Shoplifting can has a significant impact on small to medium-sized retailers. Not only does it lead to loss of profits, but it can also be dangerous for employees and customers if confrontations arise. Therefore, it is crucial for retailers to take steps to DISCOURAGE shoplifting and protect their business. One effective way to do this is by implementing a Sensormatic system.
A Sensormatic system is a type of electronic article surveillance (EAS) system that uses tags or labels attached to merchandise and detection devices placed at store exits to alert store personnel when a product is being stolen. Here are some ways a Sensormatic system can discourage shoplifters:
Visible deterrent: The presence of Sensormatic systems, including antennas and tags, can act as a visible deterrent to shoplifters. Knowing that a store is actively taking measures to prevent shoplifting can make it less appealing for potential thieves to target the store.
Sensormatic system: When a shoplifter attempts to leave the store with a tagged item, the Sensormatic system will trigger an alarm. This can alert employees and security personnel to the theft, allowing them to intervene quickly and prevent the shoplifter from leaving the store undetected.
Monitoring: Sensormatic systems can also be linked to Artificial Intelligence (AI) security cameras, allowing for continuous monitoring of the store. This can help identify potential shoplifters and provide evidence in the event of theft. Sensormatic AI is on the cutting edge and is very affordable to even the smallest retailer.
Additional monitoring: Sensormatic systems can provide real-time alerts to Retailers smart devices such as a cell phone. We also can keep track of customer counts by hour of the day, day of the week. This allows you to put Associates on the floor where and when they are needed!
In addition to implementing a Sensormatic system, there are several other steps that small to medium-sized retailers can take to discourage shoplifting:
Employee training: Train employees on how to identify and prevent shoplifting. Provide them with clear guidelines on how to approach and handle suspected shoplifters. We provide this live training to our customers as often as you need it, free of charge!
Customer service: Providing excellent customer service can help deter shoplifters. When employees are attentive and friendly, it creates a less anonymous and more engaging atmosphere for customers, making them less likely to attempt to steal. Loss Prevention Systems teaches a method that allows your Associates to identify, frustrate and subsequently run off the shoplifter while providing excellent customer service to you good customers.
Store layout: Design the store layout in a way that allows for clear visibility and easy monitoring of all areas. Avoid creating blind spots or areas that are difficult to see from the cash register or other high-traffic areas.
Display merchandise carefully: Display expensive or high-risk items in locked cases or behind the cash register. This will make it more difficult for shoplifters to access these items without attracting attention.
Yes, shoplifting can have a significant impact on small to medium-sized retailers, but there are steps that can be taken to discourage shoplifting and protect the business. You are not in this alone. Loss Prevention Systems can help you to minimize your shoplifting problem. As a part of an overall plan implementing a Sensormatic system is an effective way to prevent shoplifting, while employee training, customer service, store layout, and careful merchandise display can also help deter potential thieves.
Protect Health And Beauty Products From Professional Crooks By Using Sensormatic Safers
How important is it for store owners to protect health and beauty products? How important is it to prevent all theft in your store? As I was searching for recent news on Organized Retail Crime (ORC) activity I came across a story that was a strong reminder of why it is important for merchants to prevent shoplifting. A professional shoplifting ring out of Florida was recently caught by police. They are accused of theft to the tune of over $2 million dollars in stolen goods! According to a story in clickorlando.com, May 08, 2018, “5 arrested 1 sought in Florida retail theft ring” the suspects were, “…hitting eight to 10 businesses each day.” This is an incredible amount of merchandise and it was not just one type of store being targeted. The group was hitting grocery stores, drug stores and department stores. The story related that Publix Loss Prevention started the investigation as the group was stealing primarily health and beauty products from their stores. Of course as the investigation by police went into full swing it was determined other chains were being hit by the group also. It turns out the ring was stealing clothes and shoes as well as teeth whitening strips, electric toothbrushes and razors. The goods were then sold on the black market.
