Benefitting From A Sensormatic System Part 2

May 5, 2019 by Leave a Comment

                                                                                                                                                WC Blog 791
Sensormatic systems – 4
Stop shoplifting – 3

Benefitting From A Sensormatic System Part 2

     If you read Part 1 you know that we are talking about the features and benefits of Sensormatic systems. If you didn’t have the opportunity to read Part 1 well what are you waiting for? Just kidding, you can read it later and I feel confident you will want to after you get finished with this article. The premise for the article was the result of a training session conducted at the store where I work. Yes, I paid attention to the training but it did make me think about how I could apply it to anti-theft systems and why Sensormatic is a superior choice over other electronic article surveillance manufacturers and distributors. The topic we are in the midst of is the difference between features and benefits of something and in this instance we are talking about Sensormatic technology. In Part 1 we looked at just a few of the features and benefits of Sensormatic equipment but there are so many I ran out of space for my article. I have several more points I really wanted to cover so that is what Part 2 is devoted to.

     Much of my Loss Prevention career had me using mostly radio frequency (RF) electronic article surveillance tags and labels. One feature that Sensormatic acousto-magnetic tags offer that RF devices do not is that they can be placed on merchandise that contains metals, liquids or merchandise placed in a metal shopping cart. If we are looking at the benefits of Sensormatic systems for a retailer we want to see how it improves something for that retailer. Well, if one of the reasons to invest in an anti-theft system is to stop shoplifting the benefit of using Sensormatic acousto-magnetic labels is that more merchandise can be protected than with RF tags. It also means a retailer does not have to start the costly changeover from metal shopping carts to plastic carts.

   Another benefit when using Sensormatic APXlabels is the time that is saved when merchandise is returned. When merchandise is returned in the original packaging and an acousto-magnetic label is attached it can be reactivated. There is no need to go through the process of retagging that item. With RF labels a store employee has to put a new tag on the goods that are returned (if they even think to do it which is less often than you might think). 

     Let’s talk a little about the features of the Sensormatic Synergy 2.0 ABS Pedestal. Who wants to buy an anti-theft system to stop shoplifting that has no ability to be upgraded? You want an improvement to a system you have to go out and purchase a whole new set of pedestals. The Synergy 2.0 ABS Pedestal, one of the many Sensormatic systems towers on the market can start you out with the very minimum requirements to prevent criminals from stealing and that is fine. What you learn later as you start seeing improvements of in-stocks and sales begin to increase a bit is that there is still theft taking place. The benefit of owning the Sensormatic Synergy 2.0 ABS Pedestal is that you can upgrade it with several features without having to spend more money on a whole new tower. You also don’t have to have your store torn up as old pedestals are removed and new ones are installed. Add-in the upgrades of a Synergy camera and people counting device and you truly increase your ability to positively improve sales. 

     And I am not done with the Sensormatic Synergy pedestals. Add the feature of metal foil detection and you have the ability to stop shoplifting by professional shoplifters. The benefits speak for themselves. Foil the would-be shoplifters attempting to bring in their foil lined bags and you save untold amounts of shortage. Discourage these guys from coming in and you also create a safer environment for your employees and customers. Professional shoplifters can be dangerous and pose risks to the safety of everyone around them.

     Sensormatic systems have been proven to be effective over the years. Many retailers rely on their tags and equipment to protect the merchandise they carry. They have seen how Sensormatic not only reduces theft but enhances sales in the process. The features offered with these systems allows easy upgrades and protection not offered by competitors. Do the math and find out how you can benefit from using Sensormatic products in your store.
Need information on Sensormatic systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.     

     

If you read Part 1 you know that we are talking about the features and benefits of Sensormatic systems. If you didn’t have the opportunity to read Part 1 well what are you waiting for? Just kidding, you can read it later and I feel confident you will want to after you get finished with this article. The premise for the article was the result of a training session conducted at the store where I work. Yes, I paid attention to the training but it did make me think about how I could apply it to anti-theft systems and why Sensormatic is a superior choice over other electronic article surveillance manufacturers and distributors. The topic we are in the midst of is the difference between features and benefits of something and in this instance we are talking about Sensormatic technology. In Part 1 we looked at just a few of the features and benefits of Sensormatic equipment but there are so many I ran out of space for my article. I have several more points I really wanted to cover so that is what Part 2 is devoted to.
     

Much of my Loss Prevention career had me using mostly radio frequency (RF) electronic article surveillance tags and labels. One feature that Sensormatic acousto-magnetic tags offer that RF devices do not is that they can be placed on merchandise that contains metals, liquids or merchandise placed in a metal shopping cart. If we are looking at the benefits of Sensormatic systems for a retailer we want to see how it improves something for that retailer. Well, if one of the reasons to invest in an anti-theft system is to stop shoplifting the benefit of using Sensormatic acousto-magnetic labels is that more merchandise can be protected than with RF tags. It also means a retailer does not have to start the costly changeover from metal shopping carts to plastic carts.
   

Another benefit when using Sensormatic APX labels is the time that is saved when merchandise is returned. When merchandise is returned in the original packaging and an acousto-magnetic label is attached it can be reactivated. There is no need to go through the process of retagging that item. With RF labels a store employee has to put a new tag on the goods that are returned (if they even think to do it which is less often than you might think). 
     

Let’s talk a little about the features of the Sensormatic Synergy 2.0 ABS Pedestal. Who wants to buy an anti-theft system to stop shoplifting that has no ability to be upgraded? You want an improvement to a system you have to go out and purchase a whole new set of pedestals. The Synergy 2.0 ABS Pedestal, one of the many Sensormatic systems towers on the market can start you out with the very minimum requirements to prevent criminals from stealing and that is fine. What you learn later as you start seeing improvements of in-stocks and sales begin to increase a bit is that there is still theft taking place. The benefit of owning the Sensormatic Synergy 2.0 ABS Pedestal is that you can upgrade it with several features without having to spend more money on a whole new tower. You also don’t have to have your store torn up as old pedestals are removed and new ones are installed. Add-in the upgrades of a Synergy camera and people counting device and you truly increase your ability to positively improve sales. 
     

And I am not done with the Sensormatic Synergy pedestals. Add the feature of metal foil detection and you have the ability to stop shoplifting by professional shoplifters. The benefits speak for themselves. Foil the would-be shoplifters attempting to bring in their foil lined bags and you save untold amounts of shortage. Discourage these guys from coming in and you also create a safer environment for your employees and customers. Professional shoplifters can be dangerous and pose risks to the safety of everyone around them.
     

Sensormatic systems have been proven to be effective over the years. Many retailers rely on their tags and equipment to protect the merchandise they carry. They have seen how Sensormatic not only reduces theft but enhances sales in the process. The features offered with these systems allows easy upgrades and protection not offered by competitors. Do the math and find out how you can benefit from using Sensormatic products in your store.

 

Need information on Sensormatic systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.     

