Staff Editor — Page 129

Check that bag, and those boxes- Employee Theft

July 8, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Being vigilant is a great way to prevent retail theft. Some of the biggest cases I have seen from shoplifters, to employees, and even vendors are allowed to happen because the employees of a store have gotten complacent. This Employee theft investigation was no different. Complacency toward an outside vendor proved to be just as bad as complacency toward one of our own employees.

We recently had a situation with one of our soda vendors. These are commission-based positions that are paid based off of how much product we invoice from them. If they take away bad/ old product, it is deducted from their monthly totals.

This vendor had been stealing back his own product for about five years. The store was not reconciling their invoices with each shipment, like they were supposed to, and the vendor knew it.

He would drop off and invoice for ten cases of soda. After sitting and chatting for a bit, the manager would go off to attend to other things. The vendor would then put cases back in boxes and wheel them back out.

No one ever checked his boxes and the store would be charged not only for his free soda but also his full commission. It wasn’t until the first inventory that the shortages were discovered and we suspected employee theft was the cause.

After looking at the invoices though, we realized that it might not be due to typical internal theft. It was because of the employees’ complacency to check off this well liked vendor before he left the building that the theft of merchandise was allowed to happen.

For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft

Do Something Different – Bottle Security

July 7, 2013 by Staff Editor

My husband is a district manager for one of the smaller discount chains. Every day he comes home and tells me stories of how he stopped a shoplifter in one of his stores. Since this company sells mostly general merchandise, they don’t have a lot of security systems in place. Things have progressively gotten worse since they started selling alcohol with no bottle security.

I really wish I could hand him a spec sheet for the Alpha Security EASy Bottle and tell him that the simple investment of bottle locks would make a world of difference in his stores. Unfortunately, the decision is not in his hands. That is one of the downsides to working in a chain retailer. There are many other hands in the decision making pot.

If he were in his own store where he could call the shots, I have no doubt that he would make a different decision that would help him and the rest of his employees reduce the number of shoplifters in his stores. It has been statistically proven that the mere addition of bottle security greatly reduces a store’s losses from theft within the first year. Probably sooner, I would imagine!

For now, my husband can only continue to stop the losses as he sees them. He can document them and report them to those who make the decisions, and hope that they will see the need to do something different.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

For more information on Alpha Security, Bottle Lock, Bottle locks, Bottle Security, EASy Bottle or Liquor Bottle Security and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: Alpha Security, bottle lock, bottle locks, bottle security, easy bottle, liquor bottle security

No mentor, no problem – loss prevention training

July 4, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

When you spend a career in retail investigations, it is easy to sometimes forget how little you knew at the beginning. I remember being so convinced of an employee’s guilt that I was ready to bypass the judge and jury and send the employee directly to jail.

I know now that some of my decisions, while they may have been made out of good intentions, would have put my employers at risk. If I had had more training such loss prevention seminars, it would have enhanced my performance.

It took someone with years of experience and knowledge to show me the right way to conduct an investigation. I was also shown the ethical and legal way to deal with those outcomes.

I also know now that not every case of employee theft should be prosecuted.

It was only because I had the luxury of some really good mentors that helped me through the process, that I didn’t make some egregious errors.

I feel for those who don’t have a mentor to help them through the processes. I guess that is why it is important to take part in a loss prevention workshop that deals with employee theft.

You and your company can limit your risks associated with conducting a thorough employee theft investigation by getting some much needed loss prevention training. Loss Prevention Workshops can also help you understand the benefits, downsides, and potential liabilities associated with terminating and prosecuting an employee upon conclusion of an investigation. A loss prevention seminar can be worth its weight in gold.

For more information on Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, or Loss Prevention Workshop contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia.

Visit the Loss Prevention Systems website for more information on Retail Employee Theft and Retail Shoplifting problems and view the Retail Loss Prevention Seminars , Retail Loss Prevention Training , Retail Loss Prevention Seminar and Retail Loss Prevention Workshop we offer to help with your Employee Theft and Shoplifting problems.

Filed Under: Seminar Tagged With: Employee Theft, Loss Prevention Seminar, Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, Loss Prevention Workshop, shoplifting

Analyze Your Reports- Clothing Security Tags

July 2, 2013 by Staff Editor

It should be no secret that you need clothing security to protect your merchandise. What you might not realize is that it is also not a secret as to which specific items need clothing security tags.

The first place is to start looking at your last inventory report. You are conducting inventories at least on a yearly basis right? If you aren’t, you need to start. How will you ever know that you have a problem if you don’t have any way to manage or quantify your inventory losses?

Taking inventory is the best way to track your inventory. You should compare the quantity of each item you purchased versus the quantity of those same items you actually have on hand. Be sure to adjust for any sales or returns made.

Whatever discrepancies you have is called shrink. Now that you know what your shrink is look at those specific items. Decide if these items are ones that are continuing to cause shrink issues? Were the losses on items that you no longer carry in your store? Clothing alarm is an excellent way to prevent these losses.

If you have inventory items that you still carry that you are noticing losses of these are the ones that need security tags on clothes. Checkpoint tags should be applied to these high shrink items first.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint tags, clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

A Delicate Operation – Checkpoint Security tags

July 1, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Checkpoint security tags that have the ink packs inside of them (ink tags) are a great deterrent to stop shoplifting. The additional deterrent of the ink packs provide further reinforcement for shoplifters to leave these tags alone instead of trying to disarm them inside your store.

One of the biggest deterrents for shop owners over the years has been that the Checkpoint security tags have been serrated. That basically means they have tiny ridges that help keep the pin locked into place. It is a part of Checkpoint systems’ anti-shoplifting standards.

The reason why it is a deterrent for shop owners is that these serrations can snag delicate or stretchy fabrics. The owners have been willing to take the risk of shoplifters over the risk of damaging their fabrics either while attaching the pins, or during the deactivation process.

The good news to these shop owners is there is no longer a need to make that sort of decision. Checkpoint tags now come in the option of serrated pins or smooth ones. These smooth pins are much less likely to snag those more delicate fabrics.

Checkpoint systems have made a better option to help all shop owners stop shoplifting in their stores.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Anti-Shoplifting devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system from Checkpoint Systems to stop shoplifting in your store.

For more information on Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint Labels, a Checkpoint Security System, Checkpoint Security Tags, Checkpoint Systems, or Checkpoint Tags and how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at Retail theft prevention to Stop Shoplifting in your store or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: Anti-Shoplifting, Checkpoint labels, checkpoint security system, Checkpoint security tags, checkpoint systems, Checkpoint tags, retail theft prevention, stop shoplifting

Time and Available Resources – Background Check Experts

July 1, 2013 by Staff Editor

I have found over the years, as a result of some bad hires, that I am not an expert in pre-employment screening. I am good at pre-screening employees and face-to-face interviews. But, after a few significantly bad new hire employees, I learned a very tough lesson about the importance of finding background check experts to conduct the background checks.

I am quite confident in my abilities and skill sets that have come from years of experience. I am also quite confident to know when I need to stop and ask for help. However, I am not an expert in everything. One of those things is pre-employment screening.

It is not only taking the time to read between the lines when you interview someone for a job. It comes down to two things: time and resources. Neither of which I really have as a manager and small business owner.

Background check experts have both the time and resources that most of us don’t have to really dig down below the surface and find out anything that might be hidden, undisclosed or taken place in another jurisdiction as part of the process of a background check.

They also have the time to evaluate the results that they uncover in their research. They can follow up on information that might not be readily accessible, or might require further investigation to complete the picture.

To purchase Pre-Employment Screening Services or for more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: background check company, background check experts, Background checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, pre employment screening

Who has some questions? – Bottle Locks

July 1, 2013 by Staff Editor

Whether you own a restaurant or a liquor store, there are questions that are not only interrelated, but also have a very simple solution.

Are you worried about your high dollar liquor and wine sales not being accounted for? Are you missing bottles of alcohol that cannot be explained? Do you suspect that maybe one of your own employees is taking advantage of you? Do you have very minimal or non-existent bottle security? Or do you simply have an abnormally high inventory cost that you cannot explain away from the most obvious reasons?