What are Organized Retail Theft (ORC) rings and is there a way to combat them? ORC groups are professional shoplifting groups. They can vary in the number of people who operate in a ring and they may even use people outside of the ring to actually do the shoplifting. What makes these groups different from the opportunist who enters a store and steals is that the opportunist may only do it as a prank or for a thrill. They may steal a lot over time but not in the quantities or dollars that professional groups will steal. ORC rings are reselling as a business. They may sell on the internet, out of a warehouse or use a “mom and pop” shop as a cover. They will steal anything they can get out of a store but they love to steal small merchandise that is easy to conceal. This is why it is so important to protect health and beauty products.
So now you know what an ORC group is but how do you fight back against a group of criminals who may be working in teams or sending in others to steal for them? You prevent shoplifting by using Sensormatic Flexible Safers. Safers are tough, durable, locking bags with electronic article surveillance protection built into them. They add size and alarm protection to smaller pieces of merchandise that would otherwise be easy for shoplifters to steal in bulk quantities. How did the ORC group mentioned at the beginning of this article get away with hitting eight to 10 businesses a day? I would be willing to bet that in part they were avoiding merchandise that had electronic article surveillance protection as much as they possibly could. Professional shoplifters know that activating alarm towers with Flexible Safers or other Sensormatic tags is going to draw unwanted attention and make it difficult to go back to that store again. A store that uses anti-shoplifting devices to protect health and beauty products is one step ahead of the bad guys.
It is important that I mention that Sensormatic Safers prevent shoplifting by the opportunist as much as the professional. This is especially true in the health and beauty product departments where so many of the items are pocketable. That means they are small enough to be slipped into a pocket and that is a difficult theft to see. I can tell you that we in the Loss Prevention field are very wary of stopping someone for stealing something as small as a cosmetic item. It is simply too risky and the chance of making a bad stop too great. We often let these people walk out unless they set off an electronic article surveillance alarm and then we leave it up to a store manager or supervisor to resolve the cause for the alarm. We generally won’t make an apprehension for an alarm activation, we simply want to see merchandise retrieved.
You never know if your store will be hit by professional shoplifting rings but I can assure you at some point you will be the victim of some variety of shoplifter. If you want to protect health and beauty products or any small merchandise Flexible Safers are the solution for you. Saving money with a Sensormatic System and tags is a beautiful thing.
For more information about how to protect health and beauty products contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
How important is it for store owners to protect health and beauty products? How important is it to prevent all theft in your store? As I was searching for recent news on Organized Retail Crime (ORC) activity I came across a story that was a strong reminder of why it is important for merchants to prevent shoplifting. A professional shoplifting ring out of Florida was recently caught by police. They are accused of theft to the tune of over $2 million dollars in stolen goods! According to a story in clickorlando.com, May 08, 2018, “5 arrested 1 sought in Florida retail theft ring” the suspects were, “…hitting eight to 10 businesses each day.” This is an incredible amount of merchandise and it was not just one type of store being targeted. The group was hitting grocery stores, drug stores and department stores. The story related that Publix Loss Prevention started the investigation as the group was stealing primarily health and beauty products from their stores. Of course as the investigation by police went into full swing it was determined other chains were being hit by the group also. It turns out the ring was stealing clothes and shoes as well as teeth whitening strips, electric toothbrushes and razors. The goods were then sold on the black market.
What are Organized Retail Theft (ORC) rings and is there a way to combat them? ORC groups are professional shoplifting groups. They can vary in the number of people who operate in a ring and they may even use people outside of the ring to actually do the shoplifting. What makes these groups different from the opportunist who enters a store and steals is that the opportunist may only do it as a prank or for a thrill. They may steal a lot over time but not in the quantities or dollars that professional groups will steal. ORC rings are reselling as a business. They may sell on the internet, out of a warehouse or use a “mom and pop” shop as a cover. They will steal anything they can get out of a store but they love to steal small merchandise that is easy to conceal. This is why it is so important to protect health and beauty products.