     

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:

Benefitting From A Sensormatic System Part 1

April 12, 2019 by Leave a Comment

 

Sensormatic Systems-4                                                                                             WC Blog 790
Stop Shoplifting – 3
Benefitting From A Sensormatic System Part 1
     I just attended training at the store where I work as a sales associate and the conversation got me to thinking about Sensormatic systems. Our training was on printers and we were discussing the difference between features of a printer and benefits of a particular printer. The trainer pointed out features such as an extra feed tray, a large display screen, the wide format of the printer and printing speed. Features in this case are elements of a printer that can appeal to a specific client. A benefit of a printer was what that printer would do for the customer. One customer may need to print a lot of forms so an extra feed tray reduces the amount of time the customer has to replenishing paper. A faster print speed allows the user to get more done in a shorter period of time freeing up valuable time for the user for other projects. So I wondered what I would tell someone about the features and the benefits to retailers who invest in an anti-theft system.
     Now it really isn’t a really difficult question but it is one that is packed full of information. For one thing Sensormatic systems are a trusted developer of electronic article surveillance (EAS) equipment. They continue to be an innovative leader in new tags and anti-theft devices to stop shoplifting. For example cosmetics and small merchandise that can be easily concealed in a pocket have long been a real problem for retailers. They don’t want to lock up these items because it hinders sales and it is unfair to the majority of honest customers. Traditional EAS tags have just been too large to place on these items. The Sensormatic HBC tag eliminates this issue. The feature as we see with this tag is it is a slim design that allows it to be placed on the small merchandise that was previously “untaggable”. The benefit to shop owners is that they can put these small pieces of merchandise out for customers to buy and the tag will stop shoplifting. Another benefit to the owners is the elimination of shoplifting decreases stock shortage and increases the in-stocks of these items. When out-of-stock issues go away customers can find what they are looking for and sales increases. The benefit of the HBC tags is multiplied several times over.
     Another feature of Sensormatic systems you will be interested in includes the ability to have a people counting device added in to many of their towers. At first this may seem to be an odd feature to an anti-theft system but if you are looking at enhancing your sales and you can do it using an EAS system why not take advantage of it? By making a Distinction between sales transactions and customer traffic you will be able to learn how many potential sales you are missing during the day or week. You can use the information to reallocate your payroll and personnel so that you can optimize opportunities to capture the sales you may be missing.That is a big benefit to you. 
     The ability to add a camera to some Sensormatic towers is an invaluable feature that should not be overlooked by store owners. What benefit does a store manager derive from a camera? When paired with EAS alarm activations managers can see video or images of who caused the alarm at the doors. Now bear in mind you don’t want to make an accusation of theft based on an EAS alarm but as you start to see the same person over and over again you can be on the alert for the suspect. You can even track alarm event times. It is my experience that often thieves unintentionally develop patterns and a Sensormatic camera can assist in your efforts to stop shoplifting by these criminals.
     In part 2 of this series we will continue our conversation about benefits and features of Sensormatic systems. EAS is an effective tool for shortage reduction but not all systems are created equally and a low-cost system will give you little in return on investment results. Be sure to look for part 2 to learn more about benefits and features that make Sensormatic the EAS vendor of choice for over 80% of the world’s top 200 retailers.
For more information about Sensormatic systems contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
  
      
     

I just attended training at the store where I work as a sales associate and the conversation got me to thinking about Sensormatic systems. Our training was on printers and we were discussing the difference between features of a printer and benefits of a particular printer. The trainer pointed out features such as an extra feed tray, a large display screen, the wide format of the printer and printing speed. Features in this case are elements of a printer that can appeal to a specific client. A benefit of a printer was what that printer would do for the customer. One customer may need to print a lot of forms so an extra feed tray reduces the amount of time the customer has to replenishing paper. A faster print speed allows the user to get more done in a shorter period of time freeing up valuable time for the user for other projects. So I wondered what I would tell someone about the features and the benefits to retailers who invest in an anti-theft system.

Now it really isn’t a really difficult question but it is one that is packed full of information. For one thing Sensormatic systems are a trusted developer of electronic article surveillance (EAS) equipment. They continue to be an innovative leader in new tags and anti-theft devices to stop shoplifting. For example cosmetics and small merchandise that can be easily concealed in a pocket have long been a real problem for retailers. They don’t want to lock up these items because it hinders sales and it is unfair to the majority of honest customers. Traditional EAS tags have just been too large to place on these items. The Sensormatic HBC tag eliminates this issue. The feature as we see with this tag is it is a slim design that allows it to be placed on the small merchandise that was previously “untaggable”. The benefit to shop owners is that they can put these small pieces of merchandise out for customers to buy and the tag will stop shoplifting. Another benefit to the owners is the elimination of shoplifting decreases stock shortage and increases the in-stocks of these items. When out-of-stock issues go away customers can find what they are looking for and sales increases. The benefit of the HBC tags is multiplied several times over.     

Another feature of Sensormatic systems you will be interested in includes the ability to have a people counting device added in to many of their towers. At first this may seem to be an odd feature to an anti-theft system but if you are looking at enhancing your sales and you can do it using an EAS system why not take advantage of it? By making a Distinction between sales transactions and customer traffic you will be able to learn how many potential sales you are missing during the day or week. You can use the information to reallocate your payroll and personnel so that you can optimize opportunities to capture the sales you may be missing.That is a big benefit to you. 

The ability to add a camera to some Sensormatic towers is an invaluable feature that should not be overlooked by store owners. What benefit does a store manager derive from a camera? When paired with EAS alarm activations managers can see video or images of who caused the alarm at the doors. Now bear in mind you don’t want to make an accusation of theft based on an EAS alarm but as you start to see the same person over and over again you can be on the alert for the suspect. You can even track alarm event times. It is my experience that often thieves unintentionally develop patterns and a Sensormatic camera can assist in your efforts to stop shoplifting by these criminals.

In part 2 of this series we will continue our conversation about benefits and features of Sensormatic systems. EAS is an effective tool for shortage reduction but not all systems are created equally and a low-cost system will give you little in return on investment results. Be sure to look for part 2 to learn more about benefits and features that make Sensormatic the EAS vendor of choice for over 80% of the world’s top 200 retailers.

 

For more information about Sensormatic systems contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.             

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:

Add Value In More Ways Than One With A Sensormatic Security System

February 10, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Stop shoplifting – 4                                                                                                                        WC Blog 732
Sensormatic Security System – 3


Add Value In More Ways Than One With A Sensormatic Security System

     Not long ago I attempted to stop shoplifting of a laptop charging cord that our store sells but I was not able to intervene in time. The suspect was able to remove the cord from the box it was in, close the box back up and put it back on the peghook. The suspect had done all of this before I could get to him to deter the action and he was already on his way out the door. I had reported the incident to the manager on duty and followed company procedures. Unfortunately there was nothing else that could be done at the time. This was the second time I had witnessed a theft or attempted theft of this particular item. When I saw the store manager next I talked to him about the incident. Though the company has specific guidelines on merchandise protection standards I suggested we use an anti-shoplifting device on this product since the store is already equipped with a Sensormatic security system. He agreed and immediately took action to protect the remaining charger. But the discussion we had led to an interesting observation by the store manager. He wondered if Protective devices add a perception of higher value or quality to a product. I had never considered that before.

