Retail Loss Prevention and Proper Training – Atlanta Georgia

You’ve done the right thing in hiring a retail loss prevention staff and given them the proper tools in which to do their job, and none too soon. There’s a particularly seedy-looking gentleman in your store.

He’s dressed unseasonably warm and eye-balling everyone in his immediate vicinity. He’s carrying close to $300 worth of your merchandise in his arms when he ducks behind a rack of clothing; when he emerges again, he’s empty handed. As he exits the store your retail loss prevention associate stops him and what do you know… he’s got nothing. However, what you now have is a potential lawsuit. How do you prevent this?

There’s a sign hanging in my office that reads: “Check your gut at the door”. It means simply that there is no room for gut feelings or intuition in the world of retail loss prevention . Proper training and adherence to that training is the only sure way to not land yourself in hot water. The following are the rules that I’ve instructed my associates to abide by before apprehending a shoplifter. I’d love to tell you that I made them up, but I didn’t. They’ve been around for years, they are time-tested and they work.

1. Observe the suspect approach the merchandise. (ensuring they didn’t have it with them when they came in)
2. Observe the suspect select the merchandise from the display.
3. Observe the suspect either conceal or walk away with the merchandise. If they concealed it, know where exactly it is at.
4. Maintain continuous visual surveillance of the suspect the entire time they’re in the store.
5. Ensure that the suspect does not pay for the merchandise in question.
6. Allow the suspect to exit. Once they’re outside with the unpaid merchandise they’ve actually committed a crime and then can be detained.

Proper training of your retail loss prevention staff can save you a lot of heartache and countless dollars in your day to day operations.

For more information contact us: retail loss prevention or call 1.770.426.0547