Prevent shoplifting, boost your profits

January 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Prevent shoplifting ? Do you have shoplifters? Can you prevent shoplifting ?

Well, let me start by saying, you may be in the wrong business if you think you don’t have shoplifters. Every retailer has shoplifters, no matter how secure they think they might be. However, you can certainly prevent shoplifting by being proactive and limiting the amount of loss your store will experience.

Retail loss prevention has been working for years on how to prevent retail theft. Many retail loss prevention professionals agree that at least 30% of a retailer’s loss is directly related to shoplifting. In some cases, that number is much higher.
Working for many years in retail loss prevention, I have seen a large number of shoplifters throughout many retailers. One thing each of these retailers has in common is looking for ways to prevent shoplifting. Well, here are a couple of tips.

First, if you don’t already have a retail loss prevention program, get one. You need specialty help. Store Managers are good, but they don’t have the training needed to apprehend shoplifters nor do they have the time to follow up on these cases. To prevent retail theft, you have to create a retail loss prevention program to meet the needs of your business. This could mean hiring loss prevention consultants to make the necessary recommendations.

Inventory shrinkage is a killer of many retailers. Affecting the sales of the store, inventory shrinkage has been known to shut down companies.  If shoplifting contributes 30% or more to inventory shrinkage, then the problem has been stopped.

Do this! Truly evaluate what your store needs. Look at the types of shoplifting activities are going on in your store. Talk with your employees, often times they see and hear of shoplifting incidents daily. Find out what merchandise is mostly being lost or stolen, then get help.

Contact us at prevent shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547

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Is there anything I can do to prevent shoplifting?

January 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

There are many ways that businesses can prevent shoplifting . Ways that the average business owner may not think of, but that are important none-the-less.  Loss prevention experts can analyze the aspects of your business and offer up important advice on how to reduce your losses from shoplifting.

For example, store design should be taken into consideration.  Registers should be near the entrance and exits of the business.  This can prevent walkout thefts and also make a shoplifter nervous that they have to walk past where there are employees.  Another way to prevent shoplifting by store design is to not have aisles that stand too tall or create blind spots.  You do not want to provide shoplifters a place to hide and complete their crime.  Have mirrors in place to eliminate any potential blind spots, and also have good lighting so there are no dark corners for shoplifters to lurk.

Do not place high theft, expensive merchandise near the entrances and exits.  Some bold shoplifters will simply “grab and go” by taking the merchandise and quickly getting out of the store.  You can prevent shoplifting in this manner by placing this type of merchandise further back within your store, near employee work areas.

You can prevent shoplifting in your business by keeping a neat and organized store.  If your employees know the merchandise and what is on the sales floor, they are more apt to notice when merchandise is missing.  This is also a good prevention tactic for employee theft.  Employees will be less likely to steal if they know that it will be quickly noticed.  Having good inventory audit programs will also allow you to keep tabs on your merchandise and notice right away when something is missing.

In order to reduce your losses, you have to think like a shoplifter, and then react by creating an environment less desirable to most shoplifters.  Do that, and prevent shoplifting within your business.

For more information contact us at prevent shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547.

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A simple decision – Clothing security for your business

January 28, 2011 by

You are a business owner.  You would like to make a profit – not have your profits walk out of your front doors at the hands of shoplifters.  There are so many ways to decrease shrink and increase profits, it can be difficult to choose amongst all of the options.

If you business sells clothing, clothing security tags are an option to consider when researching loss prevention ideas for your business.  Security tags on clothes can be an excellent deterrent to the shoplifter that comes into your business looking for the easy steal.

Clothing is a very common item for shoplifters to target, because it is easy to conceal and bunch up.  A large amount of clothing can fit into the average sized purse, under a jacket, in a pocket, or where ever else the creative shoplifter can think to conceal.  When a shoplifter is deciding whether or not to steal from you, having clothing security tags can definitely influence their decision.  Shoplifters do not want to have to figure out a way to get around clothing security, especially when they can target the business that does not have security tags on clothes.

The investment into clothing security is minimal compared to the increase in profits that you can experience as a business owner.  You can bring lower prices to your honest customers if you can reduce your losses due to shrink by investing in clothing security tags.  If you do not have any type of clothing alarm on the items you sell, you will experience increased loss, guaranteed.  And to recoup that loss can be detrimental to your business and your loyal, paying customers.

It’s a simple concept. Reduce your loss and increase your profits with clothing security and a clothing alarm .

For more information about clothing security tags or clothing security or security tags on clothes contact us at clothing alarm or call 1.770.426.0547.

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The Criminal Background Check and Hiring Decisions

January 28, 2011 by

The Criminal Background Check and Hiring Decisions

If your company is like most others, there is some type of criminal background check done on all applicants for employment or newly hired people.  What employers do once the arrest and/or conviction information is received on a candidate can be very different.

Some companies have very strict guidelines on hiring parameters, excluding candidates who have any criminal history at all, while others are willing to take a chance on hiring someone with a record based on a number of factors such as age at the time of the offense, seriousness of the crime, or time since the crime was committed.  Still other companies use the criminal background check only as part of a comprehensive pre employment screening program and consider many other variables, like education, employment record, or personal references as mitigating factors for someone with a criminal history.