     I have always looked at a Sensormatic security system as a way to stop shoplifting and to improve shortage results. Just like Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. founder Bill Bregar, I also believe the systems enhance sales by giving customers access to high shortage merchandise that would otherwise be locked up in a display case or stockroom. I also know that Sensormatic labels and tags are a visual deterrent to criminal activity. It had never crossed my mind that a security device or tag could send another message to shoppers. That message being this is a high quality item that is so valuable it has to be secured with anti-theft devices. What an incredible insight! Are you potentially selling more merchandise by using visible protection while at the same time you stop shoplifting? It may not be a totally crazy thought.

     In a document from labelvalue.com titled, “Influence of Packaging on Consumer Behavior “ they reference a study published by the University of Miami and the California Institute of Technology. Quoting the labelvalue.com website, “…packaging has a proven and important impact and influence on the consumer purchasing decision…Researchers proved that aesthetic aspects like color, brightness and typography influences where the shopper’s eyes land on the shelves.” (pg.6). In an article from snowberrymedia.com titled, “How Consumer Perception Influences Buying Decisions”, November 28, 2017, the writer discusses how product packaging can influence shopper perceptions about an item. “Packaging for expensive tech products will usually be sturdy and secure, to reflect the quality of the product.” They also point out that “luxury” items could “…be packaged in black and gold while budget options stick to basic colors like black, white and red.” Using this same line of reasoning it would make sense that a retail anti-theft device on one laptop powercord and the lack of one on a different model next to it could influence a shopper. A customer might easily assume that if one is protected it MUST be better than the other even if that is not necessarily the case.

     Does a Sensormatic tag on merchandise stop shoplifting? The answer is a resounding yes. I have witnessed the deterrent effect of tags and labels on products and I have recovered merchandise when tags set off a Sensormatic security system. Devices influence thieves. Do they also influence customers to purchase items with retail anti-theft devices on them? That I cannot definitely answer. We have seen that packaging can make things appear more valuable. But I think after reflecting on it my Store Manager may have hit on something. Sensormatic tags may be giving your store an unintended perception of value in the eyes of your customers. So what are you waiting for? Get tagging today!

  Get more information on Sensormatic security systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547     

Not long ago I attempted to stop shoplifting of a laptop charging cord that our store sells but I was not able to intervene in time. The suspect was able to remove the cord from the box it was in, close the box back up and put it back on the peghook. The suspect had done all of this before I could get to him to deter the action and he was already on his way out the door. I had reported the incident to the manager on duty and followed company procedures. Unfortunately there was nothing else that could be done at the time. This was the second time I had witnessed a theft or attempted theft of this particular item. When I saw the store manager next I talked to him about the incident. Though the company has specific guidelines on merchandise protection standards I suggested we use an anti-shoplifting device on this product since the store is already equipped with a Sensormatic security system. He agreed and immediately took action to protect the remaining charger. But the discussion we had led to an interesting observation by the store manager. He wondered if Protective devices add a perception of higher value or quality to a product. I had never considered that before.
     

I have always looked at a Sensormatic security system as a way to stop shoplifting and to improve shortage results. Just like Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. founder Bill Bregar, I also believe the systems enhance sales by giving customers access to high shortage merchandise that would otherwise be locked up in a display case or stockroom. I also know that Sensormatic labels and tags are a visual deterrent to criminal activity. It had never crossed my mind that a security device or tag could send another message to shoppers. That message being this is a high quality item that is so valuable it has to be secured with anti-theft devices. What an incredible insight! Are you potentially selling more merchandise by using visible protection while at the same time you stop shoplifting? It may not be a totally crazy thought.
     

In a document from labelvalue.com titled, “Influence of Packaging on Consumer Behavior “ they reference a study published by the University of Miami and the California Institute of Technology. Quoting the labelvalue.com website, “…packaging has a proven and important impact and influence on the consumer purchasing decision…Researchers proved that aesthetic aspects like color, brightness and typography influences where the shopper’s eyes land on the shelves.” (pg.6). In an article from snowberrymedia.com titled, “How Consumer Perception Influences Buying Decisions”, November 28, 2017, the writer discusses how product packaging can influence shopper perceptions about an item. “Packaging for expensive tech products will usually be sturdy and secure, to reflect the quality of the product.” They also point out that “luxury” items could “…be packaged in black and gold while budget options stick to basic colors like black, white and red.” Using this same line of reasoning it would make sense that a retail anti-theft device on one laptop powercord and the lack of one on a different model next to it could influence a shopper. A customer might easily assume that if one is protected it MUST be better than the other even if that is not necessarily the case.
     

Does a Sensormatic tag on merchandise stop shoplifting? The answer is a resounding yes. I have witnessed the deterrent effect of tags and labels on products and I have recovered merchandise when tags set off a Sensormatic security system. Devices influence thieves. Do they also influence customers to purchase items with retail anti-theft devices on them? That I cannot definitely answer. We have seen that packaging can make things appear more valuable. But I think after reflecting on it my Store Manager may have hit on something. Sensormatic tags may be giving your store an unintended perception of value in the eyes of your customers. So what are you waiting for? Get tagging today!
 

Get more information on Sensormatic security systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547     

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: ,

Stop Shoplifting By Beating The Shoplifters Up?

January 12, 2019 by Leave a Comment

 

Stop Shoplifting By Beating The Shoplifters Up?
A good friend of mine had a great story about how to stop shoplifting. He told me that when he was an Assistant Manager in a very large retail chain some years ago that his Manager had a unique way to deal with the shoplifters they caught. Apparently this was a frequent occurrence at this store. The Manager would tell the two employees that caught and were holding onto the shoplifter in a very convincing tone “We do not have time to wait for the Police to get here. Just take him out back of the store and beat the “stuffing” out of him.”
At this point my friend said most shoplifters would start crying, promise to change their evil ways and never return. My friend said it was both funny and pretty pathetic to watch. Of course, they would then let him go to scamper off into the sunset. But, he did say that after this was done for a while, their shrink losses were less.
To stop shoplifting now, in this century, I would not recommend this course of action. But do not take my word for it, call your Attorney and ask him/her. So if we cannot beat the stuffing out of them then how do we stop shoplifting? Well, in this century we have modern conveniences such as running water, electricity and Sensormatic systems. These systems when used properly with our training will allow you to significantly reduce your shoplifting losses and increase your sales. Increase your sales? Yep, if your merchandise is not being stolen, then it is available to your good customers. On top of that the training we provide, enhances your customer service skills. Enhanced customer service skills with drive away the shoplifter and make your legitimate customers happier. Come on, who does not like good customer service? A knowledgeable employee that is personable and helping with your selections? Oh, yeah shoplifters. THEY HATE CUSTOMER SERVICE. 
So can you beat the stuffing out of a shoplifter you catch with a Sensormatic system? Well, no to that also. But in fact by stopping shoplifting through deterrence with a Sensormatic system you are being proactive. Most shoplifters will not steal, if they know you have an active system on guard and customer service oriented employees working the floor. We want to PREVENT the losses from even occurring or even so far as to make the shoplifter think twice and ultimately not steal from you.
But aren’t those systems expensive and they false alarm a lot. No and Yes (kind of). So, NO our Sensormatic systems are available in all budget ranges. You can get a great system at a very affordable price, fully installed. Loss Prevention Systems even has awesome equipment financing. That preserves your cash. So, YES many Radio Frequency (RF) Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) systems are famous for false alarms including phantom alarms, which are alarms that occur when no one is around the system.
Sensormatic EAS systems are Acousto Magnetic (AM). Without going into technical detail, an AM system has few false or phantom alarms. It is a different technology that has been around 50+ years. That is one of the reasons that Sensormatic is in 80% of the top 200 Retailers world-wide. 
So instead of you beating yourself up (or someone else) fix the problem once and for all. We do this every day, day in and day out. Loss Prevention Systems folks are specialists in not just shoplifting prevention but loss prevention in general. We understand employee theft, inventory control, pre-employment background screening and much more. 
Do not try to reinvent the wheel. Contact us today to stop shoplifting and learn more about Sensormatic systems.

