Alpha Thunder Tags-4 WC blog 217
Checkpoint Classic N10-3
i-pad Theft-3
Tablet Theft-3
Mobile Medical Devices Allow Doctors To Visit Patients Online – Those Devices Need To Be Protected With Alpha Thunder Tags Part 2
I stated this two-part series discussing my fascination with a doctor’s office visit the other day. During the visit I found out this particular healthcare provider offers an online service to patients. Doctors can conduct consultations with patients over the patient’s phone, tablet, i-pad or their computer. The patient only needs to sign up for the service and set an appointment. I will add that the consultation is for limited medical issues, as more serious ailments or conditions require the patient to be seen onsite. I did not know for certain how the doctor conducts the visit from their end, but I speculated they are probably using a mobile device as well. This would allow them flexibility to move about the office or clinic while visiting the patient. From my recent research into the growing use of mobile medical devices in hospitals and how they are being used, this would only be a reasonable conclusion. I applauded the clinic for the creativity in reducing patient wait times and embracing technology in this way. Then it dawned on me that while I applaud the clinic for using technology for visits, I was still in a waiting room doing what? FILLING OUT PAPERWORK! While I recognize that electronic health records (ehr) are still a relatively new concept and medical providers are slowly transitioning to them; it seems this provider should have patients using medical mobile devices to complete new patient information. Clinics could protect against i-pad theft and tablet theft by attaching Alpha Thunder Tags to the mobile medical devices and installing Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas in doorways.
Alpha Thunder Tags are anti-theft devices that work in conjunction with electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas such as the Checkpoint Classic N10. The Thunder Tag has radio frequency technology built into it that sends out a RF signal. When that signal is picked up by the antenna an audible alarm is activated and flashing LED lights in the antenna are triggered. By attaching the tags to medical mobile devices, hospitals or clinics can prevent their devices from being stolen. This makes it feasible for a care center to allow patients to complete their medical forms online through a device without concern of a tablet theft or i-pad theft. I am sure the question is raised, couldn’t someone just remove the tag and steal the device anyways? No, the Alpha Thunder Tag has a built in tamper alarm that sounds if someone were to try to remove it.
The question may also be asked, “Why should we allow the patient to hold the i-pad or tablet and take the chance that it may be stolen? We just transfer the information to the computer after the patient fills out the paperwork, so we still comply with ehr requirements.” My response is that this is double work. I am not a proponent of wasted effort. If the patient can do it once on a clinic supplied device there is no need for the receptionist to retype it. You also have two chances for input errors, first by the patient then by the employee. The receptionist can always assist a patient in inputting information if they are unable to do so themselves. In other words, if the technology is already in place, doesn’t it make more sense to
use it to the fullest potential? One other thing about using paper, it is always possible for paperwork to get misplaced or lost. I have even written on cases where paper medical records have been dumped in outdoor trash bins. Why take the chance of patient information breaches because paperwork is mishandled?
Mobile medical devices offer many benefits from online patient visits to a variety of professional medical apps for doctors and nurses. Clinics, hospitals and doctor offices can become more efficient and grow their practices by using these new technologies. Incorporate Alpha Thunder Tags and Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas to protect against tablet theft or i-pad theft and to prevent patient data breaches.
Alpha Thunder Tags are important and we can help it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I stated this two-part series discussing my fascination with a doctor’s office visit the other day. During the visit I found out this particular healthcare provider offers an online service to patients. Doctors can conduct consultations with patients over the patient’s phone, tablet, i-pad or their computer. The patient only needs to sign up for the service and set an appointment. I will add that the consultation is for limited medical issues, as more serious ailments or conditions require the patient to be seen onsite. I did not know for certain how the doctor conducts the visit from their end, but I speculated they are probably using a mobile device as well. This would allow them flexibility to move about the office or clinic while visiting the patient. From my recent research into the growing use of mobile medical devices in hospitals and how they are being used, this would only be a reasonable conclusion. I applauded the clinic for the creativity in reducing patient wait times and embracing technology in this way. Then it dawned on me that while I applaud the clinic for using technology for visits, I was still in a waiting room doing what? FILLING OUT PAPERWORK! While I recognize that electronic health records (ehr) are still a relatively new concept and medical providers are slowly transitioning to them; it seems this provider should have patients using medical mobile devices to complete new patient information. Clinics could protect against i-pad theft and tablet theft by attaching Alpha Thunder Tags to the mobile medical devices and installing Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas in doorways.
Alpha Thunder Tags are anti-theft devices that work in conjunction with electronic article surveillance (EAS) antennas such as the Checkpoint Classic N10. The Thunder Tag has radio frequency technology built into it that sends out a RF signal. When that signal is picked up by the antenna an audible alarm is activated and flashing LED lights in the antenna are triggered. By attaching the tags to medical mobile devices, hospitals or clinics can prevent their devices from being stolen. This makes it feasible for a care center to allow patients to complete their medical forms online through a device without concern of a tablet theft or i-pad theft. I am sure the question is raised, couldn’t someone just remove the tag and steal the device anyways? No, the Alpha Thunder Tag has a built in tamper alarm that sounds if someone were to try to remove it.
