Loss Prevention Agent – Recovering your Loss – Atlanta Georgia

A loss prevention agent can be an employee of your business that is out on your sales floor, watching for shoplifters.  They can be a valuable resource in your efforts to reduce shrink.

Agents should be trained to know what specifically to watch for when they are looking for suspicious activity.  Agents should never profile based on the way a customer looks, their gender, race, etc.  Shoplifters do not fit into a specific category and can be anyone – young or old, wealthy or poor, male or female.

Some customers that come into your business may not realize that their actions appear suspicious.  I have seen customers put $100 worth of small merchandise right on top of their open and empty purses, just to go to the register and pay for it all.  Some customers will conceal items in their coat pockets, then later take it out and pay for it at a register.

These customers know that they are honest, so they do not take into consideration that their actions appear dishonest.  A loss prevention agent will encounter this type of behavior, and must learn how to differentiate between it and the actual shoplifters that will come into your business.

loss prevention agent must be completely sure of the acts that they have witnessed fall within your policy of detaining shoplifters.  The agent must know that the merchandise is from the store, is unpaid for, and is not going to be paid for.  A loss prevention agent should detain a shoplifter only past the last point of sale, to rule out the possibility that the customer will pay for the merchandise.  The agent must also maintain constant surveillance of the suspected shoplifter after he or she has concealed the merchandise.  If the agent does not, there is the chance that the customer actually went to a register and paid for the concealed merchandise.

A loss prevention agent can be a valuable asset to reducing shrink in your store, as long as policies and guidelines are followed so customers are not unlawfully detained.

For more information about loss prevention consultants , loss prevention investigator contact us: loss prevention agent or call 1.770.426.256 – Atlanta Georgia

Why contract a Loss Prevention Investigator – Loss Prevention Agent

Smaller to mid sized retailers may not have full time staff and benefit from contracting a loss prevention investigator – loss prevention agent to keep on top of issues and keep overhead low.

A primary function of the loss prevention investigator – loss prevention agent is to fist assess the current state of the business.  Observing daily procedures for receiving and inventory practices, cash drawer open and closing as well as daily operation and shortage policies are a few areas of focus.  Other areas looked at are clock in and clock out practices, inventory and cycle counting procedures and practices, alarm system / CCTV (camera) system operation & usage and safety issues.

The goal of the loss prevention agent is to save profit from being lost through weak operational practices as well as identify and process the big ones like shoplifting issues and employee theft problems.  These more routine areas where money can fly out the door are often not even on the mind of the retailer when considering the hire of a loss prevention investigator to help solve issues and improve profitability.

Another benefit of an outside contractor is there is no “inside” or internal employee dynamics which can lead to emotional attachments and biases / favoritism etc… You get a truly objective individual with your best interest at heart and no one else’s.

For more information visit: loss prevention investigator / loss prevention agent 

A loss prevention investigator working Organized Retail Crime – Atlanta Georgia

One of the many tasks faced by a loss prevention investigator is that of Organized Retail Crime. Commonly referred to as ORC, businesses everywhere suffer from this nuisance.

Recently, a loss prevention investigator was working a small chain of stores. He received information from 5 different stores of large amounts of merchandise were missing. Starting his investigation, the loss prevention investigator gathered information on the missing merchandise. All of the merchandise taken from the stores was the same, high street resale value and in high customer demand. Looking at several of the merchandise locations, the items were placed in the worst locations possible… in the back aisles of the store where employee view and interaction was minimal.

Further investigation and review of CCTV showed the merchandise being taken by the same group of people. It appeared that 4 males entered the stores, 2 peeled off and spoke with management, while the other 2 cleared the shelf of merchandise and into a black trash bag they carried. Then while the other 2 were distracting management, the trash bag was walked out of the store. Simply, the thieves outside would use their cellphone to communicate with others inside, ending their spree. This operation took no more than 5 minutes each time.

The loss prevention investigator , having a solid partnership with local law enforcement and other retailers, reached out for help. He sent out video, and screenshots of the suspects. Luckily, another local retailer had experienced the same suspects recently. The investigator put together the case. The word was out. The hunt for these “boosters” was on.