A good friend of mine had a great story about how to stop shoplifting. He told me that when he was an Assistant Manager in a very large retail chain some years ago that his Manager had a unique way to deal with the shoplifters they caught. Apparently this was a frequent occurrence at this store. The Manager would tell the two employees that caught and were holding onto the shoplifter in a very convincing tone “We do not have time to wait for the Police to get here. Just take him out back of the store and beat the “stuffing” out of him.”

 

At this point my friend said most shoplifters would start crying, promise to change their evil ways and never return. My friend said it was both funny and pretty pathetic to watch. Of course, they would then let him go to scamper off into the sunset. But, he did say that after this was done for a while, their shrink losses were less.

 

To stop shoplifting now, in this century, I would not recommend this course of action. But do not take my word for it, call your Attorney and ask him/her. So if we cannot beat the stuffing out of them then how do we stop shoplifting? Well, in this century we have modern conveniences such as running water, electricity and Sensormatic systems. These systems when used properly with our training will allow you to significantly reduce your shoplifting losses and increase your sales. Increase your sales? Yep, if your merchandise is not being stolen, then it is available to your good customers. On top of that the training we provide, enhances your customer service skills. Enhanced customer service skills with drive away the shoplifter and make your legitimate customers happier. Come on, who does not like good customer service? A knowledgeable employee that is personable and helping with your selections? Oh, yeah shoplifters. THEY HATE CUSTOMER SERVICE. 

 

So can you beat the stuffing out of a shoplifter you catch with a Sensormatic system? Well, no to that also. But in fact by stopping shoplifting through deterrence with a Sensormatic system you are being proactive. Most shoplifters will not steal, if they know you have an active system on guard and customer service oriented employees working the floor. We want to PREVENT the losses from even occurring or even so far as to make the shoplifter think twice and ultimately not steal from you.

 

But aren’t those systems expensive and they false alarm a lot. No and Yes (kind of). So, NO our Sensormatic systems are available in all budget ranges. You can get a great system at a very affordable price, fully installed. Loss Prevention Systems even has awesome equipment financing. That preserves your cash. So, YES many Radio Frequency (RF) Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) systems are famous for false alarms including phantom alarms, which are alarms that occur when no one is around the system.

 

Sensormatic EAS systems are Acousto Magnetic (AM). Without going into technical detail, an AM system has few false or phantom alarms. It is a different technology that has been around 50+ years. That is one of the reasons that Sensormatic is in 80% of the top 200 Retailers world-wide. 

 

So instead of you beating yourself up (or someone else) fix the problem once and for all. We do this every day, day in and day out. Loss Prevention Systems folks are specialists in not just shoplifting prevention but loss prevention in general. We understand employee theft, inventory control, pre-employment background screening and much more. 

 

Do not try to reinvent the wheel. Contact us or call 1-770-426-0547 today to stop shoplifting and learn more about Sensormatic systems.

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:

How Extensive Is Your Shoplifting Problem? Do You Even Know? A Sensormatic System Is Only One Part Of The Solution!

December 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

How Extensive Is Your Shoplifting Problem? Do You Even Know? A Sensormatic System Is Only One Part Of The Solution!
If you do not stop shoplifting it will chip away a little at a time. But usually adds up to big losses. Even with a Sensormatic system you are still vulnerable. If you are taking regular inventories which every Retailer regardless of size should be doing, then it will not sneak up on you as fast. Even doing a cycle count on selected suspect merchandise items will provide some insight into your losses. However, many times you see your losses in empty packages found on the sales floor or restrooms. But your losses are most likely much higher than what you think they are or hope they are. To stop shoplifting you cannot ignore the problem, it WILL get worse. In my 35+ years of dealing with shoplifters, I have never seen the issue go away on its own. 
The good news is that shoplifting is a very solvable problem. Like any other business problem you simply need to understand the real solutions. Signs, camera systems and the like do not stop shoplifting. It is difficult to get legitimate shoppers to look at signs let alone shoplifters. A camera system does not even concern a shoplifter. They know that you are not watching live and once they are gone it does not matter. If they think you may be watching, they simply take the merchandise to an area that you do not have covered with a camera. Some will test your camera system by taking an item and moving it somewhere that would make you think that they have stolen it. They then walk out without the item and see if they are stopped.  
Another problem in dealing with shoplifters is that you and your staff may be uncomfortable with approaching or even stopping them. It is very common to have doubts or even fears. What can I do? What does the law allow? Will I get in trouble under criminal or civil law? What happens if I am wrong? How do I approach a suspected shoplifter? What do I do if they run off? All of these are great questions. Many times I see Retailers get so concerned about these unknowns that they simply shy away from the problem. There is no need to do that. And again the shoplifting problem will not get better only worse.
Solutions:
There are only two reasonable, cost effective solutions to stop shoplifting. The first is an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system such as Sensormatic. And just as importantly, training. I have been in the field of loss prevention since I left being a Police Officer. I have apprehended many shoplifters when I was a Store Investigator. And I have designed the shoplifting program for several major Retailers as their Director of Loss Prevention. Of course, there was all the other experience I gained along that journey. With that said I am here to tell you that these two solutions are the only solutions to shoplifting and they must be done together. Training you and your staff how to deter or approach a shoplifter is worthless and not cost effective without a Sensormatic system. The same goes for the Sensormatic system. It is worthless unless you have the deterrence and approach skills.  
The great news is that my company, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) can help you with both solutions. We train you up and follow your progress, answer your questions. You are getting your own professional LP Director when you purchase your Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems. We teach live via webinars how to deter and approach shoplifters. The technique will delight your good customers but shoplifters will hate it and go elsewhere. The Sensormatic system will back your staff up when they are too busy with other customers. Shoplifters look for those opportunities to hit you!
Do you want to stop shoplifting? Contact us or call 1-770-426-0547 today and fix your shoplifting problem once and for all!!!

If you do not stop shoplifting it will chip away a little at a time. But usually adds up to big losses. Even with a Sensormatic system you are still vulnerable. If you are taking regular inventories which every Retailer regardless of size should be doing, then it will not sneak up on you as fast. Even doing a cycle count on selected suspect merchandise items will provide some insight into your losses. However, many times you see your losses in empty packages found on the sales floor or restrooms. But your losses are most likely much higher than what you think they are or hope they are. To stop shoplifting you cannot ignore the problem, it WILL get worse. In my 35+ years of dealing with shoplifters, I have never seen the issue go away on its own. 