To be fair across the board, a company should define requirements and qualifications for each position in the company.  These do not necessarily have to be the same for each position.  A company might reject an applicant for an accounting position who has a record for embezzlement, but hire a driver who has written bad checks.  Categories of the crime for which the candidate was convicted may be a factor as well.  Felons might be excluded while misdemeanor convictions are accepted, or an applicant might be disqualified for a conviction of a crime of violence, like assault or battery.

The important thing to remember is that the qualifications should be written down as policy, and applied fairly and consistently across the board.  A labor attorney or background check experts can help with this.

An employer has the right to conduct a criminal background check on employees and new hires within certain bounds, and can use this decision tool effectively.

For more information on the criminal background check, call 770-426-0547 or click here:  Background Check Experts

 

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Corporate Fraud Investigation When Should I Call? – Atlanta Georgia

January 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Loss Prevention Systems Corporate Fraud investigator s have conducted thousands of employee theft investigation s for all types of companies. Large companies with experienced senior staff and the smallest of companies that are less than 5 employees. One problem that we consistently see with all of them is when the client contacts us. Most of the time it is late in the process. It is not an issue for us but it normally does cost the client more. Because we generally have to start over with much of the investigation.

Most people including some of the most savvy business people I have ever met are like a fish out of water in these situations. Because of this they do not know how to build a proper corporate fraud investigation . And because we all watch CSI they try to be their own corporate fraud investigator. It is not like what we see on TV, far from it.

Our job is to build a corporate fraud investigation that will prevail with civil and criminal courts and serve to effectively block unemployment claim if the client so desires. Most company executives are frustrated in these situations because they are missing a key business element that they must have to make their every day business decisions. That is control. They do not know what to do. We provide and therefore restore that sense of and actual control.

But why not just call the police or FBI? They have a staff of professional investigators. They have the skills. Of course they do. But as anyone in my field knows the chances of getting law enforcement to do this type of employee theft investigation is like playing the lottery. It isn’t that they do not want to or do not have the skill. The fact is that there is so many investigations assigned to them they cannot actually work one to the extent necessary to get the investigation where it need to go. The average police detective in the U.S. is assigned 40 +/- investigations in a thirty-day period. They are civil servants and work a 40-hour workweek. How many of those 40 investigations do you really think get worked?

On the other side we at LPSI assign one corporate fraud investigator to an investigation. They work on it from start to finish and that time frame is short depending on the case. Even complicated ones. Most of the delays we experience is the client trying to catch up with us.

SO when should you call? Save yourself some money and call right away before you start firing people, calling the police and defiantly before the losses and investigation becomes water cooler gossip.

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

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Prevent shoplifting by making your business less attractive…to shoplifters – Atlanta Georgia

January 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment

A business’s ability to prevent shoplifting is important in order for that business to be profitable.  No business owner wants all of his merchandise walking out of the front door without being purchased.  All businesses are affected by retail theft, but to what extent can be determined by the measures in place to prevent shoplifting within the business.

A business owner should make sure that their sales floor lay out is not attractive to shoplifters.  Keep shelving low and aisles spaced apart.  Clothing racks should have some space between them and not be too tall.  The sales floor should be analyzed to make sure that there are no hidden corners or dark areas that make it easy to be out of sight and concealing merchandise.

Shoplifters can be professionals or amateurs.  Both types can be good at what they do and difficult to catch, but you can still prevent shoplifting by knowing what to watch for when these individuals come into your business.

Professionals are shoplifting for a living and can be difficult to detain. Both may use lookouts to watch store employees while another member of the group steals.  Prevent shoplifting from both of these groups by being aware that they exist, and by trying hard not to be a target.

Shoplifters steal in a variety of ways.  They may conceal merchandise in purses, pockets, strollers, or inside of other merchandise that they will then purchase.  Some shoplifters will switch price tags on items, or try to conduct return fraud.  All of these varieties can lead to shrinkage within your store. 

However the shoplifter may choose to steal, it is your job as the business owner or manager to make it more difficult:  prevent shoplifting and increase your profits.

For more information contact us at prevent shoplifting or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Clothing security announces: “Don’t steal from me!”

January 26, 2011 by

I’ve decided I would like to start a life of crime.

Why work and make an honest living when I can steal to get the items that I want?  I think I will shoplift clothing so that I can return it for cash, or perhaps sell it in online auctions.  Or, I could even run my own underground shop and sell it right out of my home.

I want to be able to shoplift clothing easily, quickly, and without getting caught.

Unfortunately, the statements above are not uncommon.  Shoplifting is more prevalent than the average person can imagine, especially when many people are facing tough economic times right now.  When a shoplifter is scoping out a business to steal clothing from, they are considering what type of clothing security the business has in place.

Many businesses do not have any type of security tags on clothes .  These businesses are offering an open invitation to shoplifters that the shoplifters can steal with limited chances of getting caught.  “Clothing up for grabs” might as well be posted on the store front – because having no clothing security tags speaks just as loudly to the potential shoplifter.