The question may also be asked, “Why should we allow the patient to hold the i-pad or tablet and take the chance that it may be stolen? We just transfer the information to the computer after the patient fills out the paperwork, so we still comply with ehr requirements.” My response is that this is double work. I am not a proponent of wasted effort. If the patient can do it once on a clinic supplied device there is no need for the receptionist to retype it. You also have two chances for input errors, first by the patient then by the employee. The receptionist can always assist a patient in inputting information if they are unable to do so themselves. In other words, if the technology is already in place, doesn’t it make more sense touse it to the fullest potential? One other thing about using paper, it is always possible for paperwork to get misplaced or lost. I have even written on cases where paper medical records have been dumped in outdoor trash bins. Why take the chance of patient information breaches because paperwork is mishandled?
Mobile medical devices offer many benefits from online patient visits to a variety of professional medical apps for doctors and nurses. Clinics, hospitals and doctor offices can become more efficient and grow their practices by using these new technologies. Incorporate Alpha Thunder Tags and Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas to protect against tablet theft or i-pad theft and to prevent patient data breaches.
Alpha Thunder Tags are important and we can help it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
USING THE LOSS PREVENTION CALCULATOR TO DETERMINE ROI
Anytime I want something not in the budget, I have to convince my bosses that by spending that money, I can get the company a return on that investment. For example, last year I really wanted to install license plate readers in my store’s parking lots to aid in investigations. I had to put in some effort, since I don’t have some magic loss prevention calculator.
It definitely was a hard sell, as the cameras and software ran about $1,000 per location. I have 30 stores under my responsibility, so to convince the company to spend $30k was very hard, especially in the current retail climate. So how’d I do it? Well, I started small. I got the approval to test the idea in one store. So I chose the highest shrink store that I had. Once the system was installed, it didn’t take long for an instigation to hit my desk. I had some guys run out of the rear fire exit with several high end coolers, totaling well over $4,000. Guess what they hit on the way out? I was able to sell that save as a benefit to the plate reader system and ultimately secured my funding to deploy to all store locations. So what if there was some magic loss prevention ROI calculator? What would you use it for?
Chances are, if you’re reading this, you don’t have 30 stores, or multi-million dollar budgets. If I had to guess, your margins are razor thin and you’re looking for any and all ways to combat shoplifters that are eroding your profit. You’ve also probably been kicking around the idea of installing an anti-theft system, but maybe you’ve been concerned over the investment, and if you’ll ever seen your money come back. Well, the good folks over at Loss Prevention Systems developed their very own loss prevention calculator to help you see just how easy it is to see that return on your investment.
When you have time (like, right now) head over to www.losspreventionsytems.com/roi-calculator. The loss prevention calculator is so easy to use, almost anyone can do it, even store managers. Just plug in your sales information and the equipment cost. You can be set up with a new system for about $2,300. I added a few extra dollars to be conservative and to include hard tags/soft tags. Click the button and you’re all set. The loss prevention ROI calculator does all the work for you!
I think the best feature is the PDF print out it generates. You can physically see what your shrink expenses are, how much an EAS system will cost, and most importantly, how long would it take for you to see a return on your initial investment. Using the basic set up here, it would take less than a year for you to recoup your investment. Not only that, you’re setting yourself for continued savings each month through a reduction in overall shrink caused by internal and external theft. So what are you waiting for? Go see for yourself how easy the loss prevention ROI calculator is and how much money you can add back to your bottom line!
Get more information on ROI Calculator, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
AA blog 07: Electronic Article Surveillance
Electronic Article Surveillance: 4
EAS Labels: 5
Stop Shoplifting: 3
Where’s the Beef? Why Electronic Article Surveillance is a Necessary Part of Any Business.
If you have been in the local grocery store lately or if you happen to own one, you are very well aware of the constant inflation of food prices. I notice when prices are fluctuating, especially when I go to buy my favorite Honeycrisp apples, that are running anywhere from $2.00-$3.00 a pound, or a nice juicy steak that can cost me upwards of $15.00. Unfortunately for us consumers, we can’t do anything to reduce these costs, aside from comparative shopping and looking for local discounts. There are many reasons why our agricultural market continues to increase consumer prices by an average of 2-3% a year. Many variables contribute to this rate, which can fluctuate depending on the weather and other economic variables. The cost of oil is a huge factor in the cost of food products. This is due the rising price of gas, which affects delivery costs and can limit resource availability. Droughts in states such as California and Texas can affect crop and meat production and availability, which increase prices due to supply and demand issues. This also presents a problem for grocery store owners because they continue to mark-up prices in order to provide these products and maintain profits. As prices continue to rise we are also seeing higher theft rates in the food industry. So what are these companies doing to help secure their products and stop shoplifting? Many businesses are utilizing Electronic Article Surveillance solutions to label and detect theft.
