Staff Editor — Page 209

Loss Prevention vs. Sales: It’s MINE!!!

February 27, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

While working for a large retailer as a loss prevention store detective one of the biggest challenges was to find ways to stop shoplifting. As a department we seemed to never trust any other employees and had an attitude of “hands off” when it came to any attempts to stop shoplifting. When the company purchased the Checkpoint system we were excited since the LP department had been awarded such an expensive tool to prevent theft. I look back and I can not believe how narrow minded we had become. The Checkpoint system was going to be a catalyst to change the way we conducted business.

When we started with the checkpoint training we were amazed to find sales employees sitting in the room. The trainer started with the general statement that the system was multifaceted and interactive, meaning ALL employees had to work together for the system to succeed. This became obvious once the trainer showed us the checkpoint security tags and checkpoint labels. A couple LP employees were not going to be able to go through the entire store placing rf security tags and rf security labels on the product.

The trainer showed us the benefits of using the rf labels on products such as fragrances, accessories and electronics. He demonstrated the best way to place the rf label on the product without damaging the product or the rf label. He next demonstrated the benefits of the checkpoint security tags. He showed us which products needed the rf security tags such as sneakers, shoes, clothing and several bedding items from the domestics department. The training with the checkpoint security tags took much more time since the rf security tags had to be pushed through the product and if done incorrectly could damage the product. One of the main points made regarding the checkpoint security tags was to ensure the pin portion of the tag was pushed through seams of clothing and eyelets of shoes and sneakers.

At this point we were very glad that our sales partners were going to be a part of the implementation process. This was not the end of the cooperation aspect regarding the checkpoint system. The next point was how to react to the checkpoint alarms. If someone were to remove merchandise with rf security labels how did we best approach the customer? Again, we could not imagine being able to react to every alarm while also watching the sales floor. This is where the proper deactivation of the rf labels and removal of the rf security tags come into play to reduce “false” alarms. Also reacting correctly by offering great customer service when an alarm was set off reduces the possibility of a potential liability incident by falsely accusing a person of theft. The training really forced the lp and sales department to work together to protect each other and achieve the system’s goals.

We had many “dry runs” of reacting to alarms. We found that the checkpoint labels being hidden in or on different areas of product made it tough to find and deactivate at the register. We immediately decided that we needed a system that ensures the checkpoint labels and tags would be placed in or on the same place for each separate product. This allowed the sales personnel to know exactly where to locate the rf labels thus speeding up sales at the register and reducing false alarms due to a missed rf label. RF security labels were not the only items to be missed, if a tag had been forgotten and an alarm was not reacted to then the customer would try to remove the tag at home thus causing damage to the product and then ultimately a return and an unhappy customer.

In the end the checkpoint system helped forge a partnership that led to lower shrink, improved sales and a strong teamwork mentality at the store level. The checkpoint system is an excellent tool to be used to stop shoplifting but as the trainer had said “the system is only as good as the team that works with it everyday”.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, and other RF labels that can help you stop shoplifting in your business.

For more information on Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, RF labels, RF security labels, RF security tags and how to stop shoplifting contact us at RF label or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, RF label, RF labels, RF security labels, RF security tags, stop shoplifting

Sometimes the employees aren’t too bright either

February 27, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Internal theft is an all too common problem. It happens within every business and takes on so many forms that it rarely occurs in the same manner twice in a row. That’s because one expects that when an associate is caught committing some sort of internal theft the rest of the staff would take note of what NOT to do in order to avoid the same fate as their former coworker.

Sometimes they aren’t paying attention to what’s happening around them though.

At one of my store’s auto centers there was an auto center technician who was terminated at the end of an employee theft investigation that found he was stealing garage equipment and supplies for use in his own ‘side jobs’. It was such a big deal that cashiers in the main store, people who generally don’t even know anyone working in the auto center, were talking about it for weeks. Then, just last Tuesday, I was driving past the auto center garage while going into work and noticed something immensely suspicious and all too familiar.

