A loss prevention agent, by industry standard, is a trained and well versed person working for the benefit of the retailer, restaurant or business owner. The primary mission of the loss prevention agent is to identify, observe and make the apprehension of customers suspected of theft.
Get to the point! A loss prevention agent has the responsibility of catching shoplifters. What a skill. I remember (as do most loss prevention professionals) spending countless hours on the sales floor, peeking around corners, under display shelves, using one way mirrors or in the rare event, using high tech CCTV equipment. I was undercover and the hunt was on.
Every day I came to work, I made it a point to show the business owner that shoplifters are in their store. I made it a point to blend in, become part of the local community shopping these stores. Pushing a shopping cart around the store and focusing on the “hard hit” areas like liquor, health and beauty or hardware. Sooner or later, one would arrive, a shoplifter. Your adrenaline kicks in, you try to remain calm. He selects 2 bottles of liquor and stuffs them into a backpack he has placed on the floor. Wow, I thought to myself, right in front of me. He stands up, as I read the label of the liquor bottle I’m holding, and heads down the aisle to the front of the store. I keep my distance, trying not to lose sight of him. He passes the opened and manned register and makes no attempt to pay for the merchandise. I gain on him. He exits, I follow. “Excuse me sir”, I say…
A common, everyday occurrence for retailers and small businesses alike, Customer Theft! More so a nuisance, but gone unchecked can ruin a business leading to employee layoffs and business closures. It wreaks havoc on the morale of other employees when they witness customer theft and nothing is done or can be done. It is said that roughly 30% of losses can be directly related to shoplift activity.
A loss prevention agent can be that solution. Hired specifically to detect and catch shoplifters, the right agent can make a huge impact on the success of your business.
For more information contact us at loss prevention agent or call 1.770.426.0547
