchandise had no clothing security tags or other type of security label. If someone did try to walk out with tagged product the electronic article surveillance alarm sounded and a supervisor or trained cashier responded and recovered the merchandise through a receipt check. When stores use tags and labels on all of their merchandise shoplifters shift their attention to stores that don’t use electronic article surveillance equipment.
“Okay, so you showed me one case of a shoplifter fleeing and wrecking their car but no one was injured, what’s the big deal?” Glad I could ask for you. It isn’t an isolated case, I have had shoplifters run from me, jump into their car and slam it into reverse and back all the way out of the parking lot to avoid me seeing their license plate. I have seen shoplifters nearly run into other cars. But if my personal experiences are not evidence enough, let me give you one more news report from keyt.com, “Sheriff Deputy injured as shoplifter flees scene”, May 15, 2018 by Ryder Christ. The story relates that a shoplifter who was trying to flee from police jumped out of his moving car and the vehicle hit “a Sheriff’s deputy on a motorcycle.” The officer was injured due to the recklessness of the thief but fortunately was able to be treated at the scene of the incident. Shoplifters can be extremely dangerous. Whether it is intentional or through stupidity they often put others at risk.
Store owners and managers, if you are not using clothing security and other anti-theft tools to stop this activity from taking place you are contributing to the problem. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can get you started in the right direction to put an end to this dangerous activity and make your store more profitable in the process. In Part 2 we will look at more dangerous shoplifting incidents and discuss what Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can do to help you stop them from taking place in your buildings.
Get more information on Sensormatic Tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Sensormatic tags – 3 WC blog 779
Stop shoplifting -3
How To Stop Shoplifting and Shortage – A Brief Conversation With Bill Bregar
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the founder of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. and in the course of our discussion I was able to learn his philosophy on the use of Sensormatic tags in a store. I have written on my own opinions based on my years of Loss Prevention and retail management experience but getting Bill Bregar’s opinion was interesting. He and I have similar experiences from the military and Loss Prevention but while I moved no higher than a store level Loss Prevention Manager, Bill was at the upper echelons of retail as a National Director for Loss Prevention Departments for major retail chains. He has also been consulting with retail owners for many years helping them improve their financial numbers through theft and shortage reduction. His solution to shortage reduction is a balanced approach: stop shoplifting with Sensormatic systems, train managers and their teams on how to identify and stop theft safely and effectively and the use of background checks and drug screenings.
So what might a balanced approach to shortage reduction look like for you, the store owner?
• First a shortage prevention strategy should include an electronic article surveillance system and Sensormatic tags. As I spoke with Bill I was impressed that he doesn’t approach this aspect of a strategy with a “tag everything in the store focus”. Bill helps his clients focus on what is going to give the most bang for the buck. While I have always thought that as much as possible should be tagged, his approach in many cases is to focus on the 20% of the merchandise that causes 80% of the losses. What I really appreciated and I am certain Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. customers appreciate is that there is not a push to sell customers more tags than they need. If a business can grow or the need arises more tags can always be purchased.
• Some may argue that theft prevention begins at the personnel level. The employees a store manager hires can create more theft problems than a shoplifter for a store. They have full access to the store and can steal in many different ways. To prevent this from happening, a store should be conducting pre-employment screenings. Mr. Bregar told me that there are companies out there that will promise they will do nationwide background checks but as a former law enforcement officer he is aware that these are fake promises. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. puts the time and effort into the background checks they conduct. These checks may be criminal histories based on state searches or county searches. The check may include sex offender registries, education checks, driving records and more. When a store owner has Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct their background checks they are assured there won’t be any shortcuts taken in the research of their applicant’s history.
• In the same vein as background checks, pre-employment drug screening is an important part of Bill’s theft prevention strategy. Workers with drug addictions may resort to theft to support a habit. These employees will also help friends steal by alerting them to opportunities they may see by texting or calling. The employee may also help assist in shoplifting by passing merchandise through a register without ringing it up for friends in exchange for drugs. Employers can stop shoplifting aided by employees and employee theft by weeding out problems before they happen. Drug screening is a useful tool in Bill’s shortage prevention toolbox.
• One more important piece in the shortage prevention strategy for a store is training. Whether it is training on tag placement, responding to an electronic article surveillance alarm or how to stop shoplifting, Bill knows how critical training is to any theft prevention program.
The biggest take-away I had following my conversation with Mr. Bregar is his focus on the importance of service and integrity in serving Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. clients.
Sensormatic tags and systems are a key component of any Loss Prevention program and Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help get a store set up with what that particular store needs. An effective program is going to be one that incorporates multiple factors that impact theft and shortage. After my conversation with Bill Bregar I am more convinced than ever that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is your best resource for helping you reduce shrink and grow your profits.
Get more information on Sensormatic tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the founder of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. and in the course of our discussion I was able to learn his philosophy on the use of Sensormatic tags in a store. I have written on my own opinions based on my years of Loss Prevention and retail management experience but getting Bill Bregar’s opinion was interesting. He and I have similar experiences from the military and Loss Prevention but while I moved no higher than a store level Loss Prevention Manager, Bill was at the upper echelons of retail as a National Director for Loss Prevention Departments for major retail chains. He has also been consulting with retail owners for many years helping them improve their financial numbers through theft and shortage reduction. His solution to shortage reduction is a balanced approach: stop shoplifting with Sensormatic systems, train managers and their teams on how to identify and stop theft safely and effectively and the use of background checks and drug screenings.
So what might a balanced approach to shortage reduction look like for you, the store owner?
• First a shortage prevention strategy should include an electronic article surveillance system and Sensormatic tags. As I spoke with Bill I was impressed that he doesn’t approach this aspect of a strategy with a “tag everything in the store focus”. Bill helps his clients focus on what is going to give the most bang for the buck. While I have always thought that as much as possible should be tagged, his approach in many cases is to focus on the 20% of the merchandise that causes 80% of the losses. What I really appreciated and I am certain Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. customers appreciate is that there is not a push to sell customers more tags than they need. If a business can grow or the need arises more tags can always be purchased.
• Some may argue that theft prevention begins at the personnel level. The employees a store manager hires can create more theft problems than a shoplifter for a store. They have full access to the store and can steal in many different ways. To prevent this from happening, a store should be conducting pre-employment screenings. Mr. Bregar told me that there are companies out there that will promise they will do nationwide background checks but as a former law enforcement officer he is aware that these are fake promises. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. puts the time and effort into the background checks they conduct. These checks may be criminal histories based on state searches or county searches. The check may include sex offender registries, education checks, driving records and more. When a store owner has Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct their background checks they are assured there won’t be any shortcuts taken in the research of their applicant’s history.
• In the same vein as background checks, pre-employment drug screening is an important part of Bill’s theft prevention strategy. Workers with drug addictions may resort to theft to support a habit. These employees will also help friends steal by alerting them to opportunities they may see by texting or calling. The employee may also help assist in shoplifting by passing merchandise through a register without ringing it up for friends in exchange for drugs. Employers can stop shoplifting aided by employees and employee theft by weeding out problems before they happen. Drug screening is a useful tool in Bill’s shortage prevention toolbox.
• One more important piece in the shortage prevention strategy for a store is training. Whether it is training on tag placement, responding to an electronic article surveillance alarm or how to stop shoplifting, Bill knows how critical training is to any theft prevention program.
The biggest take-away I had following my conversation with Mr. Bregar is his focus on the importance of service and integrity in serving Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. clients.
Sensormatic tags and systems are a key component of any Loss Prevention program and Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help get a store set up with what that particular store needs. An effective program is going to be one that incorporates multiple factors that impact theft and shortage. After my conversation with Bill Bregar I am more convinced than ever that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is your best resource for helping you reduce shrink and grow your profits.
Get more information on Sensormatic tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
#12 WAB Blog
Can Loss Prevention Be Free?
How much does it cost? How about free? Can loss prevention be free? Actually it can be. Like everything else you do in a business, loss prevention should make or save you money. Yes, there are expenses. If you are a grocer you purchase shelving and coolers. A clothing retailer purchases racks for clothing to hang on. Every retailer has some form of cash/wrap counters and Point of Sale (POS) to sell the goods the customer has selected. None of these things “make” any money themselves. However, they are necessary to display merchandise, attract and complete the transaction with a customer.
The same goes for loss prevention devices. Can loss prevention be free? Yes, actually it will make you money! This is how. In this example let’s assume your profit margin is 2% after all expenses. So after you pay the bills, utilities, rent, cost of goods and payroll, you are left with 2%. Figuring that 2% into a loss will tell you what it actually costs you.
Take the loss for a shoplifter or any other loss, let’s say $500 and divide it by your 2% margin, $500/.02=$25,000. What this tells you is that to BREAK EVEN, not make money, you will have to sell an additional $25,000 on top of your normal sales to make up for the loss of that $500.
The fact is that you cannot do it, at least for very long. So our goal must be to keep it from happening in the first place, hence, loss PREVENTION.
Now let’s consider the cost of a Sensormatic security system. To cover a standard double doorway we will use the example of $4000. Yours could be more/less.
Now we take for this example annual sales of 1,000,000.00 with a conservative estimated shrink of 1.2% and a conservative shrink reduction rate of 0.65% on the cost of a Sensormatic security system of $4000 and plug it into our Loss Prevention ROI Calculator and find that your investment will break even in 6.15 months. So in a little over six months your Sensormatic security system will be making you money. Can loss prevention be free, YES it can.