 

The good news is that shoplifting is a very solvable problem. Like any other business problem you simply need to understand the real solutions. Signs, camera systems and the like do not stop shoplifting. It is difficult to get legitimate shoppers to look at signs let alone shoplifters. A camera system does not even concern a shoplifter. They know that you are not watching live and once they are gone it does not matter. If they think you may be watching, they simply take the merchandise to an area that you do not have covered with a camera. Some will test your camera system by taking an item and moving it somewhere that would make you think that they have stolen it. They then walk out without the item and see if they are stopped.  

 

Another problem in dealing with shoplifters is that you and your staff may be uncomfortable with approaching or even stopping them. It is very common to have doubts or even fears. What can I do? What does the law allow? Will I get in trouble under criminal or civil law? What happens if I am wrong? How do I approach a suspected shoplifter? What do I do if they run off? All of these are great questions. Many times I see Retailers get so concerned about these unknowns that they simply shy away from the problem. There is no need to do that. And again the shoplifting problem will not get better only worse.

 

Solutions:

There are only two reasonable, cost effective solutions to stop shoplifting. The first is an Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) system such as Sensormatic. And just as importantly, training. I have been in the field of loss prevention since I left being a Police Officer. I have apprehended many shoplifters when I was a Store Investigator. And I have designed the shoplifting program for several major Retailers as their Director of Loss Prevention. Of course, there was all the other experience I gained along that journey. With that said I am here to tell you that these two solutions are the only solutions to shoplifting and they must be done together. Training you and your staff how to deter or approach a shoplifter is worthless and not cost effective without a Sensormatic system. The same goes for the Sensormatic system. It is worthless unless you have the deterrence and approach skills.  

 

The great news is that my company, Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) can help you with both solutions. We train you up and follow your progress, answer your questions. You are getting your own professional LP Director when you purchase your Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems. We teach live via webinars how to deter and approach shoplifters. The technique will delight your good customers but shoplifters will hate it and go elsewhere. The Sensormatic system will back your staff up when they are too busy with other customers. Shoplifters look for those opportunities to hit you!

 

Do you want to stop shoplifting? Contact us or call 1-770-426-0547 today and fix your shoplifting problem once and for all!!!

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:

Bargain Retail Theft Prevention Systems Aren’t Always Such A Bargain.

November 13, 2018 by Leave a Comment



Sensormatic Systems -5                                                                                             WC Blog 682
Retail Theft Prevention-3


Bargain Retail Theft Prevention Systems Aren’t Always Such A Bargain

     Where do you go to get a great deal on Sensormatic systems? You can search ebay and there appear to be some very attractive prices on electronic article surveillance towers, parts and even tags. What retailer would not want to look for a bargain basement price in order to set up a retail anti-theft protection system in their store? Think about it, you can save money on the equipment AND save money in shortage reduction, a win-win solution right? Good prices do not always equal good value and good service. Maybe you buy the equipment but who installs it for you? Is it set up to meet the manufacturer’s specifications? Will you get the same if any support service if the equipment fails? Sometimes it is best to buy some things new and purchase them from an authorized dealer.

     The reason I am so emphatic about where a business may get their equipment is because I am serious about retail theft prevention and I know how it can make or break a store. A Loss Prevention System can stop shoplifting which ultimately saves that business money. As someone with over 17 years of Loss Prevention experience under his belt, I have seen stock shortage go down when anti-theft equipment such as Sensormatic systems are in use. Additionally that number continues to drop as more merchandise is tagged. What I would NOT do is try to purchase a system from an unreliable source. You want to get your equipment from a reputable business and that business is Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. a Tyco Retail Solutions Authorized Partner. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. founder Bill Bregar has been a Director of Loss Prevention for major retail businesses. He knows as well as I do the positive impact a retail theft prevention system can have for small and medium stores. Because of this his company recommends the installation of Sensormatic systems as part of a broader theft prevention program.

     The next question for a small retailer is the question of affordability. You KNOW you can afford that internet seller’s price. What you aren’t so sure about is whether you can afford a brand new system. I understand the concern. It is hard enough to keep a retail business profitable and it is important to watch where each nickel and dime is spent. Making payments on a new retail theft prevention system can seem to be out of your reach. Under most circumstances, I would tend to be in agreement with you. Unless you are purchasing stocks, bonds or real estate most things are going to lose value over time. When it comes to loss prevention you need to look at how it is going to benefit you. The reduction in theft is going to save money for your store. That savings can be enough to pay for the new system and over time begin to add money to your profit line. While a refurbished or used system may work for a short period what will you do when it breaks down? You may have a limited warranty but then you are going to deal with the “limitations” that always seem to be the “problem” you encounter. Then find the technician to do the repairs and how long will it take them to get to your store? The expenses continuously add up. With a new system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. you get the backing of the manufacturer with a one-year warranty on all standard Sensormatic systems. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. also provides after the sale support AND free on-line, live shoplifter prevention training! Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is also going to have your new system installed by a Sensormatic trained technician who will also give you training on your system.  No cut-rate supplier is going to give you all of that.

     In many cases a used or refurbished item may be a worthwhile investment. When it comes to the safety, security and profitability of your business only new Sensormatic systems make sense. Purchasing that system from a reputable company with over 30 years of experience in the field of Retail Loss Prevention is a smart move I would stake MY reputation on.

Retail theft prevention is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
     

Where do you go to get a great deal on Sensormatic systems? You can search ebay and there appear to be some very attractive prices on electronic article surveillance towers, parts and even tags. What retailer would not want to look for a bargain basement price in order to set up a retail anti-theft protection system in their store? Think about it, you can save money on the equipment AND save money in shortage reduction, a win-win solution right? Good prices do not always equal good value and good service. Maybe you buy the equipment but who installs it for you? Is it set up to meet the manufacturer’s specifications? Will you get the same if any support service if the equipment fails? Sometimes it is best to buy some things new and purchase them from an authorized dealer.
     

The reason I am so emphatic about where a business may get their equipment is because I am serious about retail theft prevention and I know how it can make or break a store. A Loss Prevention System can stop shoplifting which ultimately saves that business money. As someone with over 17 years of Loss Prevention experience under his belt, I have seen stock shortage go down when anti-theft equipment such as Sensormatic systems are in use. Additionally that number continues to drop as more merchandise is tagged. What I would NOT do is try to purchase a system from an unreliable source. You want to get your equipment from a reputable business and that business is Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. a Tyco Retail Solutions Authorized Partner. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. founder Bill Bregar has been a Director of Loss Prevention for major retail businesses. He knows as well as I do the positive impact a retail theft prevention system can have for small and medium stores. Because of this his company recommends the installation of Sensormatic systems as part of a broader theft prevention program.
     

