How To Stop Shoplifting and Shortage – A Brief Conversation With Bill Bregar


Sensormatic tags – 3                                                                                                          WC blog 779
Stop shoplifting -3

How To Stop Shoplifting and Shortage – A Brief Conversation With Bill Bregar

     I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the founder of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. and in the course of our discussion I was able to learn his philosophy on the use of Sensormatic tags in a store. I have written on my own opinions based on my years of Loss Prevention and retail management experience but getting Bill Bregar’s opinion was interesting. He and I have similar experiences from the military and Loss Prevention but while I moved no higher than a store level Loss Prevention Manager, Bill was at the upper echelons of retail as a National Director for Loss Prevention Departments for major retail chains. He has also been consulting with retail owners for many years helping them improve their financial numbers through theft and shortage reduction. His solution to shortage reduction is a balanced approach: stop shoplifting with Sensormatic systems, train managers and their teams on how to identify and stop theft safely and effectively and the use of background checks and drug screenings.

     So what might a balanced approach to shortage reduction look like for you, the store owner?
• First a shortage prevention strategy should include an electronic article surveillance system and Sensormatic tags. As I spoke with Bill I was impressed that he doesn’t approach this aspect of a strategy with a “tag everything in the store focus”. Bill helps his clients focus on what is going to give the most bang for the buck. While I have always thought that as much as possible should be tagged, his approach in many cases is to focus on the 20% of the merchandise that causes 80% of the losses. What I really appreciated and I am certain Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. customers appreciate is that there is not a push to sell customers more tags than they need. If a business can grow or the need arises more tags can always be purchased.
• Some may argue that theft prevention begins at the personnel level. The employees a store manager hires can create more theft problems than a shoplifter for a store. They have full access to the store and can steal in many different ways. To prevent this from happening, a store should be conducting pre-employment screenings. Mr. Bregar told me that there are companies out there that will promise they will do nationwide background checks but as a former law enforcement officer he is aware that these are fake promises. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. puts the time and effort into the background checks they conduct. These checks may be criminal histories based on state searches or county searches. The check may include sex offender registries, education checks, driving records and more. When a store owner has Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct their background checks they are assured there won’t be any shortcuts taken in the research of their applicant’s history.
• In the same vein as background checks, pre-employment drug screening is an important part of Bill’s theft prevention strategy. Workers with drug addictions may resort to theft to support a habit. These employees will also help friends steal by alerting them to opportunities they may see by texting or calling. The employee may also help assist in shoplifting by passing merchandise through a register without ringing it up for friends in exchange for drugs. Employers can stop shoplifting aided by employees and employee theft by weeding out problems before they happen. Drug screening is a useful tool in Bill’s shortage prevention toolbox.
• One more important piece in the shortage prevention strategy for a store is training. Whether it is training on tag placement, responding to an electronic article surveillance alarm or how to stop shoplifting, Bill knows how critical training is to any theft prevention program.
The biggest take-away I had following my conversation with Mr. Bregar is his focus on the importance of service and integrity in serving Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. clients.

     Sensormatic tags and systems are a key component of any Loss Prevention program and Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help get a store set up with what that particular store needs. An effective program is going to be one that incorporates multiple factors that impact theft and shortage. After my conversation with Bill Bregar I am more convinced than ever that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is your best resource for helping you reduce shrink and grow your profits.
Get more information on Sensormatic tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today. 

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the founder of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. and in the course of our discussion I was able to learn his philosophy on the use of Sensormatic tags in a store. I have written on my own opinions based on my years of Loss Prevention and retail management experience but getting Bill Bregar’s opinion was interesting. He and I have similar experiences from the military and Loss Prevention but while I moved no higher than a store level Loss Prevention Manager, Bill was at the upper echelons of retail as a National Director for Loss Prevention Departments for major retail chains. He has also been consulting with retail owners for many years helping them improve their financial numbers through theft and shortage reduction. His solution to shortage reduction is a balanced approach: stop shoplifting with Sensormatic systems, train managers and their teams on how to identify and stop theft safely and effectively and the use of background checks and drug screenings.
     

So what might a balanced approach to shortage reduction look like for you, the store owner?

• First a shortage prevention strategy should include an electronic article surveillance system and Sensormatic tags. As I spoke with Bill I was impressed that he doesn’t approach this aspect of a strategy with a “tag everything in the store focus”. Bill helps his clients focus on what is going to give the most bang for the buck. While I have always thought that as much as possible should be tagged, his approach in many cases is to focus on the 20% of the merchandise that causes 80% of the losses. What I really appreciated and I am certain Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. customers appreciate is that there is not a push to sell customers more tags than they need. If a business can grow or the need arises more tags can always be purchased.

• Some may argue that theft prevention begins at the personnel level. The employees a store manager hires can create more theft problems than a shoplifter for a store. They have full access to the store and can steal in many different ways. To prevent this from happening, a store should be conducting pre-employment screenings. Mr. Bregar told me that there are companies out there that will promise they will do nationwide background checks but as a former law enforcement officer he is aware that these are fake promises. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. puts the time and effort into the background checks they conduct. These checks may be criminal histories based on state searches or county searches. The check may include sex offender registries, education checks, driving records and more. When a store owner has Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct their background checks they are assured there won’t be any shortcuts taken in the research of their applicant’s history.

• In the same vein as background checks, pre-employment drug screening is an important part of Bill’s theft prevention strategy. Workers with drug addictions may resort to theft to support a habit. These employees will also help friends steal by alerting them to opportunities they may see by texting or calling. The employee may also help assist in shoplifting by passing merchandise through a register without ringing it up for friends in exchange for drugs. Employers can stop shoplifting aided by employees and employee theft by weeding out problems before they happen. Drug screening is a useful tool in Bill’s shortage prevention toolbox.

• One more important piece in the shortage prevention strategy for a store is training. Whether it is training on tag placement, responding to an electronic article surveillance alarm or how to stop shoplifting, Bill knows how critical training is to any theft prevention program.

The biggest take-away I had following my conversation with Mr. Bregar is his focus on the importance of service and integrity in serving Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. clients.
     

Sensormatic tags and systems are a key component of any Loss Prevention program and Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can help get a store set up with what that particular store needs. An effective program is going to be one that incorporates multiple factors that impact theft and shortage. After my conversation with Bill Bregar I am more convinced than ever that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. is your best resource for helping you reduce shrink and grow your profits.

 

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