A phone call came in to the investigator at about 8pm that a loss prevention agent apprehended one of the suspects. The loss prevention agent , working undercover, observed one of the suspects clear a shelf of merchandise and head for the exit. The loss prevention agent apprehended him, while the other suspects fled.

The loss prevention investigator arrived and interrogated the suspect. He was able to get more valuable information and the local police department was contacted.

During the course of the investigation, the investigator was able to gather information on this ring that led to the arrest of 15 other accomplices and the recovery of $1.5 million in merchandise.

For more information contact us at loss prevention investigator or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

 

The benefits of hiring a loss prevention agent for your business – Atlanta Georgia

A loss prevention agent can be a great benefit to your company. Specializing in the apprehension of shoplifters the agent can help control a large portion of shrink occurring in your stores and help you remain profitable.

As a former loss prevention agent , I can tell of the many instances working for my employer and positively impacting shrink in the stores I worked. I knew my job was important. The responsibilities given to me by the store management could be stressful at times, but challenging.

Working stores in areas where the customer base was difficult didn’t make things any easier. None-the-less, my goal was to keep the store profitable. I did this a number of different ways. First, I made sure I apprehended shoplifters every day I worked. More so, I made myself visible to employees. The employees seemed to be more productive when I was in the store, and I could tell. Making myself visible to the employees also worked to prevent employee theft and boost morale.

I knew that by simply being in the store, I could not completely stop employee theft, but it certainly would alter it in one way or another.
A loss prevention agent working your stores should be able to blend in with the customers, and really become one of them.

Having the right person working as a loss prevention agent means better results. It’s always recommended to hire loss prevention consultants when looking into a loss prevention program. Loss prevention consultants can offer you the advice and expertise you may be looking for when considering instituting an undercover agent in your stores.

As a loss prevention professional, I always recommend only what will benefit the company I am working for. I understand the need for a business to stay profitable and grow.

For more information about loss prevention agent contact us at loss prevention consultants or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Looking for Loss Prevention Consultants? – Atlanta Georgia

Are you a business owner looking for loss prevention consultants to help you identify losses?  Let me shed some light on these professionals.

Loss prevention consultants were hired recently at a small chain of hardware stores. The stores had been experiencing some severe shrinkage, as identified through the results of a recent inventory cycle. Wanting to help keep the small company profitable, the loss prevention consultants offered advice.

First, the store was recommended a loss prevention agent . For the past year, the stores have seen an increase in shoplifter activity and in many instances these shoplifters have taken very expensive equipment. The consultants detailed the loss prevention agent program and put together a plan of attack. To help the loss prevention agent increase his/her productivity and to additionally help the stores protect their assets, the recommendations to install CCTV equipment at the point of sale, at entrance and exits and in the receiving department.

Next, the loss prevention consultants reviewed the potential for internal theft. They noticed that in the evenings, the management was less involved with store employees and sometimes seemed to be non-existent on the salesfloor. Knowing that evenings are a very important time in the retail world, the consultants recommended bringing in a loss prevention investigator . A loss prevention investigator would be assigned the task of employee theft investigation. Although the management felt their employees would never steal, the consultants knew employee theft investigation could turn large results.

The loss prevention investigator was tasked with performing store surveillance in the evenings and at odd hours. Additionally, the loss prevention investigator was to report any and all finding to the consultants for documentation. The loss prevention investigator was also given access to the stores electronic journals to review transactions in the store and over CCTV.

The management agreed to the recommendations, and the loss prevention program was rolled out. Immediate results were produced by the loss prevention agent . Shoplift activity slowed. The loss prevention investigator also turned in positive results and uncovered several employees including one manager involved in merchandise and cash theft.

For more information visit us at loss prevention consultants or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Does your store show signs of internal theft? – Atlanta Georgia

Internal theft is a nuisance. It is never ending, it is omnipresent.  Loss prevention consultants agree on one thing and that is employees steal merchandise from their employer’s everyday of every month of every year. It is nonstop.