The next question for a small retailer is the question of affordability. You KNOW you can afford that internet seller’s price. What you aren’t so sure about is whether you can afford a brand new system. I understand the concern. It is hard enough to keep a retail business profitable and it is important to watch where each nickel and dime is spent. Making payments on a new retail theft prevention system can seem to be out of your reach. Under most circumstances, I would tend to be in agreement with you. Unless you are purchasing stocks, bonds or real estate most things are going to lose value over time. When it comes to loss prevention you need to look at how it is going to benefit you. The reduction in theft is going to save money for your store. That savings can be enough to pay for the new system and over time begin to add money to your profit line. While a refurbished or used system may work for a short period what will you do when it breaks down? You may have a limited warranty but then you are going to deal with the “limitations” that always seem to be the “problem” you encounter. Then find the technician to do the repairs and how long will it take them to get to your store? The expenses continuously add up. With a new system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. you get the backing of the manufacturer with a one-year warranty on all standard Sensormatic systems. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. also provides after the sale support AND free on-line, live shoplifter prevention training! Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is also going to have your new system installed by a Sensormatic trained technician who will also give you training on your system.  No cut-rate supplier is going to give you all of that.
     

In many cases a used or refurbished item may be a worthwhile investment. When it comes to the safety, security and profitability of your business only new Sensormatic systems make sense. Purchasing that system from a reputable company with over 30 years of experience in the field of Retail Loss Prevention is a smart move I would stake MY reputation on.

 

Retail theft prevention is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.     

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: ,

Sidewalk Sales Short-Circuit Sensormatic Security Systems

October 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Maybe I’m too old school but I really wonder what store managers are thinking when they have a perfectly good Sensormatic security system and they put merchandise outside the store to display. I see this done in malls and strip malls and it annoys me greatly. I know it is because of my years as a Loss Prevention Manager but I do recognize that theft can result from these displays. In many cases the merchandise is marked down and the business is trying to unload their old merchandise before bringing in the new product lines. I saw something the other day and it was an ice machine used to store bagged ice for sale. The gas station probably does not have adequate space inside for this container but I observed what I thought was a theft of a bag of ice and it bothered me. A car pulled up to the building and the passenger got out. I did turn briefly but the next thing I knew she was putting a big bag of ice in the car while looking in my direction. I didn’t report it because I could not be sure she hadn’t quickly slipped into the store to pay but her actions said she hadn’t. It reminded me of all of those stores that put on sidewalk sales. If no one is outside monitoring the tables and racks or if the merchandise is spread out over a distance how do stores stop shoplifting from taking place?

The purpose of the Sensormatic security system is to deter theft and prevent criminals from spiriting products out of a store. When stores have tagged merchandise with anti-shoplifting devices such as hard tags and electronic article surveillance labels those items are going to trip the alarm pedestals as the thief nears the doors. Because the Sensormatic line of devices are sturdy and reliable they are nearly impossible to defeat. Shoplifters are not in the habit of spending a lot of time trying to remove security tags. They are concerned with concealing merchandise and getting out with as little interaction with employees as possible. Pedestal alarms draw unwanted attention that bad guys want to avoid. When store managers make the decision to take merchandise outside the protection of towers at the doors they are inviting theft. There is nothing left to impede shoplifters from simply picking up and walking off with anything displayed outside.

This is the simple kind of training a good Sensormatic Dealer should provide. Loss Prevention Systems does train your staff after we install a system.

I am not saying that the bags of ice should have been tagged even if they were in the building. Some items may not be worth the effort to tag when we think about how bags are tossed into an ice cooler. It did serve to demonstrate that people will steal just about anything if an opportunity presents itself. In fact one of the factors we talk about in Loss Prevention in terms of how to stop shoplifting and employee theft is to eliminate opportunity. If stores are putting merchandise on the salesfloor without protection or if they are placing merchandise outside of the protective barrier of an electronic article surveillance tower they are providing opportunities for criminals. Bill Bregar, founder of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. knows that opportunity is a requirement for shoplifters to get away with their crime. That is why his company recommends a Sensormatic security system to clients in order to remove opportunity and substantially impede a crook’s ability to steal.

If store owners find a need to move seasonal merchandise or older merchandise to make room for new product lines do it within the confines of the building and security protection. Merchandise should already be protected with security tags so the challenge is to get it in view of customers. I have seen larger businesses that seem reluctant to put clearance merchandise front and center in a store. They relegate them to rear endcaps or the back of a store. I believe if you really want to move merchandise, mark it down at least 25%, place it in a prominent location when customers walk in and have ample signage. Don’t play games, if you really want to make space then do it with enthusiasm. Don’t provide the opportunity crooks look for by having a “sidewalk sale”.

Let your electronic article system stop shoplifting as it is intended to do and tag as much merchandise as possible. Sell your clearance merchandise with vigor just do it so it makes sense. Don’t short circuit your Sensormatic security system by circumventing it, trust Sensormatic to help drive sales while removing theft opportunity.

 

Get more information on Sensormatic security systems, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: ,

The Auto Peg Tag Is The Ingredient You Need To Stop Battery Theft

September 11, 2018 by Leave a Comment

With the recent focus in the news on the opioid crisis you may not realize that it is still important for retailers to stop shoplifting of one particular item, lithium batteries. Used in the manufacture of methamphetamine these batteries are a highly sought after ingredient and therefore a target of criminals. Aside from the cost alone, which makes them easy to resell on the internet or through those mom and pop shops that deal in stolen merchandise, they are an essential ingredient in making methamphetamine. According to the website narcononarrowhead.org, there are two methods to making methamphetamine and one of those methods requires the use of lithium extracted from lithium batteries. Hopefully retail owners will be good stewards and choose to protect against theft for the good of the communities they serve. If for no other reason they should want to prevent theft for the impact it has on the bottom line of the stores. By employing a theft prevention strategy that includes the retail anti-theft device can deter attempts to shoplift. They can also detect those situations when shoplifters choose to attempt to leave with tagged goods.

 

 The question left hanging out there may be can a retail anti-theft device such as an Auto Peg Tag actually stop shoplifting? It can but it is not going to do it on its own. It will require a concerted effort on the part of those who tag merchandise and the people trained on responding to a electronic article surveillance (EAS) tower alarm. If only part of a category of merchandise is tagged then dishonest patrons are going to steal untagged goods, in this case lithium batteries. As a Loss Prevention Manager I was tasked from time to time with auditing other stores in our district and this was an issue. I would find for example medicines that were supposed to have EAS labels on them and when I would dig into the products on the back of the shelf I would locate unprotected items. I believe in the concept of Shortage Action Plans that include protecting high shrink merchandise with retail anti-theft devices but the tagging MUST be consistent.

 

 I do want to briefly tell those readers who may not be familiar with the Auto Peg Tag what it is and how it can deter the theft of Lithium batteries (and other pegged products). This tag is a pinless, one-piece design tag that is clamped over the peghole of merchandise packaging. They come designed for single and double peghole packages for maximum protection. The design allows has little, if any impact on the amount of product that can be placed on a peghook. They do not interfere with the packaging information or appearance key elements that aid in shopper choices. They come to you built to work with electronic article surveillance towers. They even have a security warning and a lock symbol on them to warn ne’er-do-wells that the merchandise is protected and to leave it alone.