So now you know what an ORC group is but how do you fight back against a group of criminals who may be working in teams or sending in others to steal for them? You prevent shoplifting by using Sensormatic Flexible Safers. Safers are tough, durable, locking bags with electronic article surveillance protection built into them. They add size and alarm protection to smaller pieces of merchandise that would otherwise be easy for shoplifters to steal in bulk quantities. How did the ORC group mentioned at the beginning of this article get away with hitting eight to 10 businesses a day? I would be willing to bet that in part they were avoiding merchandise that had electronic article surveillance protection as much as they possibly could. Professional shoplifters know that activating alarm towers with Flexible Safers or other Sensormatic tags is going to draw unwanted attention and make it difficult to go back to that store again. A store that uses anti-shoplifting devices to protect health and beauty products is one step ahead of the bad guys.
It is important that I mention that Sensormatic Safers prevent shoplifting by the opportunist as much as the professional. This is especially true in the health and beauty product departments where so many of the items are pocketable. That means they are small enough to be slipped into a pocket and that is a difficult theft to see. I can tell you that we in the Loss Prevention field are very wary of stopping someone for stealing something as small as a cosmetic item. It is simply too risky and the chance of making a bad stop too great. We often let these people walk out unless they set off an electronic article surveillance alarm and then we leave it up to a store manager or supervisor to resolve the cause for the alarm. We generally won’t make an apprehension for an alarm activation, we simply want to see merchandise retrieved.
You never know if your store will be hit by professional shoplifting rings but I can assure you at some point you will be the victim of some variety of shoplifter. If you want to protect health and beauty products or any small merchandise Flexible Safers are the solution for you. Saving money with a Sensormatic System and tags is a beautiful thing.
For more information about how to protect health and beauty products contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
I just saw a clip on my Facebook feed where a uniformed store security was following anti-shoplifting protocols for a store and asking for a receipt check. I don’t know why I put myself through these painful videos because they tend to just get me angry. I was angry because the customer who filmed the episode was obviously being obnoxious on purpose and trying to start something. His capturing of the event on his phone made that apparent. I was angry that the security officer did not have a better response to the “customer” and the manager who was called over was less helpful. By the end of the two or three minute clip I wanted to snatch that phone and break it. When the store manager decided to just let the obnoxious customer just leave the video recording continued and the manager and security officer asked him to stop and he wouldn’t. I could not tell if there was a Sensormatic security system in use in this store but if there was I would have liked to see what would have happened if the alarm had sounded.
During my tenure as a Loss Prevention Manager I came across similar situations and empathize with the Security Officer. There is no clear-cut right or wrong answer to this problem. I have looked at number of websites with lawyers giving advice to “legal” websites. The interesting thing is on one website with several lawyers giving their input some say a store has a right to briefly detain those suspected of shoplifting and recommend you stop and show a receipt. They argue it helps keep prices lower for everyone. Others say you are not required to stop and that they keep walking. Others give a short response saying that if you are offended don’t shop there anymore. One response did say that stopping for a receipt check is a requirement of membership for club type stores like Costco. There are even testy debates on websites about whether you are required to stop for a Sensormatic security system or similar alarm activation. Does this qualify as grounds for reasonable detainment?
To be perfectly frank the issue is there is no federal guideline. Each state has their own laws governing ”Shopkeeper’s Privilege” and what is a reasonable detainment. Anti-shoplifting laws are not universal and therefore as a store owner it is incumbent on you to be familiar with the laws of your own state. This brings up the question of whether it makes sense to even have a person at the door to help prevent shoplifting or a Sensormatic system to discourage thieves?
I believe it is in the best interest of stores to have an anti-shoplifting system in place. This is no different than having closed circuit television cameras, camera domes and monitors in a store. They do help deter impulse thieves. These are the people who come in and without a lot of forethought decide to steal as a thrill or on a dare or even peer-pressure. A Sensormatic security system with towers at the doors and merchandise with security tags is usually enough to make these people change their mind about stealing. Even some of the shoplifters who are stealing for drugs are stopped when they realize a security system is in use. The only ones who may not be deterred are the hardcore criminals or organized crime groups who you may not want to be dealing with anyways other than through customer service.