Take a look around or listen to what your employees are saying. They can tell you what is going and in most instances wanna do the right thing and report their co-workers activities. Put your pride away for a week. Talk with your employees openly and directly about theft.  If the need be, consider hiring a loss prevention investigator . A loss prevention investigator can do a thorough review of your store and conduct the necessary investigation to prove theft. Internal theft is not going to simply disappear, it’s gonna take some work.

Consider this; recently I took part in a loss prevention related webinar. Statistics for internal theft were released. In the US alone, this specialist estimates 43.7% or $17.2 billion of losses in these businesses were directly related to employee theft, (Source: The Global Retail Theft Barometer 2010). These numbers are amazing when you really think about it. What does this really mean? It means employees are taking your business to the cleaners and your business is not immune to internal theft.

The solution to this problem: I recommended hiring loss prevention consultants to do a complete survey of your store(s). Loss prevention consultants can make the recommendations to boost your profits and protect them in the future. Loss prevention consultants can and should in most cases recommend a loss prevention agent . Have a loss prevention agent work your stores can help impact the morale aspect of your stores.

When you have a shoplifting problem and management is doing nothing about it because they can’t or won’t, your business will suffer with poor employee performance. Their morale can really be negatively affected by shoplifters.

For more information about loss prevention agent or loss prevention consultants contact us at loss prevention investigator or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Recovering that which was stolen – the role of a Loss Prevention Agent – Atlanta Georgia

A loss prevention agent is an “undercover” shopper that is actually an employee of your business.  This person dresses and acts as a shopper, but is out on your sales floor watching for potential shoplifters.

A business must have a policy in place if they are going to employ a loss prevention agent .  There must be guidelines to be followed so that the detection and apprehension of shoplifters occurs in a consistent and legal manner. loss prevention consultants can help your business develop this type of policy.

An agent must be trained on the policy once it is created by loss prevention consultants   This policy must be strictly adhered to and enforced by management and the agent, and those choosing not to adhere to the loss prevention policy must be held accountable for their actions.  Falsely accusing a customer is not only bad for business, but can have many legal ramifications should the falsely accused choose to sue.

There are basic guidelines that are part of every good policy regarding apprehension of shoplifters.  A loss prevention agent must witness the selection of merchandise that is later taken, and the agent must witness the concealment of the merchandise itself.  The agent must then have continuous observation of the shoplifter, to know that the merchandise was neither discarded nor purchased.  Lastly, the actual approach and detention of the shoplifter needs to take place past the last point of sale (past all the registers) as the shoplifter is leaving the business – preferably just outside of the doors.

Loss prevention consultants are experts in the business of apprehending shoplifters – bring them into your business to help you and your loss prevention agent recover what merchandise is walking out your doors.

For more information about loss prevention agent contact us at loss prevention consultants or call 1.770.426.256. Atlanta Georgia

A loss prevention agent and the benefits of CCTV – Atlanta Georgia

As a former loss prevention agent , I can tell you the benefits of having and using CCTV equipment inside of stores.

Several years ago, I was working a small chain of specialty stores. They catered to a high end customer and didn’t really believe that the customers that shop their stores would do anything as “humiliating” as shoplifting.

They were under the impression that all customers in their stores were honest because they had money. Let me assure you, they were wrong.
Within one week of working a store, I had apprehended several shoplifters for various items. Over the next several weeks, the apprehensions continued.

As time went on, the corporate office was so astounded that their customers were stealing; they decided to implement a CCTV system. 6 cameras were installed. 2 overlooking the registers and 4 others strategically placed throughout the stores. The four cameras on the floor were PTZ or pan, tilt and zoom, basically cameras you could move and zoom in on customers. My apprehensions doubled.

As a loss prevention agent , tools are an important factor in boosting profits and protecting assets. Many companies seem to skimp when it comes to camera equipment. Take a chain of stores, 8 stores. These guys sold alcohol and tobacco amongst other merchandise. They had no camera equipment, none. Working these stores as a loss prevention agent made me earn my pay. I was all over these 10,000 square foot stores, watching customers, detaining shoplifters and in many instances, repeat shoplifters.