The cost of the Sensormatic security system is a heck of a lot cheaper than the cost of that $500 loss.
We have a loss prevention ROI calculator on our web site. Follow the link and put in your own numbers. Play with it by trying different rates and dollar amounts that work for your business. The loss prevention ROI calculator is confidential. And even better it is also a free loss prevention calculator. You can even save and print out your examples.
However, the thought process does not end there. If you are considering a Sensormatic system or another brand you need to ask the Dealer you are talking to several questions that play directly into the cost of the system you are thinking of purchasing:
1- Is installation included?
2- Are the Installers Factory trained?
3- How do you obtain service?
4- What is the turnaround time for a service call?
5- Who will come out to do service on your system?
6- What is the warranty on the equipment?
7- What U.S. retailers use the equipment they sell?
8- Are they just in sales or do they have actual loss prevention experience?
9- Will that Dealer conduct free live training on how to use the system?
10- Will they conduct free live anti-shoplifting training that covers how to understand and attack YOUR individual shoplifting problems?
11- Will they conduct that free live anti-shoplifting training anytime you reasonably need it for new associates?
12- Do they provide you materials to conduct your own anti-shoplifting training if you so desire?
Please be sure to ask us every one of these questions and any others you have. You will like our answers.
Try the free loss prevention calculator and contact us if you have any questions about Sensormatic security systems, anti-shoplifting, loss prevention calculator or any other loss prevention issues.
Can loss prevention be free? YES it can with Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Contact us today at 1-770-426-0547.
How much does it cost? How about free? Can loss prevention be free? Actually it can be. Like everything else you do in a business, loss prevention should make or save you money. Yes, there are expenses. If you are a grocer you purchase shelving and coolers. A clothing retailer purchases racks for clothing to hang on. Every retailer has some form of cash/wrap counters and Point of Sale (POS) to sell the goods the customer has selected. None of these things “make” any money themselves. However, they are necessary to display merchandise, attract and complete the transaction with a customer.
The same goes for loss prevention devices. Can loss prevention be free? Yes, actually it will make you money! This is how. In this example let’s assume your profit margin is 2% after all expenses. So after you pay the bills, utilities, rent, cost of goods and payroll, you are left with 2%. Figuring that 2% into a loss will tell you what it actually costs you.
Take the loss for a shoplifter or any other loss, let’s say $500 and divide it by your 2% margin, $500/.02=$25,000. What this tells you is that to BREAK EVEN, not make money, you will have to sell an additional $25,000 on top of your normal sales to make up for the loss of that $500.
The fact is that you cannot do it, at least for very long. So our goal must be to keep it from happening in the first place, hence, loss PREVENTION.
Now let’s consider the cost of a Sensormatic security system. To cover a standard double doorway we will use the example of $4000. Yours could be more/less.
Now we take for this example annual sales of 1,000,000.00 with a conservative estimated shrink of 1.2% and a conservative shrink reduction rate of 0.65% on the cost of a Sensormatic security system of $4000 and plug it into our Loss Prevention ROI Calculator and find that your investment will break even in 6.15 months. So in a little over six months your Sensormatic security system will be making you money. Can loss prevention be free, YES it can.
The cost of the Sensormatic security system is a heck of a lot cheaper than the cost of that $500 loss.
We have a loss prevention ROI calculator on our web site. Follow the link and put in your own numbers. Play with it by trying different rates and dollar amounts that work for your business. The loss prevention ROI calculator is confidential. And even better it is also a free loss prevention calculator. You can even save and print out your examples.
However, the thought process does not end there. If you are considering a Sensormatic system or another brand you need to ask the Dealer you are talking to several questions that play directly into the cost of the system you are thinking of purchasing:
1- Is installation included?
2- Are the Installers Factory trained?
3- How do you obtain service?
4- What is the turnaround time for a service call?
5- Who will come out to do service on your system?
6- What is the warranty on the equipment?
7- What U.S. retailers use the equipment they sell?
8- Are they just in sales or do they have actual loss prevention experience?
9- Will that Dealer conduct free live training on how to use the system?
10- Will they conduct free live anti-shoplifting training that covers how to understand and attack YOUR individual shoplifting problems?
11- Will they conduct that free live anti-shoplifting training anytime you reasonably need it for new associates?
12- Do they provide you materials to conduct your own anti-shoplifting training if you so desire?
Please be sure to ask us every one of these questions and any others you have. You will like our answers.
Try the free loss prevention calculator and contact us if you have any questions about Sensormatic security systems, anti-shoplifting, loss prevention calculator or any other loss prevention issues.
Can loss prevention be free? YES it can with Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Contact us today at 1-770-426-0547.
