Uncategorized — Page 48

What Are Your Resources? – Background Check Experts

September 29, 2013 by Staff Editor

It does not make a difference if you are conducting background checks for a new employee or a current one. The question remains the same – what are your resources compared to those of background check experts?

I would start by asking myself what is the time frame that I am working under? The next question I would need to ask is what are the other commitments that I have for that same time frame?

If you are like most of us, we rarely are tasked with a single item at a time. There are ongoing issues to be dealt with, reports to run or create, stores to operate and sell in… You get the idea.

So I will ask again. What is the time frame that I am working under? The answer is that it is a very slim time frame. I probably don’t have a lot of extra time to run background checks twice. I am also probably only going to skim the surface of background checks. As long as nothing completely egregious shows up, I will be satisfied.

Now let’s ask those same questions of background check experts. How much time do they have to run those same checks? Do they have the time and or other resources to run a more in depth check? Can they run background check a second time if there is an error, or if something didn’t show up properly?

I would safely answer yes to those questions.

To purchase Pre-Employment Screening Services or 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

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: background check company, background check experts, Background checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, pre employment screening

He wore what? – Clothing Security Tags

September 28, 2013 by Staff Editor

One of my first experiences with a shoplifter was a man who came into the department store where I worked. He started looking at hoodies, which was not anything suspicious. What I did find suspicious was when he started looking for the clothing security tags.

Not all of our hoodies had clothing security tags; so it didn’t take him long to find one without any clothing security. He took the jacket off the hanger and went into a fitting room. When he came back out mere seconds later, he was wearing the hoodie. I first tried calling someone in the menswear department to get them to offer customer service, but it was too late. The man had already started to head toward the exit door.

Without a Checkpoint tag, I knew the clothing alarm would not go off and alert any cashiers or managers to this man’s actions. Because I was too far away, I couldn’t get across the store in time. The man had exited the store and sped off in a car waiting for him in the parking lot.

Security tags on clothes would have helped us prevent this theft. Without one, none of the employees could readily identify the hoodie as one of ours that had not been paid for.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.

For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint tags, clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

End of The Day – Employee Theft Investigation

September 23, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

I sometimes do loss prevention consultations for small business owners. Usually I don’t go in as loss prevention specifically. Generally I go in as an overall operational consultant. It is easier to offer my services that way rather than saying I am here to see who is stealing from you. No owner wants to hear they have employee theft.

The most recent consultation I did was for a little convenience market. There were very few policies in place, which made it that much easier for internal theft to take place. The owner was too insecure about being a tough boss. He wanted to be easy going, and easy to work with. I think he was afraid that if he acted too much like a boss, his employees would leave, or he would not find anyone who wanted to be hired for his shop.

Unfortunately, because of his lack of policies, his employees took advantage of him. They arrived late for work and frequently called in unable to work. This caused animosity to the other employees who were held up waiting for replacements to show up and relieve them of their shifts.

The employees were also allowed to ring themselves up. Several employees again took advantage of the situation. Knowing no one would check their purchases; they started adding extra, unpaid items to their bags.

My employee theft investigation ended with the termination of half of his staff for theft. It also opened his eyes to the importance of having policies in place.

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

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft

Quiet and Unassuming – Alpha Security

September 23, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

I read an article in a loss prevention trade magazine that covered a story about one of the head honchos retiring from Alpha Security. He was responsible for many of the new products that Alpha Security is currently using with enormous amounts of success in retail anti-theft devices.

His peers all seemed to think he was a great guy, quiet and unassuming always looking for the next great innovation. He wanted to be able to provide a valuable service to the industry.

When so many companies are dead set on profits above all, it was heartwarming to see a story about more than just record setting profits. To see someone with such accolades being remembered for his personality and commitment to prevent shoplifting issues speaks volumes.

It says that Alpha Security values people and ideas, not just profits. It shows in their products. They are not designed to break the banks of small business owners. The retail anti-theft devices are made to give small business owners a fighting shot at staying in business and not being driven out because they were the victims of shoplifters.

Visit the Loss Prevention Store for Alpha 2Alarm, Alpha 3Alarm, Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate, Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap and other retail anti-theft devices from Alpha Security to use in conjunction with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system that can help you prevent shoplifting in your business.

For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Alpha Fashion2, Alpha Jewel Lok, Alpha Nano Gate, Alpha Shark Tag, Alpha Spider Wrap, Fashion2, Jewel Lok, Nano Gate, Prevent Shoplifting, Shark Tag, Spider Wrap

A Sixty/Forty Split – Security Tags on Clothes

September 20, 2013 by Staff Editor

When we think of loss prevention or retail security, we typically think that we have a need for clothing security to protect our inventory and merchandise from shoplifting. The sad reality is that a single dishonest employee can do more damage in a short period of time than some gangs of shoplifters can incur over an entire year.