There was an auto center technician standing behind his car loading several items into his trunk including a few large boxes. By the time I reached the camera room the technician had already finished loading his vehicle so I went about my shift with one monitor focused on the car in the event he returned to it. A few hours later, as the auto center closed for the night, the technician pulled his car into the garage and parked it in front of his work station, which was located right beneath a PTZ camera. Over the next few minutes he loaded even more items into his vehicle, including a large quantity of garage supplies. It was a blatant, slam-dunk case of employee theft.

His only reasoning was that he didn’t think we would keep watching after we caught the last guy.

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

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

Spend Less, Get More and Have The Same Anti Shoplifting Retail Security

February 27, 2012 by Staff Editor

Are you spending too much for your Anti Theft Devices labels and tags? Are you afraid to go away from the name brands because you will get cheap labels or cheap tags? Are you buying cheap labels or cheap tags and getting false alarms or worse, no alarms? Are those cheap tags and labels falling off your merchandise?

You can spend less that half of what you may be spending on name brand Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) labels and tags. If you are buying cheap imports why not get high quality for the same or less money! EAS labels and tags can be high quality but cost less. Our labels and tags are made in the United States in a factory that has the highest quality standards.

Another benefit is that all of our paper-thin retail security labels are ready to be printed on with your POS thermal transfer printer. The adhesive is very aggressive and they come in all the popular sizes.

Since money is always an issue all of these features are included at a VERY LOW PRICE.

Need more incentive? Order on-line at our web store, buy 1 roll or 1000 rolls. The more you buy the more you save. Watch for specials like quantity discounts, free shipping and more.

And if that is not enough, we are experts in the retail security and anti shoplifting field. Our products are being used by some of the biggest names in retail. They figured it out how about you?

Visit RBC Security Solutions for Retail Security Anti- theft Devices that can help you be Anti-Shoplifting in your business with products like Cheap Labels and Cheap Tags. Our EAS Labels and Tags are not cheap they are inexpensive and made in the U.S.

For more information on how you can use Retail Security Anti- theft Devices to help you be Anti-Shoplifting in your business with products like Cheap Labels and Cheap Tags contact us.

Filed Under: clothing alarm Tagged With: Cheap Labels, Cheap Tags

The Secret About Cheap Labels

February 27, 2012 by Staff Editor

Clothing Security and Cheap Labels or Cheap Tags

You protect your clothes with anti theft devices such as an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) device. But you have been buying cheap labels or cheap tags and now your clothing security program is suffering. Shoplifters are able to defeat them. What do you do now?

Stop buying cheap labels or cheap tags. Spend the same amount of money OR LESS but get first quality product made in the US. Our EAS labels are not cheap they are inexpensive. But they have more features that the cheap imports and the name brands for the price.

Every one of our labels has very aggressive adhesive that make the label stay put. It will not dry up and fall off or be easily peeled off by a shoplifter. All our labels are ready to be printed on with your thermal transfer Point of Sale (POS) printer.

They are field tested and used as the standard by some of the largest retailers in the world! You can use the exact same labels and tags that these retailers use.

Best of all is the price. If you are looking for first quality labels and tags at cheap prices you have found them. We are experts in the retail clothing security and anti theft devices fields. We know the quality and price. We have tested them and will only deliver the best at a low price.

Visit RBC Security Solutions for Clothing Security Anti- theft Devices that can help you prevent retail theft in your business with products like Cheap Labels and Cheap Tags. Our EAS Labels and Tags are not cheap they are inexpensive and made in the U.S.

For more information on how you can use Clothing Security Anti- theft Devices to protect your Clothes and help you prevent retail theft in your business with products like Cheap Labels and Cheap Tags contact us.

Filed Under: clothing alarm Tagged With: Cheap Labels, Cheap Tags, Clothing Security

Creating a Successful Retail Theft Prevention Program

February 24, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

The loss that a retail store can incur from shoplifting can be detrimental to even the largest retail chains. That is why a successful anti shoplifting program is essential to a thriving store. Through the proper use of retail theft prevention items, such as checkpoint security systems and checkpoint security tags, a retail store can dramatically reduce their loss.