 

With all of that said I found I was still curious as to how methamphetamine makers are still able to make their drugs since pseudoephedrine products have been moved behind pharmacy counters. I thought this was going to quell that epidemic and therefore lithium battery theft would be in decline. I did some research and found that “cooks” are still able to get their hands on cold medicine containing pseudoephedrine through some creative methods. They do find ways to circumvent laws intended to restrict how much a person can buy in a month. It is not my intent to go into those details. Suffice it to say there is ample evidence that in spite of restrictions on the primary ingredient the bad guys are getting their hands on it. Lithium batteries will continue to be a target for criminals unless you stop shoplifting by tagging them.

 

Retailers, keep control of your battery inventory. They are easy for bad guys to re-sell on the internet or out of a flea market, warehouse or mom and pop shop. For the illegal drug manufacturers they are easy pickings unless protected with the Auto Peg Tag. Remember that there are customers who prefer lithium batteries to alkaline batteries so you don’t want to lose that shopper. Don’t lock up your batteries; protect them from theft while making profitable sales.

 

Need information on Auto Peg Tag? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.    

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With:

Improve Retail Theft Prevention Through Recognition

August 9, 2018 by Leave a Comment

 

Retail Theft Prevention- 5                                                                                                           WC Blog 500
Stop Shoplifting-3
Improve Retail Theft Prevention Through Recognition
     I LOVE celebrations for victories in stores, be it for a successful retail theft prevention program, a great customer service initiative or some other achievement I truly believe in celebrating accomplishments. I am sold on the power of recognizing individual achievements and group achievements and celebrating them with the entire store. In this article I want to talk about how you can make your store successful and a big part of that is recognition of your store team individually and as a group. As a former Loss Prevention Manager with nearly 27 years of retail experience and as a shift supervisor in a college library I can share with you observations I have gleaned over the years through my experiences.
     I will talk at length about celebrations but I do want to stop for a moment and touch on retail theft prevention and what it entails. Retail theft prevention is the ability of a retailer to recognize that theft is going to occur in their store, understand there are steps they can take to stop it and in doing so it will make the business more prosperous. It is the use of anti-shoplifting devices such as Checkpoint security pedestals at the doors and tags on all merchandise. It is also the training of employees on their responsibilities in regard to proper tagging methods, alarm responses, providing exceptional customer service and teamwork that will stop shoplifting and drive sales. The implementation of all of these factors is what is required for a retail owner or manager to stop shoplifting and keep merchandise in the store for customers and that is what helps drive up sales.
     It may seem a bit unusual to be talking about celebrations and retail theft prevention but they do tie together and help to build a strong shortage culture in the store. Additionally recognition is a powerful tool to developing teamwork amongst employees. An example of this can be seen in the store I work in now. For quite some time there has been a program for giving out recognition cards that are used in a monthly drawing. For the most part they were given out by managers to employees for different reasons. Over a period of time there was a slow progression of cards being given out by employees to each other. Recently, employees had the cards removed from a box they were kept in and placed on a door for everyone to see. The participation is pretty amazing to see. Most cards are given out for one employee assisting another on a task or in a work center. If you don’t quite see the power in this consider that for each card someone gives out to a fellow worker it reduces the giver’s chance for winning the monthly drawing. That’s quite a statement about the power of recognition. How does this relate to retail theft prevention? If employee recognition includes recognizing people for going above and beyond expectations in assisting customers it will influence more associates to offer help on the sales floor. That level of service will deter thieves from trying to steal in your store.
     When I was a Loss Prevention Manager I made sure I recognized employees who caught hidden merchandise at the checkout stands or those who reported suspicious patrons to me. I also made sure that employees who reported a tip to me about another employee they suspected was stealing had their information submitted to our store hotline number. In this way a couple of employees were rewarded by the company for cases they initiated and were closed by me based on their information. I couldn’t celebrate the individuals due to confidentiality but I could share the win with the store team in general terms. I found that employees were more willing to report suspicious behaviors to me. This included internal and external theft identification.
     Recognition is more impactful that you may have realized. Congratulating an employee for closing a large sale, signing someone up for a store reward program, making a recovery from an electronic article surveillance alarm receipt check are all a way to recognize performance. When an associate can stop shoplifting through customer service and notification of management of suspicious people the entire store benefits. Heartfelt, genuine recognition will lead to continued performance that helps to drive up sales and reduce shortage. If you don’t do it already look for ways to recognize and praise your team. You will see a payoff in shortage reduction, profit growth and increased morale.
Need information on retail theft prevention? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
     

I LOVE celebrations for victories in stores, be it for a successful retail theft prevention program, a great customer service initiative or some other achievement I truly believe in celebrating accomplishments. I am sold on the power of recognizing individual achievements and group achievements and celebrating them with the entire store. In this article I want to talk about how you can make your store successful and a big part of that is recognition of your store team individually and as a group. As a former Loss Prevention Manager with nearly 27 years of retail experience and as a shift supervisor in a college library I can share with you observations I have gleaned over the years through my experiences.

I will talk at length about celebrations but I do want to stop for a moment and touch on retail theft prevention and what it entails. Retail theft prevention is the ability of a retailer to recognize that theft is going to occur in their store, understand there are steps they can take to stop it and in doing so it will make the business more prosperous. It is the use of anti-shoplifting devices such as electronic article surveillance (EAS) security pedestals at the doors and tags on all merchandise. It is also the training of employees on their responsibilities in regard to proper tagging methods, alarm responses, providing exceptional customer service and teamwork that will stop shoplifting and drive sales. The implementation of all of these factors is what is required for a retail owner or manager to stop shoplifting and keep merchandise in the store for customers and that is what helps drive up sales.

It may seem a bit unusual to be talking about celebrations and retail theft prevention but they do tie together and help to build a strong shortage culture in the store. Additionally recognition is a powerful tool to developing teamwork amongst employees. An example of this can be seen in the store I work in now. For quite some time there has been a program for giving out recognition cards that are used in a monthly drawing. For the most part they were given out by managers to employees for different reasons. Over a period of time there was a slow progression of cards being given out by employees to each other. Recently, employees had the cards removed from a box they were kept in and placed on a door for everyone to see. The participation is pretty amazing to see. Most cards are given out for one employee assisting another on a task or in a work center. If you don’t quite see the power in this consider that for each card someone gives out to a fellow worker it reduces the giver’s chance for winning the monthly drawing. That’s quite a statement about the power of recognition. How does this relate to retail theft prevention? If employee recognition includes recognizing people for going above and beyond expectations in assisting customers it will influence more associates to offer help on the sales floor. That level of service will deter thieves from trying to steal in your store.

When I was a Loss Prevention Manager I made sure I recognized employees who caught hidden merchandise at the checkout stands or those who reported suspicious patrons to me. I also made sure that employees who reported a tip to me about another employee they suspected was stealing had their information submitted to our store hotline number. In this way a couple of employees were rewarded by the company for cases they initiated and were closed by me based on their information. I couldn’t celebrate the individuals due to confidentiality but I could share the win with the store team in general terms. I found that employees were more willing to report suspicious behaviors to me. This included internal and external theft identification.

Recognition is more impactful that you may have realized. Congratulating an employee for closing a large sale, signing someone up for a store reward program, making a recovery from an electronic article surveillance alarm receipt check are all a way to recognize performance. When an associate can stop shoplifting through customer service and notification of management of suspicious people the entire store benefits. Heartfelt, genuine recognition will lead to continued performance that helps to drive up sales and reduce shortage. If you don’t do it already look for ways to recognize and praise your team. You will see a payoff in shortage reduction, profit growth and increased morale.

 

Need information on retail theft prevention? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.

     

 

Filed Under: antishoplifting Tagged With: , ,

Use Checkpoint Tags To Improve Instocks

July 10, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Checkpoint Tags- 5                                                                                                      WC Blog 454
Stop Shoplifting-3


A Decline In Sales May Be More Than A Decline In Customers; Stores May Need To Use Checkpoint Tags To Improve Instocks

     My youngest son is currently a business major in his senior year of college. The other day we were discussing a paper he had recently turned in on the topic of “Needs Assessment”. I asked about what the term meant in the context of the class. He told me the basis of a Needs Assessment as they had talked about it was, in a sense, determining what the real root causes of a problem are and solutions to fix it. I am probably simplifying it a bit but an example he gave was of a make believe company that needed some accountants. Since that was not the focus of the business the company went out and hired recent college graduates who had graduated at the top of their classes but in areas of study other than accounting. The idea of hiring non-accountants was that these students were smart and would be able to learn the accounting job that needed done. In this scenario the business begins to experience financial problems but management begins to look at surface issues such as not enough time was spent training these new accountants. They didn’t dig into the underlying issues and assess what the needs of the business truly were. The problem as analyzed by my son was that it was the hiring of the non-accountants to fill a specific role, one which required a specialized skill set. The workers were bright, but not equipped for this particular job. I would argue that many times we in retail can be like this. We have a slide in our sales and rather than do a true needs assessment, we make assumptions and try to make our pre-conceived notions fit the problem. What if a slip in sales isn’t due to a lack of customers? What if sliding sales are due to a failure to stop shoplifting? More customers may not be the real issue the need for more Checkpoint Tags may be part of the real problem.

     What are Checkpoint Tags you may be asking? They are tools designed to prevent thieves from emptying store shelves of merchandise. The tags utilize electronic article surveillance technology that combines a radio wave signal emitted from a tag to be picked up by a receiving tower usually located near the entry/exit doors of a store. If a piece of merchandise with a tag attached to it is carried within the reception range of the tower, alarms are set off alerting associates that an item is being carried out that has not been paid for yet. Even concealed merchandise can be detected when Checkpoint tags are in place. Today the tags have become so popular among major retailers that most shoplifters are familiar with them and steer away from trying to shoplift items with a tag attached. 

     How then can a tag that will stop shoplifting be the answer to a store that is experiencing a slip in sales? Here are a few things for your consideration:
• If shoplifters are removing merchandise from shelves and fixtures those items are no longer available for purchase. That directly impacts sales.
• Stolen merchandise is not accounted for through a point of sale. For many stores this means a system of checking counts and making adjustments is necessary for replenishment to occur. Does your store have some system in place to ensure replenishment takes place?
• Many large retailers use acronyms to help cashiers remember things to look for that impact shortage. One is B.O.B. or Bottom of Buggy. If cashier miss all of the items in a cart it can certainly lead to shortage. Checkpoint Tags on merchandise will cause an alarm from towers, resulting in a receipt check and recovery of merchandise or the purchase of the item(s).
Stores that use retail theft prevention devices stop shoplifting from taking place and impact operational shortage as well. When the tags are used, merchandise stays in the store where it is available for the paying customers. As one who has shopped in stores with bare shelves I get very frustrated at not finding what I want and have left empty handed on more than one occasion.

     If your store is experiencing a decline in sales take the time to conduct a true Needs Assessment. Consider all of the factors that may be impacting your business. Look at everything from new businesses in the area to changes in your policies or even empty shelves that may indicate a need to start using Checkpoint Tags. Dig into what needs done to drive sales.
Get more information on Checkpoint Tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

My youngest son is currently a business major in his senior year of college. The other day we were discussing a paper he had recently turned in on the topic of “Needs Assessment”. I asked about what the term meant in the context of the class. He told me the basis of a Needs Assessment as they had talked about it was, in a sense, determining what the real root causes of a problem are and solutions to fix it. I am probably simplifying it a bit but an example he gave was of a make believe company that needed some accountants. Since that was not the focus of the business the company went out and hired recent college graduates who had graduated at the top of their classes but in areas of study other than accounting. The idea of hiring non-accountants was that these students were smart and would be able to learn the accounting job that needed done. In this scenario the business begins to experience financial problems but management begins to look at surface issues such as not enough time was spent training these new accountants. They didn’t dig into the underlying issues and assess what the needs of the business truly were. The problem as analyzed by my son was that it was the hiring of the non-accountants to fill a specific role, one which required a specialized skill set. The workers were bright, but not equipped for this particular job. I would argue that many times we in retail can be like this. We have a slide in our sales and rather than do a true needs assessment, we make assumptions and try to make our pre-conceived notions fit the problem. What if a slip in sales isn’t due to a lack of customers? What if sliding sales are due to a failure to stop shoplifting? More customers may not be the real issue the need for more hard tags may be part of the real problem.
     

What are hard tags you may be asking? They are tools designed to prevent thieves from emptying store shelves of merchandise. The tags utilize electronic article surveillance technology that combines a radio wave signal emitted from a tag to be picked up by a receiving tower usually located near the entry/exit doors of a store. If a piece of merchandise with a tag attached to it is carried within the reception range of the tower, alarms are set off alerting associates that an item is being carried out that has not been paid for yet. Even concealed merchandise can be detected when hard tags are in place. Today the tags have become so popular among major retailers that most shoplifters are familiar with them and steer away from trying to shoplift items with a tag attached. 
     

How then can a tag that will stop shoplifting be the answer to a store that is experiencing a slip in sales? Here are a few things for your consideration:

     • If shoplifters are removing merchandise from shelves and fixtures those items are no longer available for purchase. That directly impacts sales.

     • Stolen merchandise is not accounted for through a point of sale. For many stores this means a system of checking counts and making adjustments is necessary for replenishment to occur. Does your store have some system in place to ensure replenishment takes place?

     • Many large retailers use acronyms to help cashiers remember things to look for that impact shortage. One is B.O.B. or Bottom of Buggy. If cashier miss all of the items in a cart it can certainly lead to shortage. hard tags on merchandise will cause an alarm from towers, resulting in a receipt check and recovery of merchandise or the purchase of the item(s).

Stores that use retail theft prevention devices stop shoplifting from taking place and impact operational shortage as well. When the tags are used, merchandise stays in the store where it is available for the paying customers. As one who has shopped in stores with bare shelves I get very frustrated at not finding what I want and have left empty handed on more than one occasion.
     

If your store is experiencing a decline in sales take the time to conduct a true Needs Assessment. Consider all of the factors that may be impacting your business. Look at everything from new businesses in the area to changes in your policies or even empty shelves that may indicate a need to start using hard tags. Dig into what needs done to drive sales.

 

Get more information on hard tags contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.

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