Most retail statistics account for about forty percent of their inventory due to employee theft. That leaves sixty percent of your inventory losses coming from other sources. Don’t be so quick to think that the rest is from shoplifting either.

It is more realistic to think that only twenty percent of your shrink comes from shoplifting – maybe thirty, depending on your location and demographic. That means the other thirty to forty percent is left unaccounted for.

The last category would be operational errors. That means your inventory losses are from things like incorrect shipments, damages, or incorrect sales or return information.

Any way you look at it, the majority of losses can potentially be avoided by adding security tags on clothes. Checkpoint tags are one of the most reliable forms of clothing security tags, and a worthwhile investment to help reduce your inventory losses due to theft.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint tags, clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

Not for Sale – Employee Theft

September 17, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

I love exception based reporting. It is one of the best resources I have when I conduct an employee theft investigation. What is exception based reporting? Well the definition is probably sounds a bit more complicated than what it really is. Article has moved – Read full article here

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

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft

The Ups and Downs – Alpha Nano Gate

September 16, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Once upon a time I used only retail anti-theft devices like hard and soft tags in conjunction with my exit door towers to prevent shoplifting. For the most part, we saw very few attempts at theft because we were diligent in our tagging efforts. Things looked good for our store and our shrink results reinforced our dedication to retail anti-theft devices.

This was at a high-end retailer that I used to work for. The store had two levels with escalators going up and down in the center atrium. If anyone went up or down, we knew about it. There was no need to have anything like the Alpha Security Nano Gate at the escalators because of our great visibility.

What we could have used the Alpha Nano Gate for (if it had existed back then) was the elevator. The elevator was tucked away in a far corner right next to an exterior door. To this day, I don’t know how much merchandise we lost out that door because someone picked up something on the second floor, went down the elevator and then scooted right out the door. It was because we had no way of monitoring the elevator or that exit door.

For more information on how you can use Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system to prevent shoplifting contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

For Better or For Worse – Employee Background Checks

September 15, 2013 by Staff Editor

As a retail security manager, I have had the pleasure of working with some of the best companies out there. I have also had the misfortune of working with some of the worst, especially when it comes to pre-employment screening.

It’s not that these companies were bad, it was more about the resources they had available to conduct the employee background checks.

I noticed a significant difference in several areas depending on how thorough the pre-employment screening was. One of the biggest areas of difference was in turnover rates. The companies who spent the time and resources to conduct a more thorough background check ended up with employees who seemed to stay longer. Their retention wasn’t centered on the employees’ happiness; it was more specifically about the termination rate by management of their poor performing employees.

I also noticed that there was a higher rate of inventory discrepancies and unexplained cash shortages in those stores and companies who did not spend time on pre-employment screening.

Most people who have a spotty background or work history have a way of sniffing out companies who do not run employee background checks, or who do not call for references. This puts those companies and stores at a higher risk for poor performance, excessive absences, and ultimately a higher risk of cash and merchandise theft.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: background check company, background check experts, Background checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, pre employment screening

Why Should We? – Clothing Security

September 13, 2013 by Staff Editor

Really, what is the point behind clothing security? Why should we go to all of the trouble to make sure our Checkpoint tags are on all of our clothes? The clothing security tags can be an expensive investment.

I don’t have a theft problem in my store. It would offend my customers if I were too overbearing. Also, I would not want my customers to suspect that I do have a theft problem and lose them to another shop.

It is hard to be a small business owner. When I think of a quaint local boutique, I don’t think of security tags on clothes, I think of customer service and personalized shopping.

The reality is that the times are changing. Demographics change, as do neighborhoods and individual customer finances. The shop that you opened may not always be that safe and secure. It is better to protect yourself and your clients by making a proactive statement up front. You want shoplifters to know that you and your security measures will always be relevant. You will never be the victim, as you will always strive to be one step ahead.

Just as they say good fences make good neighbors, clothing security makes for a great shopping experience.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Checkpoint tags, clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

It’s The Little Things – Employee Theft

September 9, 2013 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

There is a growing trend among many small businesses and low volume stores that is a “little” concerning. It is the theft of small cash wrap items caused by employee theft.

As an investigator, I am usually tasked with an employee theft investigation only when large or repetitive cash shortages or merchandise discrepancies appear. It is not very common to look at small dollar internal theft cases.

What we are seeing, though, is that many employees are taking small items at the register such as a pack of gum or a candy bar. Sometimes it might be a drink from the store’s coolers. Often, the employee simply forgets to have someone ring those purchases because they were distracted after taking the item.

Most of these employees are cashiers, so they are close to these items throughout the course of their normal shift. They take the items while they are on the clock, which is why they get distracted easily when a customer comes up to pay, or the manager is busy elsewhere in the store.

It might only happen once, or it might be a few times before this employee realizes that no one caught his or her mistake. No one noticed that the pack of gum or soda was never paid for. It is in that moment that the employee will continue to take those items because they know that no one is watching.

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

Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft