Knowledge Of Anti-Theft Devices Can Help Others Prevent Shoplifting; Your Management Knowledge Can Help Others Improve Their Future Part 2

In part 1 I discussed the fact that most of us think of how we will benefit when opportunity knocks and we take advantage of it. We weigh the pros and cons of that opportunity and choose whether to accept it or not. How will it affect us? Will it open a new job for us, perhaps a promotion or could it lead to a new leadership role? There are so many things that happen when opportunity presents itself. I gave an example of how an application I put in for a Loss Prevention Associate job turned into an offer to be the Loss Prevention Manager for the same store. Sometimes we are presented with an opportunity but when we consider all factors we decide not to accept it. A number of years ago I was looking for employment and based on my knowledge of how to prevent shoplifting, how to use retail anti-theft devices and investigate internal theft a part-time job was offered as a Loss Prevention Associate. The possibility it could lead to a full-time position was tempting but there were other circumstances that caused me to turn it down. Retail managers can help young people learn the skills and recognize opportunities that may help them be successful as they grow older.

Since I have already mentioned it I do want to briefly discuss what it means to prevent shoplifting so it will make more sense in how I was presented my opportunity in career advancement. To prevent shoplifting in a retail store it takes at least a minimum of using retail anti-theft devices and customer service. The customer service gives potential thieves more attention than they want. Greeting people as they walk into the store, making eye contact and offering superior service takes away the opportunity for a shoplifter to steal. It also requires a strong customer service culture to respond to electronic article surveillance systems when security tagged merchandise activates alarm towers at the front doors of a store. A timely response to an alarm going off gives stores a chance to conduct receipt checks and recover merchandise a thief is trying to steal. While it is desirable to have some type of security or Loss Prevention Staff in place it isn’t necessarily required, especially for stores that may not have a budget to afford it. A trained store team can deter a significant amount of theft. Having experience and demonstrated understanding of the role of Loss Prevention in a store’s profitability helped me when opportunity knocked.

You managers have the ability to help others more than you may think. How you lead your employees influences how they will lead others one day. The old saying, “Actions speak louder than words” comes to mind. Have you told people you have an open door policy but you keep it closed all of the time? When you give a corrective action, especially to a younger worker do you take time to explain the “whys” for that action? You do a disservice to someone if you write them up for being tardy too often and don’t follow it up with a conversation about how those actions impact their fellow employees. Perhaps you have a policy that prohibits cell phones on the salesfloor yet you find one of your younger employees texting while working, do they understand how that phone interferes with customer service? I recall when I was a new Loss Prevention Manager and blew up at two members of my team. Though I had told them only one could be in the security office at a time, I caught both in there watching cameras. I chewed them out and told them why they couldn’t be in there at the same time but I may not have been clear enough when I first covered the policy with each of them. I thought about the incident later and tried to change my style but it is hard to undo what has already been done.

On the flip side of the negatives, I also made a point of encouraging my L.P. staff to interview for other L.P. jobs even if they had no intention of leaving. I conducted mock interviews with them and taught them how to incorporate their knowledge of retail anti-theft devices and how to prevent shoplifting. I explained that each interview was an opportunity to get more experience at it and be better prepared for the future. Are you giving your employees opportunities? Are you stretching them to do more? Whether it is store operations or Loss Prevention you can make opportunities happen for others the question is, “Will you?”

For more information about retail anti-theft devices, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.