Profit and Loss – It’s All About the Basics

Most people don’t mind doing what they should do when it’s easy or when it doesn’t get in the way of what they want to do. However, it takes discipline and maturity for people to do the things that should be done, whether they want to or not. Discipline and maturity are usually the differences between a successful manager and an unsuccessful one.

Successful managers know that being conscientious about preventing shoplifting is an on-going process of training and vigilance, which is why most unsuccessful ones don’t do it. Ineffective managers don’t develop and monitor the effective daily habits, for themselves and their employees, required to prevent shoplifting loss.

It’s unfortunate, because the margins between loss and profit are usually so tight that unaddressed loss can mean the difference between the business staying open or closing. There are many quick and practical ways that managers can help their employees develop the daily awareness and habits required to limit the opportunity for customer fraud. One of the most effective is also one of the most basic.

Most people are quick forgetters and they need on-going training (print, video, classroom style, one-on-one) to help them remember the company’s loss prevention plan. Once, during the orientation, is definitely not enough. Training modules which are short (about 15 minutes), monthly and topic specific (i.e. shoplifting techniques, proper confrontation of suspect, store’s prosecution policy) can be very productive.

Productive training makes sure everyone receives the same information and reinforces the company’s expectations and policies. It will, also, instruct, remind and reinforce the employee’s responsibility in preventing loss. Education and understanding is built on repetition, so repeatedly hearing who, what, when, where, how and why people steal can make workers more conscientious.

However, this is where the maturity and discipline of the manager is vital. If not conducted properly, training can hinder rather than help. The training time and materials shouldn’t be used for managers to pontificate, story tell or criticize, they should be teaching moments only. After all, it’s the failing of their managers when employees are expected to know things that they haven’t been told.

Nicole Abbott is a writer and psycho-therapist with over 20 years of experience in the fields of mental health and addiction. She’s an educator, consultant, lecturer, trainer and facilitator, who has conducted over 200 workshops, trainings, presentations, college classes and seminars.