In 2009, a company that I worked for suffered a loss of approximately $3,000 in just video game loss. In that same year I was able to detain my highest net detention from a video game theft. A couple came into our store and multiple other stores throughout the day and had removed video games from their anti shoplifting devices. I was luckily able to catch them during the process of concealing video games they had removed from the shelf while on their last stop for the day. In the end, the couple had almost successfully stolen over $2,000 in video games from multiple stores in a single day. The following year, although we already had checkpoint security systems in place, the company I worked for began using retail theft prevention shelf locks for added security on all our video games. On top of the shelf locks, all video games were alpha cased with checkpoint security tags inside. By the end of the year my total amount of video game detentions had decreased dramatically and our total loss for that department was equal to hundreds, not thousands of dollars. In one year we were able to decrease our loss radically by simply diversifying the anti shoplifting devices that were previously in use.

This is just one example of many checkpoint system devices that I have seen reduce loss for stores that I have worked for. However, truly successful retail theft prevention programs make use of a combination of checkpoint systems in order to increase their anti shoplifting efforts.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase retail anti theft devices from Checkpoint Systems.

For more information on Anti Shoplifting, Checkpoint Security System or Checkpoint Security Tags contact us at Retail theft prevention or call 1.770.426.0547

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

Why are criminal background checks important?

February 24, 2012 by Staff Editor

Criminal background checks are just one element of a comprehensive pre employment screening program because criminal records are just one of the many indicators that will help you determine the suitability of a candidate.

Here are few examples of criminal background checks that can help you understand how pre employment screening can protect your company.

Example #1: Let’s say you are charged with hiring a truck driver that will deliver drugs for a healthcare facility. The background check company you’ve hired returns unfavorable employee background check results that indicate the candidate has two previous convictions that are drug related. If you had not conducted employee background checks on all potential new hires you may have given the keys to a drug locker to a known criminal with a history of drug abuse.

Example #2: Let’s say you run a shuttle service and one of your employees assaults a customer while in transit to any given destination. After the incident it’s discovered that the employee has a history of violent crime but your position, as the employer, is that you did everything you could to set yourself up to make a good hiring decision before the suspect was extended an employment offer.

The victim later sues your company and using public information that can be found on the internet a law firm uncovers the suspects’ criminal history. Your argument is not going to stand up in court and an incident that could have been prevented by hiring a background check company will now potentially bankrupt your company and will undoubtedly destroy your reputation in the community.

I hope this blog has helped you understand the importance of conducting background checks on potential new hires. Background check experts have the expertise to perform background checks and this investment will protect your interests.

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 checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, pre employment screening

Liquor and Your Employees

February 24, 2012 by Staff Editor

While no one ever plans on having an employee steal, it is an unfortunate reality of the retail environment. Take a look at the following suggestions. There are no sure fire ways to avoid theft. Implementing some of these strategies will reduce your exposure to the criminal element.

First, are you running background checks on your employees? That will help reduce the bad apples from the start.

Next, understand that the honest employees you do hire may not always remain so. Be watchful of signs of financial stress or alcohol abuse. Both situations could lead to cash or liquor theft.

The next part is to implement some form of bottle security. Alpha Security has a truly comprehensive line of products specifically for liquor bottle security. Their EASy Bottle is a quick fix to prevent theft. It is a cap that is placed over the top of a bottle that has an embedded alarm tag. Too close to the doors without being removed will sound the audible alarm on your towers.

Keep in mind that Bottle locks are great to guard against both employee theft and external theft (shoplifters).

If you can, include some camera equipment at your store. Common points of view would be over the registers and at the entrance/ exit doors. Make sure that your cameras are visible to anyone who enters. As a general rule, people are less likely to do something bad if they are aware of being filmed.

This is a great start to protecting your employee’s good name and your good profits. Keep your eyes open and your employees will be more likely to stay honest.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase EASy Bottle bottle locks by Alpha Security.

For more information on Alpha Security , Bottle Lock , Bottle locks , Bottle Security , liquor bottle security or EASy Bottle 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

Strange tales in clothing security

February 24, 2012 by Staff Editor

All of us within the loss prevention field have had those moments where we question how people can prove to be so lacking in common sense or logic.