What about a receipt checker at the door? Most people are going to be cooperative and willing to show a receipt. There are some who are going to refuse. I can only suggest that if you are going to have someone at the door you have a consistent policy of only asking for a receipt on exposed merchandise (meaning merchandise not in a bag from your store). You also need to ensure if employees are responding to a Sensormatic security system alarm that your employees are trained on how to do so properly. Never accuse someone of shoplifting simply because an alarm sounds. It could be a cashier failed to remove a clothing security tag from a shirt or jeans. The great thing is if you aren’t sure your employees are trained properly on alarm response or you don’t have a Sensormatic system, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers training and if you purchase an anti-shoplifting system from them you get FREE training to go along with it.
There is no easy answer to the problem of receipt checks. Hopefully I have given you a few helpful tips on how to try to resolve the issue. It is important to keep in mind that most honest shoppers will be willing to show receipts in order to help stop shoplifting and keep prices low.
A Sensormatic security system is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I just saw a clip on my Facebook feed where a uniformed store security was following anti-shoplifting protocols for a store and asking for a receipt check. I don’t know why I put myself through these painful videos because they tend to just get me angry. I was angry because the customer who filmed the episode was obviously being obnoxious on purpose and trying to start something. His capturing of the event on his phone made that apparent. I was angry that the security officer did not have a better response to the “customer” and the manager who was called over was less helpful. By the end of the two or three minute clip I wanted to snatch that phone and break it. When the store manager decided to just let the obnoxious customer just leave the video recording continued and the manager and security officer asked him to stop and he wouldn’t. I could not tell if there was a Sensormatic security system in use in this store but if there was I would have liked to see what would have happened if the alarm had sounded.
During my tenure as a Loss Prevention Manager I came across similar situations and empathize with the Security Officer. There is no clear-cut right or wrong answer to this problem. I have looked at number of websites with lawyers giving advice to “legal” websites. The interesting thing is on one website with several lawyers giving their input some say a store has a right to briefly detain those suspected of shoplifting and recommend you stop and show a receipt. They argue it helps keep prices lower for everyone. Others say you are not required to stop and that they keep walking. Others give a short response saying that if you are offended don’t shop there anymore. One response did say that stopping for a receipt check is a requirement of membership for club type stores like Costco. There are even testy debates on websites about whether you are required to stop for a Sensormatic security system or similar alarm activation. Does this qualify as grounds for reasonable detainment?
To be perfectly frank the issue is there is no federal guideline. Each state has their own laws governing ”Shopkeeper’s Privilege” and what is a reasonable detainment. Anti-shoplifting laws are not universal and therefore as a store owner it is incumbent on you to be familiar with the laws of your own state. This brings up the question of whether it makes sense to even have a person at the door to help prevent shoplifting or a Sensormatic system to discourage thieves?
I believe it is in the best interest of stores to have an anti-shoplifting system in place. This is no different than having closed circuit television cameras, camera domes and monitors in a store. They do help deter impulse thieves. These are the people who come in and without a lot of forethought decide to steal as a thrill or on a dare or even peer-pressure. A Sensormatic security system with towers at the doors and merchandise with security tags is usually enough to make these people change their mind about stealing. Even some of the shoplifters who are stealing for drugs are stopped when they realize a security system is in use. The only ones who may not be deterred are the hardcore criminals or organized crime groups who you may not want to be dealing with anyways other than through customer service.
What about a receipt checker at the door? Most people are going to be cooperative and willing to show a receipt. There are some who are going to refuse. I can only suggest that if you are going to have someone at the door you have a consistent policy of only asking for a receipt on exposed merchandise (meaning merchandise not in a bag from your store). You also need to ensure if employees are responding to a Sensormatic security system alarm that your employees are trained on how to do so properly. Never accuse someone of shoplifting simply because an alarm sounds. It could be a cashier failed to remove a clothing security tag from a shirt or jeans. The great thing is if you aren’t sure your employees are trained properly on alarm response or you don’t have a Sensormatic system, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers training and if you purchase an anti-shoplifting system from them you get FREE training to go along with it.
There is no easy answer to the problem of receipt checks. Hopefully I have given you a few helpful tips on how to try to resolve the issue. It is important to keep in mind that most honest shoppers will be willing to show receipts in order to help stop shoplifting and keep prices low.