More than likely you have an employee that is taking advantage of the lack of bottle security in your place of business. Checkpoint offers a simple solution to wine and liquor bottle security. The Alpha security line of bottle locks provides product denial to anyone who does not have a key or detacher.

The EASy bottle lock is a cap that fits over the top of your wine or liquor bottles without harming the caps or corks, preventing access to the contents inside. By limiting the keys or detachers, you provide enhanced liquor bottle security from not so honest employees.

Whatever the problem is, having a plan and procedure in place that enhances you bottle security greatly reduces your risk and exposure to those unfavorable elements.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: Alpha Security, bottle lock, bottle locks, bottle security, easy bottle, liquor bottle security

Don’t Question Too Much – Alpha Security

July 1, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Retail anti-theft devices made by Alpha Security are designed to be more than a one size fits all solution. One size fits all might work with some things, but not with retail anti-theft devices. In order to truly protect your inventory assets, you need to prevent shoplifting in ways that are specific to your needs.

The Alpha Spider Wrap is one of the best examples of solution specific retail anti-theft devices. It is made primarily to protect merchandise that is boxed. The merchandise might be anything from popular gaming systems to expensive baby monitors. When I used the Alpha Security Alpha Spider Wrap it was for power tools.

You see, most of these boxed items are easy to be used or sold without the boxes. It was not uncommon for us to hear about guys going onto job sites trying to sell power tools at a “fair” price. Since most laborers are required to provide their own tools for the job, many of them have no problems buying them out of a box for far less than they could pay for them in a store. They just knew not to ask too many questions.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for Alpha 2Alarm, Alpha 3Alarm, Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate, Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap and other retail anti-theft devices from Alpha Security to use in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate, Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap, Fashion2, Jewel Lok, Nano Gate, Prevent Shoplifting, Shark Tag, Spider Wrap

Preventing Employee Theft

July 1, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

In all my years, no employee walked out the door with an item of merchandise that had an RF tag on it. They stuck to the items that did not have any sort of tag or label. In fact, they went out of their way to find the items without them. Checkpoint tags and labels are a proactive solution to preventing employee theft from happening in your store.

One of the hardest parts of working is retail management, is dealing with internal theft- alternately referred to as employee theft. It’s a personal blow to think that someone you know, someone you trust, is stealing from you and your company.

During many employee theft investigation interviews, most employees said that they stole because they couldn’t afford the items. In my experiences dealing with these cases, it is often an unforeseen circumstance that makes these associates change their honest ways. It could be that a spouse lost their job, or medical bills came sneaking up on them.

While you can’t control the outside circumstances of every employee’s life, there are some steps you can take in preventing employee theft. By using anti theft devices like pedestals, hard tags and labels you can often keep your employees honest by making them realize how hard it will be to discreetly steal from your store. Providing visual cues like these retail anti theft devices, goes a long way to preventing internal theft.

For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft

Quit Your Wine-ing – Bottle Security

June 28, 2013 by Staff Editor

Beautiful weather is great for traveling. I love a great road trip that takes me to a picturesque, off the beaten path, place. Usually, I see signs for the local wineries along the way. Depending on the day’s agenda, we try to stop and support these local businesses. I have to take note that most of them do not use bottle locks.

It is really a shame, because bottle locks would be such an easy addition to their bottle security. I think most of these owners think that EASy Bottle bottle locks are only for liquor bottles. They have to keep their wines behind lock and key instead of proudly displayed.

I mentioned it is a shame because these same vineyards have other Alpha Security products in place in their gift shop. They tag their other merchandise and bypass the bottle security. Since the systems are already in place, it would be an easy addition to start using locks for bottle security.

They would be able to merchandise their wines front and center. That is why we are all at the wineries, right? It is for the wine. As much as I love looking at the other accessories and wine flavored foods, I am more interested in looking at their wines. Having these locks would give them that opportunity without opening themselves up to the risk of losses.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: Alpha Security, bottle lock, bottle locks, bottle security, easy bottle, liquor bottle security