If your store has clothing security tags or a clothing alarm , you are also speaking to the shoplifters.  You are saying, “I am going to do everything I can to prevent you from stealing from me.”  The mere presence of security tags on clothes speaks volumes to your level of security in your business.

Having clothing security also says, “so don’t even try, shoplifter.  Go elsewhere.”

If I decide to pursue that life of crime, I think I will choose a different business to victimize. One without clothing security or a clothing alarm.

For more information about security tags on clothes or clothing security tags or clothing security contact us at clothing alarm or call 1.770.426.0547.

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Background Checks are a Time Saver

January 26, 2011 by

Background Checks are a Time Saver

How much time could an employer save if unqualified and unsuitable applicants just didn’t apply for open positions at your business?

Letting all applicants know – before the interview phase begins – that your company conducts pre employment background checks on everyone as part of the process.  That is often enough to discourage potential applicants who have something to hide from wasting their time in applying.  Let them know that you check relevant claims on the resume, such as previous employers, education and address verifications, and the information contained on the application, and that you do conduct these checks early in the hiring process.  If an applicant seeking a position with your company is aware that he will be screened by a comprehensive background check conducted by background check experts, he may either decide to not pursue the position or to be more open and honest when describing his history and abilities, allowing a decision to reached more quickly.

The earlier in the process an applicant reveals any potentially adverse information, the more likely the potential employer will be to consider the relativity of the information to the position offered.  The attitude of the applicant with something to hide is often, “If I can just talk to the hiring manager, I can explain this issue”, but this approach will usually not work if information has been withheld, falsified or embellished by the applicant.  However, if the applicant is honest up front, the chances are better that the message will be heard.

The bottom line is that the sooner an under qualified candidate is removed from the pool of potential hires, the more time can be spent qualifying candidates who would truly be good fits for the open positions.  Similarly, the sooner a lesser-qualified individual is removed from the process by a pre employment background checks, the better for all concerned.

To learn more about background checks, call background check experts at  770-426-0547 or click here.

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The business needs of security and loss prevention – Atlanta Georgia

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Security and loss prevention. Is your business prepared?

Listen, there is a lot to think about when considering a security guard service or a loss prevention department in your stores.

Let me share a horror story about a security guard company that we decided to go with on “the cheap” so to say.

I was overseeing a metro area store with lots of foot traffic customers. Looking for new ways to prevent shoplifting, the company thought of hiring a security company. However, the store didn’t want to pay for a quality security company and decided to go with a sort of “fly by night” guard service. Additionally, they store requested an increase in coverage from the retail loss prevention services provided by the corporate office.

The retail loss prevention agents arrived to the store and worked their schedules and were productive, however, they weren’t available from opening to closing. The store, still in negotiations with the guard service company, needed help. They accepted the absolute cheapest guard service.

The company came in and worked the store. The first guard arrived and worked his shift, the second or relief guard arrived for his shift. The first guard made a comment about the punctuality of the relief guard and the two broke out in an all out fist fight in the store. The retail loss prevention agent on duty and the store manager ended up having to deal with the fight. On top of this, all of the customers standing around witnessed this and called 911. One guard was arrested. Now, the retail loss prevention and manager are witnesses and will be pulled away at a later date for court purposes.

What’s my point? Security and loss prevention are an important aspect of the retail world and to prevent shoplifting. However, trying to do things as inexpensively as possible is not always the solution.

For more information about loss prevention security or security and loss prevention contact us at retail loss prevention or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

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Proper Use of Clothing Security Tags

January 24, 2011 by

So your company has just gone out and made an investment, purchasing a great number of clothing security tags. All of your shoplifting problems are solved, right? Eh, not so much. See, security is like anything else in business, you have to be vigilant and steadfast in your approach to it if you intend to succeed. Simply purchasing the right widget won’t guarantee success. Maximizing the potential of that widget will, however, greatly improve your chances.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into a clothing retailer and noticed that they use clothing security tags . As I browse through the racks searching for the right size and color of a particular garment I notice that only about 50-70% of the merchandise is tagged. If I was a thief I’d simply pick one of the pieces that weren’t tagged. So at this point the whole process is an exercise in futility. How does this happen? Easier than you might imagine. Let’s say Jimmy runs your receiving department. It’s his team’s job to ensure all appropriate merchandise is tagged before it goes to the sales floor. Unfortunately, Jimmy is sick with the flu, or maybe he just took a couple of days off. Now while the cat’s away the mice will play.

The wrong merchandise gets tagged or maybe Jimmy’s team just completely ignores this step in the receiving process. Either way you now have merchandise on your sales floor that’s ripe for the taking. There needs to be a check and balance system and periodic audits in place to ensure 2 things. First of all, whether Jimmy is there or not, that no garment sees the sales floor before it is checked to ensure it is either tagged or that tagging isn’t necessary. Second, someone needs to be tasked with going through the sales floor and ensuring that the first process is being followed. A chain is only as strong as its’ weakest link and clothing security tags are only as useful as you’re determined to make them.

For more information about clothing alarm or clothing security or security tags on clothes or security tags on clothes visit our web store or call 1.770.426.0547

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