I am a fan of video games but when it comes to shoplifting I don’t play games and I look for the ways stores protect games. I am aware of one chain store that stocks only empty display boxes on shelves to protect the merchandise. The challenge with this method of protecting product is two-fold. First just having an empty box on display does not necessarily mean there is a live corresponding disc to be sold. Two, even though the stores store the discs in alphabetical order, I have personally experienced the wait while associates searched for the item I wanted. I can even recall once when a disc I wanted could not be located. It was a very frustrating experience.
I worked for a store that used display cases to stock video games in order to prevent shoplifting. This posed its own unique set of problems. First, some of the games were displayed with the spine of the game facing the customer. The pictures that are designed to pique the interest of potential customers were not visible. I believe this display hampered sales. Next was the display case itself…it was locked. If a customer wanted to look at merchandise they had to try to get an employee’s attention in order to open the showcase. Yes, showcases prevent shoplifting and I would contend they prevent sales as well.
A slightly better option I see in one retail giant is a game in a lock box attached by a cord to the display case. It does give the shopper a bit more flexibility to look at the game, turn the box over and read the description on the back and seem more information in general. Still the customer is forced to seek assistance from an employee if they want to make a purchase. The showcase itself is still locked. I would not mind this option so much if there was always someone standing nearby with a key. Unfortunately in the world of retail with tighter payroll budgets, that is not going to happen very often. Thus the advent of the wonderful thing we have come to know as a “call button”. Help is just a push away (and maybe several minutes away depending on how busy the associates are at the time).
Then there is the solution I have come to call the dump bin. There is nothing in place to prevent shoplifting in many cases. These tend to be bins filled with older games that may not be quite as popular so they are dumped in one of these containers. Customers have to dig and search to look at games. An avalanche may drop everything back on top of the item they had almost reached at the bottom of the mess. In some instances the games may protect games with an electronic article surveillance label which at least is some defense against theft. The problem is that the bad guys will remove the cellophane wrap and take the package and disc. These can then go to stores that buy “used” games for a few bucks each. There is always the internet option for selling or a trade for drugs on the street. Shoplifters are not necessarily picky about how they get money or drugs.
The preferred method in my mind to protect games is to use Sensormatic Safers. They look like a storage bag with a locking zipper and basically that is what they are. What is unique about these bags is that they are made of polyethylene and nylon material making them extremely durable. They also have electronic article surveillance built into them ensuring they will work with a Sensormatic security tower system. Why do I like this method of protecting merchandise? Accessibility for customers is the reason. Shoppers can pick up a game in a Safer, look at it from all angles and carry it around the store. They don’t have to wait for someone to help them open a display case just to look at an item they may or may not be interested in purchasing. The merchandise remains secure and the customer is more likely to buy it when they can carry it with them while conducting other shopping.
It is important to protect games and high shrink merchandise but it is just as important to ensure your customers have access to merchandise. The longer they have to wait for help or jump through hoops to make a purchase the less likely they will be to shop in your store in the future. Flexible Safers allow you to be flexible with your customers and that has a positive impact on sales and shortage.
It is important to protect games and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I am a fan of video games but when it comes to shoplifting I don’t play games and I look for the ways stores protect games. I am aware of one chain store that stocks only empty display boxes on shelves to protect the merchandise. The challenge with this method of protecting product is two-fold. First just having an empty box on display does not necessarily mean there is a live corresponding disc to be sold. Two, even though the stores store the discs in alphabetical order, I have personally experienced the wait while associates searched for the item I wanted. I can even recall once when a disc I wanted could not be located. It was a very frustrating experience.
I worked for a store that used display cases to stock video games in order to prevent shoplifting. This posed its own unique set of problems. First, some of the games were displayed with the spine of the game facing the customer. The pictures that are designed to pique the interest of potential customers were not visible. I believe this display hampered sales. Next was the display case itself…it was locked. If a customer wanted to look at merchandise they had to try to get an employee’s attention in order to open the showcase. Yes, showcases prevent shoplifting and I would contend they prevent sales as well.
A slightly better option I see in one retail giant is a game in a lock box attached by a cord to the display case. It does give the shopper a bit more flexibility to look at the game, turn the box over and read the description on the back and seem more information in general. Still the customer is forced to seek assistance from an employee if they want to make a purchase. The showcase itself is still locked. I would not mind this option so much if there was always someone standing nearby with a key. Unfortunately in the world of retail with tighter payroll budgets, that is not going to happen very often. Thus the advent of the wonderful thing we have come to know as a “call button”. Help is just a push away (and maybe several minutes away depending on how busy the associates are at the time).
Then there is the solution I have come to call the dump bin. There is nothing in place to prevent shoplifting in many cases. These tend to be bins filled with older games that may not be quite as popular so they are dumped in one of these containers. Customers have to dig and search to look at games. An avalanche may drop everything back on top of the item they had almost reached at the bottom of the mess. In some instances the games may protect games with an electronic article surveillance label which at least is some defense against theft. The problem is that the bad guys will remove the cellophane wrap and take the package and disc. These can then go to stores that buy “used” games for a few bucks each. There is always the internet option for selling or a trade for drugs on the street. Shoplifters are not necessarily picky about how they get money or drugs.
The preferred method in my mind to protect games is to use Sensormatic Safers. They look like a storage bag with a locking zipper and basically that is what they are. What is unique about these bags is that they are made of polyethylene and nylon material making them extremely durable. They also have electronic article surveillance built into them ensuring they will work with a Sensormatic security tower system. Why do I like this method of protecting merchandise? Accessibility for customers is the reason. Shoppers can pick up a game in a Safer, look at it from all angles and carry it around the store. They don’t have to wait for someone to help them open a display case just to look at an item they may or may not be interested in purchasing. The merchandise remains secure and the customer is more likely to buy it when they can carry it with them while conducting other shopping.
It is important to protect games and high shrink merchandise but it is just as important to ensure your customers have access to merchandise. The longer they have to wait for help or jump through hoops to make a purchase the less likely they will be to shop in your store in the future. Flexible Safers allow you to be flexible with your customers and that has a positive impact on sales and shortage.
It is important to protect games and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
The Loss Prevention Calculator Can’t Calculate Negative ROI Due To Poor Customer Service
A free Loss Prevention Calculator can show you the positive return on investment should you purchase a new Sensormatic security system. After an experience I recently went through helping both of my sons purchase cars I realized there can also be a negative return on investment if you do business the wrong way. This article is about how our interactions in a customer service environment can impact the ROI of a product we sell or equipment we use in retail.
Here is what I mean. If I purchase a Sensormatic security system for my store to prevent shoplifting I expect it is going to result in some kind of financial return. I know this because the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator available from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) shows me. The result I get is a close estimate of how much that system would save me in merchandise shortage each year and how long it would take for those savings to pay for the new system. That is fantastic. But there can be a catch. If I purchase that system but do not train my employees on how to properly use it or respond to alarm activations I can alienate customers. If an alarm activates because my cashier did not remove a clothing security tag from a shirt a customer will be upset. THAT would be a negative return on my Sensormatic investment.
What does this have to do with my car shopping experience? After doing some research on vehicles and looking at reviews of cars I took my son to a used car dealer. We were greeted and told we could look at any of the cars and the salesman said if we wanted to take a test drive it would not be a problem. We got keys to several and my son test drove one he was interested in. Interestingly, as opposed to other dealers I have been to in the past no one was hovering over me like a vulture. We were able to take our time and could find the salesman if we had a question. It was a great experience and my son made a purchase.
The next day I took my younger son to a dealership. They had some used cars online we were interested in looking at. We were definitely not in the market for a new car. I know there was no free Loss Prevention Calculator to help us in the decision process but there was a free car check report to use on their website and these cars looked clean. We got to the dealership and immediately a salesman came to the car and greeted us. I told him exactly what we were there for and had my list. He asked if I knew where the cars were on the lot!? He was the salesman why was he asking me? We looked at the three or four cars on my list and he had an excuse for each why it would be a bad choice. He took us to a car outside the price range I told him we were interested in. I allowed him to take my son for a test drive (he rode along unlike the dealer the day before). He tried to convince my son to buy this car and I told him no, we were only looking. To cut a longer story short we left and I did not go back. He and the dealership lost a sale. The inventory was there and had any effort been made on his part we could have walked out with a car. Two different dealers with two different results.
The Loss Prevention ROI calculator can give good information on how a system can help your business but your people can make it a negative return without proper training. The good news is if you purchase a Sensormatic system with LPSI you get that training for free! That is an incredible deal. Think about it for a moment. The Free Loss Prevention Calculator is free to use. The system can pay for itself over a relatively short period of time making it virtually a free system and you get free training from experienced Loss Prevention trainers. I don’t know how an offer can get any better. I suppose it can if I tell you that when you use the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator no one knows you are using it and no car salesman is hovering over you pushing you into something you don’t need or want.
People can make or break your business or the effectiveness of equipment or products. Training them on proper customer service techniques will enhance your reputation with your shoppers. By the way, my younger son did end up getting his car the following day…at the place where my elder son bought his.
Need information on the Free Loss Prevention Calculator? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
A free Loss Prevention Calculator can show you the positive return on investment should you purchase a new Sensormatic security system. After an experience I recently went through helping both of my sons purchase cars I realized there can also be a negative return on investment if you do business the wrong way. This article is about how our interactions in a customer service environment can impact the ROI of a product we sell or equipment we use in retail.
Here is what I mean. If I purchase a Sensormatic security system for my store to prevent shoplifting I expect it is going to result in some kind of financial return. I know this because the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator available from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) shows me. The result I get is a close estimate of how much that system would save me in merchandise shortage each year and how long it would take for those savings to pay for the new system. That is fantastic. But there can be a catch. If I purchase that system but do not train my employees on how to properly use it or respond to alarm activations I can alienate customers. If an alarm activates because my cashier did not remove a clothing security tag from a shirt a customer will be upset. THAT would be a negative return on my Sensormatic investment.
What does this have to do with my car shopping experience? After doing some research on vehicles and looking at reviews of cars I took my son to a used car dealer. We were greeted and told we could look at any of the cars and the salesman said if we wanted to take a test drive it would not be a problem. We got keys to several and my son test drove one he was interested in. Interestingly, as opposed to other dealers I have been to in the past no one was hovering over me like a vulture. We were able to take our time and could find the salesman if we had a question. It was a great experience and my son made a purchase.
The next day I took my younger son to a dealership. They had some used cars online we were interested in looking at. We were definitely not in the market for a new car. I know there was no free Loss Prevention Calculator to help us in the decision process but there was a free car check report to use on their website and these cars looked clean. We got to the dealership and immediately a salesman came to the car and greeted us. I told him exactly what we were there for and had my list. He asked if I knew where the cars were on the lot!? He was the salesman why was he asking me? We looked at the three or four cars on my list and he had an excuse for each why it would be a bad choice. He took us to a car outside the price range I told him we were interested in. I allowed him to take my son for a test drive (he rode along unlike the dealer the day before). He tried to convince my son to buy this car and I told him no, we were only looking. To cut a longer story short we left and I did not go back. He and the dealership lost a sale. The inventory was there and had any effort been made on his part we could have walked out with a car. Two different dealers with two different results.
The Loss Prevention ROI calculator can give good information on how a system can help your business but your people can make it a negative return without proper training. The good news is if you purchase a Sensormatic system with LPSI you get that training for free! That is an incredible deal. Think about it for a moment. The Free Loss Prevention Calculator is free to use. The system can pay for itself over a relatively short period of time making it virtually a free system and you get free training from experienced Loss Prevention trainers. I don’t know how an offer can get any better. I suppose it can if I tell you that when you use the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator no one knows you are using it and no car salesman is hovering over you pushing you into something you don’t need or want.
People can make or break your business or the effectiveness of equipment or products. Training them on proper customer service techniques will enhance your reputation with your shoppers. By the way, my younger son did end up getting his car the following day…at the place where my elder son bought his.