One on occasion, I was in the back of the store interviewing a shoplifter when I got a call from the front registers that a customer had just stolen all of the money from one of the registers. When I arrived at the front, the employee said as she opened the drawer a man quickly reached his hand in and took all of the bills and ran out of the store. Unfortunately, since the incident happened so quickly, witnesses could not describe him. He got away.

Had the store installed a basic camera system covering the registers and exits, this man would not had gotten away so easy. A trained loss prevention agent could have quickly notified the local police and provided the appropriate video footage.

For more information visit us at loss prevention agent or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

A day in the life of a Loss Prevention Agent – Atlanta Georgia

I remember being a loss prevention agent . Several years ago, I worked my first loss prevention job as a loss prevention agent for a small chain of stores. My job required me to conduct surveillance on customers suspected of theft. When I witnessed these customers conceal merchandise and exit the store, I stepped in.

Every Saturday, I would plan the upcoming week. What areas of the business did I need to focus? Were the shampoos, aspirins, and liquor or baby products ok? I checked maps of all of the hotspots at whatever location I worked. For this week, I’m working a hard hit store in a metropolitan area. Last week, the manager told me about a group of shoplifters that had been hitting his store between 7 and 9pm. This group worked the store like it was their job. 2 of the females of the group would distract the manager while the 2 males and third female filled baskets full of merchandise. Then, while the manager was occupied with the 2 females, the other team would wheel the full shopping cart out of the store.

As a loss prevention agent , I gathered information and built my strategy. I knew the suspected thieves always came between 7pm and 9pm. Now, I narrowed down the days to Tuesdays and Fridays. I planned my work schedule for those two days. Suspecting these people would hit the merchandise with a high street and resale value, I watched areas like health and beauty, baby products and other street valuable merchandise.
Tuesday, at about 8pm, while I was working shoplift detail, the group of suspects entered the store. The manager notified me immediately.

From a distance, I saw a male and female speaking with the manager, quickly I ran to my observation area and quickly found the other 3 suspects. I watched as they filled the basket with merchandise. Having a relationship with local police department, I had a car waiting outside to help. As the suspects exited, I notified the waiting police car. The suspects were stopped, arrested and booked for grand theft.

As a loss prevention agent , I did my job and was excited about it.

For more information visit us at loss prevention agent or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Loss Prevention Consultants, experts in boosting profits – Atlanta Georgia

Loss prevention consultants offer a variety of services, but most importantly they provide a piece of mind.

A business in the southwest was experiencing numerous problems hitting their bottom line. Shoplifters had taken over the store, employees were stealing, and accidents were on the rise. The management felt helpless and the corporate office was uninformed. They were on the brink of collapse.
The company decided they needed help and looked into loss prevention consultants . Over the next few weeks, the loss prevention consultants reviewed the business. Identifying the main areas of concern and executing their plan of action, the outcome looked hopeful.

First, they worked internal investigations and identified several dishonest employees at multiple locations. Interviews of these dishonest employees lead to the recovery of several thousands of dollars in merchandise. While the investigations continued, the consultants recommended the hiring and placement of a loss prevention agent. The loss prevention agent worked different hours and spent most of his time in hardest hit parts of the store. Over the next several weeks, he made several apprehensions. An additional loss prevention agent was hired and the apprehensions of shoplifters continued.

Over the next few weeks the team of loss prevention professionals working the stores were able to significantly impact losses and provide the business with what it had been lacking over the last few months and years,  ATTENTION.

The loss prevention consultants also looked at the rate of accidents in stores. Seeing a dramatic increase in employee injury cases and customer slip/trip and falls, the store was hurting. Quickly implementing new safety recommendations and training, the stores saw improvement. Workers compensation claims were down and positive employee attitudes were up.

Today, this chain of supermarkets has grown from 5 to 25 in the last 10 years and has a very positive outlook.

For more information about loss prevention agent or loss prevention investigator visit us at loss prevention consultants or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia