Preventing Shoplifting…It can be done!!

January 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Most shoplifters out there are not professionals and typically are impulse thieves looking for easy targets such as businesses without retail anti theft devices.

Many small business owners spend too much time worrying about overhead that they forget that the bottom line can be affected by shrink.

  Most of the companies I have worked for understood the importance of preventing shoplifting via physical security using retail anti theft devices such as checkpoint security tags (hard tags/soft tags/ink tags/EASy bottle tags). Other such retail ant shoplifting devices are camera systems, lockable merchandise cases and lockable clothing lanyards. All of the aforementioned devices can and will have an impact to help prevent shoplifting if employed consistently and correctly.

 It is imperative that initial training of the sales staff is executed clearly before any of the http://stores.homestead.com/hstrial-RLee271/StoreFront.bok are used. Pinpointing your most vulnerable product, setting a feasible price point for tagging the product and then a daily or weekly audit of the tagged product to measure tagging compliance and proper tagging methods are the most important steps to take in ensuring your investment will prevent shoplifting at your place of business.

  I have conducted many interviews with shoplifters and the clear message from all have been that if a store is not employing tools or methods to prevent shoplifting that are clearly labeled and properly implemented, that is the place they will spend most of their time attempting to shoplift. No company who sells retail anti theft devices will tell you that their product will deter shoplifting 100%; they will explain that their product is a formidable obstacle to most shoplifters if a business properly trains their staff and implements their product consistently and correctly.

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 

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Stop shoplifting this holiday season with RF technology.

January 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

With the holidays upon us there is much to be happy for as retail managers.  The economy has been picking up and we are all seeing increased spending.  I don’t know about you, but I can see the yearend bonus projection and it is looking great (finally).  One of the big things that can derail all of this joy and merriment is theft.  Retail theft can quickly diminish sales and profits and leave us all a little “Grinch-y”.  One way to stop shoplifting and reduce retail theft is by investing in RF security tags and RF security labels. 

 RF security tags and RF labels work on a radio frequency that is specific to the vendor who installs your system.  This goes a long way toward reducing “tag pollution” which is when other store’s deactivated EAS tags set off your system.  By using the RF security tags and RF security labels you know that the EAS alarm sounding is because someone is trying to take your product and not just another false alarm. 

 On leading vendor of RF security labels and tags is Checkpoint.  Checkpoint security tags and Checkpoint labels are very quality products, but are also affordable.  The Checkpoint labels are adhesive labels that can be placed on virtually any boxed products and can be woven into clothes (optional).  They are disposable tags and are very cost efficient.  Checkpoint security tags are hard tags that are reusable.  While they are a little more than the Checkpoint labels, they are removed at checkout and used over and over again.  In the long run they are a money saver and do a better job at protecting your products.

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

 

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Internal theft how serious a problem is it really?

January 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

That is a question that I have come across many times during my career; companies that I have worked for sometimes doubt that they even have an employee theft problem in their business. The biggest time of the year where internal theft should be of major concern is during the holiday season. I conducted an employee theft investigation at one of my job sites where the store manager refused to acknowledge that he had a major employee theft problem.

The manager just refused to look at the bigger picture that employee theft is not the cause for the entire theft problem, but internal theft is a part of the problem.

When my investigation started uncovering internal theft issues, I made sure the manager sat in during an interrogation. During this employee theft investigation I interviewed the employee who had been employed by the store for over ten years. The manager was dumb founded at how easily the employee told us how the theft occurred and even named other individuals that were stealing from the company. At the end of the employee theft investigation the manager had finally come to the realization that anyone even those employee’s with long term seniority could be an internal theft risk.

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

 

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Retail theft prevention is a must to stay in business.

January 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There have been many a company (and unfortunately there will be more) who have been forced out of business due to theft and poor operational controls.  Most recent surveys concerning retail theft all have similar results.  Overall most retailers can attribute theft to account for roughly 70-85% of their overall shrink.  To this end we must all make retail theft prevention a vital part of our business strategy if we are going to survive trying economic times.

One of the starting places for retail theft prevention is the utilization of anti shoplifting devices in an effort to prevent theft.  While catching shoplifters is the most obvious way of reducing theft, it is limited in scope.  Out of 10 thefts in a day the store would be lucky to catch just one of the thieves.  A much more broad reaching solution is to use an anti shoplifting EAS system.  The Checkpoint Security System is a great solution.  The Checkpoint Security System is cost efficient and quality assured.  One word of caution is to ensure you utilize an authorized dealer to purchase and install you Checkpoint Security System.  I know of several stores that purchased through an unauthorized source and while the cost was less they ended up with refurbished and non-working equipment.  In the long run it is always wiser to use authorized vendors to ensure you get what you pay for.

One of the principle components of Checkpoint systems is Checkpoint security tags.  Checkpoint security tags come in a variety of sizes shapes and applications so you can customize a solution for your specific business.  Checkpoint systems work on a dedicated RF frequency so you don’t have to worry about false alarms from other retailers EAS systems.  Overall I find Checkpoint systems to be a leader in the anti shoplifting industry and rely on their products to protect my business daily.

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

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

 

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Clothing Security – Irritation or a blessing

January 4, 2012 by

Retailers have many stumbling blocks in providing proper customer service while still protecting their assets. Security tags on clothes provide a way for retailers to protect their assets. But one of the major problems that irritate customers is when these Clothing Security tags are not removed at time of purchase. Most customers understand that Clothing security is needed and most customers don’t have a problem. The problem comes when they make their purchase and as they are walking out the Clothing alarm at the door goes off because the clothing security tags have not been removed.

This can cause a customer to feel embarrassed or even annoyed that they have attention drawn to them because the checkpoint tags were not removed from their purchase items. So to ensure that this does not happen employees must be taught to very mindful that that all Clothing security tags must be removed. Retailers count on repeat business from their customers, so delaying their exit from the store due to the security tags on clothes can have a negative impact on their overall shopping experience.

So to avoid these types of situations from happening all it takes is proper training of staff members. Clothing security tags are not supposed to make a customers shopping experience an inconvenience. So protecting company assets with clothing alarm should not forgo the customers shopping experience.

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

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

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Did you just see what you thought you saw? Yes.– Atlanta Georgia

January 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

It can be a hard fact to accept when you find out that one of your valued employees is guilty of internal theft.  Internal theft is referred to as theft by employees who are hired to work for your business.  In my experience I have found that everyone entering your store is not planning on doing a good job for you.  In fact some are actually planning on doing a number on you.

As hard as it is to conceive internal theft is very common.  Unfortunately internal theft often makes up the majority of all losses seen by retailers.  Employees suspected of theft are often hard to catch.  An employee theft investigation has to be done in a very sensitive manner and in a way that any other parties involved will also be discovered during the investigation.  It is important that an employee theft investigation capture all employees involved in committing the theft.

The damage from allowing employee theft to continue with initiating an employee theft investigation immediately can be severe.  Employee theft can result in the loss of thousands of dollars in merchandise for a retailer in a very short amount of time.  Many employees who commit theft came into the business the first day knowing exactly what they wanted to do.

Employee theft can be practically unnoticeable until it is too late.  Having the assistance of loss prevention professional that specialize in employee theft investigation is a plus.  As a loss prevention manager, I have handled hundreds of cases involving employee theft and had to interview the employees implicated in the investigation.  It has never ceased to amaze me the ways in which employees justify their crime.   I have heard employees say that they were passed over for promotion or that they were owed the money for all the work they had done.  Businesses must be proactive in the preventing employees from stealing from them.

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

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Prevent Loss with Pre-Employment Screening

January 3, 2012 by
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Preemployment Screening: The Multitiered Approach

January 3, 2012 by

Retailers both large and small are starting to realize the importance of pre-employment screening via background checks. As a loss prevention professional one of the toughest challenges was to convince the powers that be the importance of preventing loss by contracting a background check company. The proof is in the pudding, countless post theft interviews point out prior terminations as well as criminal convictions. During post theft interviews many of the suspects stated that they were never asked at any stage of the hiring process about previous employment terminations nor whether they had been charged and convicted of any crimes. But a business can not jump into the pre employment screening process without a plan. There are many background check companies out there offering a variety of services. The key is to choose a background check company that employs reputable background check experts and offer various services including criminal background checks (local/state/federal), employee background checks (previous employment & education) as well as pre employment screening training.

In doing research for the right company to conduct your background checks you have to look at the process as a whole not just background checks. I would look into the accreditation of the background check experts for the companies I was considering. I would choose the company that had the widest range of job experience in both human resource and legal backgrounds. I would want their team to include individuals who have worked in the retail world, the legal system and government work. This would ensure a healthy knowledge of not just conducting criminal background checks or employee background checks but also a seasoned knowledge to ensure your company and theirs worked in tandem to achieve common goals.

The pre employment screening process starts with the job application. What is  considered a thorough job application? What are you trying to ascertain in the application to help you select the right person for the interview process. Notice I didn’t say select the right person to hire, this is a step by step journey and if done correctly will lead to the best possible choice of employees. From the very start I would be working with the background check experts by reviewing my company’s current hiring process. I would ask for a review of the job application. It is imperative your job application is detailed and uses correct wording to flesh out any prior convictions as well as terminations from previous employment. Obviously any recommended changes would have to pass through the human resource and legal department, but lets be honest, they should be a part of the decision making from the start. By asking the right questions on the application you will hopefully deter those potentially bad employees from completing an application. Also by asking the right questions you can start to formulate questions for those people whom you choose to make it to the interview level.

The next step should be gathering together all of the applications which have made the cut. Each application should be gone over with a fine tooth comb and pertinent questions formulated for the interview. Typically many of the questions will center around employment history. You can really ask the same questions thereby ensuring the answers are all the same and coincide with the results of the employee background check. The other area to be delved into should be any charges or convictions. If the job application shows a conviction and an explanation of the charges and outcome then it is necessary to ask detailed questions regarding the incident. This again will be either proven or negated by a criminal background check. During this first interview you can also ask specific questions to ascertain honesty and loyalty. Notes should be taken by the interviewer or preferably a witness so as to ensure information has been properly gathered for review. Follow up questions can be and should be formulated for a potential second interview.

A second and even third interview is recommended before actually hiring an employee. After the first round of interviews the powers that be should convene to review the notes and opinions from each interview. Detailed follow up questions should be constructed to hone in on areas of concern or uncertainty. Focusing on honesty, loyalty ability to handle pressure and a person’s disposition can and should be done at this second interview. At this point you as the interviewer can really start to focus on these follow up questions to dig into and flesh out and potential issues not yet fully addressed. Each step is an obstacle a potential employee has to clear to achieve employment. It should not be a walk in the park.

The last step is ensuring the potential employee fills out the proper release forms so the correct background checks can be processed. It is very important that correct addresses and prior addresses are collected since most company’s will conduct local criminal background checks within the county the potential employee resides. I firmly believe that local and state wide criminal background checks be conducted since travel is cheap and readily available thus increasing the bubble we exist within. The employee background check is very important, any shift from the truth should be addressed formally.

As you can see the preemployment screening process is a multi tiered system that will hopefully give you the best of the best potential employees. More and more company’s are realizing that to impact their shrink proactively they need to start at the beginning with a structured multifaceted hiring process. Having background check experts work with you to formulate such a plan will pay for itself in the end.

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

 

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Why a Bottle Lock is Better

January 3, 2012 by

If you are using or are thinking about using liquor bottle security, Alpha Security bottle locks are the way to go. These hard tags and bottle wraps are available for RF (Radio Frequency i.e. Checkpoint), AM (Acousto-Magnetic i.e. Sensormatic) and also none alarming locations.

I have noticed that a lot of locations that are selling spirits these days are still using a sticker label similar to what you would see on clothing or some boxed item. While this is still a valid method to help prevent theft, there are a couple of problems that might occur. The first problem with a label attached to a bottle is that the “strength” of the label is diminished when it is placed directly on the thick glass bottle filled liquid. The other problem is that most bottles are curved and do not provide a flat spot for the label. When a security label bends it starts to lose its “queue” which means that it is no longer sitting at the original frequency that it was designed to have.

For these reasons, your bottle security will be much higher if you utilize a bottle lock. These bottle locks are made of hard plastic and reinforced with metal, which keeps the tag in place and separates it from the bottle. You also get the added bonus of locking the top of the bottle, and this will keep someone from being able to access the contents without having to break the neck of the bottle causing glass shards to end up in the substance.

Using Alpha security bottle locks will greatly reduce the amount of shrink and increase your liquor bottle security to a level that you have yet to experience.

Whether it is the legacy style EASy bottle or a new Crystal Guard, let us help you increase your bottle security.

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

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Better clothing security leads to better profits

January 3, 2012 by

Clothing security is sometimes overlooked when finding ways to increase profits. Not surprisingly, managers and business owners can forget the importance of a well-functioning clothing security program.

Working in the retail environment over these past several years, I have come to understand that clothing security is a very important part of the clothing retail business. Specifically, clothing security tags help prevent the merchandise, aka profits, from walking out the door. Acting as a physical and visible deterrent, clothing security tags provide the necessary piece to increasing store profits through protection of merchandise. Now security tags on clothes work only as well as they are executed. Have a poorly executed plan and you’ll be not only wasting your money on clothing security tags but you’ll be losing your profits.

Security tags on clothes have been around for a few years now, and the technology has gotten much better. Clothing security tags have become more appealing and are not as imposing as once were. I remember seeing security tags on clothes for the first time and thinking, what a horrible sight.  Cables, pins, and buttons sticking out everywhere from the merchandise, making it almost impossible to purchase and at times damaging the product, not the best when thinking of sales and customer service.

Look closely at your overall store performance when determining what types of clothing security you need. Will security tags on clothes work for you? If you are a clothing retailer, you need clothing security, and in my opinion, nothing works better than security tags on clothes to prevent theft and boost your profits.

The retailer I work for has a well-executed merchandise protection program and is seen daily when looking at sales and service records.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase 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.

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