It wasn’t until around five in the afternoon last Saturday that our shoplifter du jour walked through the first floor mall entry point. Right away the woman set off every alert signal in the profession: clothes that didn’t fit the weather, an almost immediate focus on the cameras, and she made a path for one of the most secluded corners of the first floor, which just so happened to be located next to the designer shirts. With two LP detectives observing through the CCTV and one on the floor we bore witness to this young woman pull two empty shopping bags from her pockets and then began moving from rack to rack deftly pulling clothes from there hangers and dropping them in her bags in front of dozens of other customers, some of whom spoke out or reported her actions to store employees. She paid no attention to the fact that there were Checkpoint tags on the items she selected. It took her all of three minutes to get her fill and try to escape through another entrance where immediately all of the clothing security tags triggered the alarm just as two LP detectives and three local police officers converged on her. In spite of the witnesses who pointed her out, in spite of the clothing alarms that alerted everyone to her theft, in spite of the blatant video evidence she protested her innocence and insisted we were all crazy and she would see us on the end of a lawsuit.

Right now she is facing five years in prison for the extent of her crimes.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase a clothing alarm or clothing security tags.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags 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

Not Just for Wardrobing

February 24, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Anytime you work with clothes as a retailer you will inevitably come across a few incidences of wardrobing. Wardrobing is where someone buys an item of clothing, say a new dress or a pair of shoes. They wear the item, usually just once for a special occasion, and then return the item.

It is frustrating to the retailer because you potentially loose sales by not having that item in stock for a true customer, but most people don’t want to buy items that look used or retagged (if price tags had been torn off).

Hey, I even saw a lady open a bag of socks to see if she liked them, and then put them back on the shelf and grab a new unopened bag! She was the one that opened it in the first place and still didn’t want it.

Any way, there is a product out by Checkpoint called the Shark Tag. It pins onto the front of a garment and can only be removed by scissors. Even though it is designed to prevent wardrobing, it can also be a great retail anti theft device to prevent shoplifting.

Attaching the Shark Tag onto items like lingerie or swimsuits may prevent an item from being concealed under clothes. You can’t very well wear a bra with a big pin sticking through your shirt with out someone noticing.

Shark Tags are also a visible cue. Not every shoplifter knows what has an RF tag and what doesn’t. If an item looks like it has even the slightest chance of being tagged, they potentially will avoid it altogether.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for retail anti theft devices that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use retail anti theft devices to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting, Retail Anti Theft Devices, Shark Tag

The Tagging Party

February 24, 2012 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Have you ever heard someone say, “It was a great idea in theory”? Well that, all too often, is the thought process with RF security tags. They are a wonderful resource to help stop shoplifting. Unfortunately, without proper execution RF security tags won’t do much. They have a very limited level of effectiveness if the RF security tags are left sitting in a basket back in a corner of a stockroom.

Checkpoint security tags were designed to be out in the open. They are best when they are actually attached to a piece of merchandise. This is what sends the signal that you are going to stop shoplifting in your store.

A best practice to adopt regarding your Checkpoint security tags is to have a standard on how and where they tag should be attached. Will they go on every pair of jeans or just ones over a certain dollar amount? Should the tag be attached on the bottom right or left leg? How often is this standard reviewed – yearly? Post inventory?

Now that you know how and what, get a group of associates together for a Tagging Party. This is where you, as a group, actually put the tags onto your product. It will advance the quality of your staff in a few ways.

They will know what you expect from an execution standpoint.

They will know where the tags are, so they can deactivate them at the POS.

They are enjoying the success of a group instead of a mundane chore of an individual.

They are aware of high shrink items and can look for suspicious activity in those areas.

Make your tagging a group effort and watch as your shrink decreases!

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, and other RF labels that can help you stop shoplifting in your business.

For more information on Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, RF labels, RF security labels, RF security tags and how to stop shoplifting contact us at RF label or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint labels, Checkpoint security tags, RF label, RF labels, RF security labels, RF security tags, stop shoplifting