If you aren’t familiar with EAS Labels or how Electronic Article Surveillance works to reduce shrinkage, let me be the first to tell you what an important role they can play for you and your company. As a loss prevention manager I have seen the positive impact this system has had on businesses of all types and sizes. EAS labels come in various types and sizes to accommodate various products. They provide a discreet means to apply EAS technology to a product, which can be detected by EAS antennas, to stop shoplifting. Specially designed Checkpoint labels have been created specifically for the food industry. They are FDA approved and do not impact the integrity of the product. This allows them to be placed directly on fresh meat or frozen product packaging and is microwave safe. They are small sticker tags that are equipped with EAS technology. This technology is compatible with various checkout systems, which provide for a convenient way to deactivate the EAS signal at the time of checkout, with no added effort. These EAS labels can be printed at the store level, making the process simple and efficient. There are various other soft labels that are equipped with EAS that can be used for non-food products as well. This can be a benefit to those grocery stores that sell other products such as cosmetics, medicine and vitamins, jewelry and other high priced items such as electronics. These clear adhesive labels contain a small bar code that can be printed and affixed to products, without reducing the visibility of the product. These EAS labels will substantially reduce shoplifting through deterrence and detection.
If you want to stop shoplifting in your stores, reduce overhead cost, improve customer relations and increase profit, consider upgrading your security to include Electronic Article Surveillance. Adding EAS labels to your high valued items is imperative to reduce theft. As a consumer I will continue to look for lower prices and shop in stores that don’t over-stretch my budget. Pricing, quality and convenience will continue to drive purchasing preferences, so do yourself a favor and protect your merchandise, so you can remain competitive in the market.
Get more information on Electronic Article Surveillance, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547, now.
If you have been in the local grocery store lately or if you happen to own one, you are very well aware of the constant inflation of food prices. I notice when prices are fluctuating, especially when I go to buy my favorite Honeycrisp apples, that are running anywhere from $2.00-$3.00 a pound, or a nice juicy steak that can cost me upwards of $15.00. Unfortunately for us consumers, we can’t do anything to reduce these costs, aside from comparative shopping and looking for local discounts. There are many reasons why our agricultural market continues to increase consumer prices by an average of 2-3% a year. Many variables contribute to this rate, which can fluctuate depending on the weather and other economic variables. The cost of oil is a huge factor in the cost of food products. This is due the rising price of gas, which affects delivery costs and can limit resource availability. Droughts in states such as California and Texas can affect crop and meat production and availability, which increase prices due to supply and demand issues. This also presents a problem for grocery store owners because they continue to mark-up prices in order to provide these products and maintain profits. As prices continue to rise we are also seeing higher theft rates in the food industry. So what are these companies doing to help secure their products and stop shoplifting? Many businesses are utilizing Electronic Article Surveillance solutions to label and detect theft.
If you aren’t familiar with EAS Labels or how Electronic Article Surveillance works to reduce shrinkage, let me be the first to tell you what an important role they can play for you and your company. As a loss prevention manager I have seen the positive impact this system has had on businesses of all types and sizes. EAS labels come in various types and sizes to accommodate various products. They provide a discreet means to apply EAS technology to a product, which can be detected by EAS antennas, to stop shoplifting. Specially designed Checkpoint labels have been created specifically for the food industry. They are FDA approved and do not impact the integrity of the product. This allows them to be placed directly on fresh meat or frozen product packaging and is microwave safe. They are small sticker tags that are equipped with EAS technology. This technology is compatible with various checkout systems, which provide for a convenient way to deactivate the EAS signal at the time of checkout, with no added effort. These EAS labels can be printed at the store level, making the process simple and efficient. There are various other soft labels that are equipped with EAS that can be used for non-food products as well. This can be a benefit to those grocery stores that sell other products such as cosmetics, medicine and vitamins, jewelry and other high priced items such as electronics. These clear adhesive labels contain a small bar code that can be printed and affixed to products, without reducing the visibility of the product. These EAS labels will substantially reduce shoplifting through deterrence and detection.
If you want to stop shoplifting in your stores, reduce overhead cost, improve customer relations and increase profit, consider upgrading your security to include Electronic Article Surveillance. Adding EAS labels to your high valued items is imperative to reduce theft. As a consumer I will continue to look for lower prices and shop in stores that don’t over-stretch my budget. Pricing, quality and convenience will continue to drive purchasing preferences, so do yourself a favor and protect your merchandise, so you can remain competitive in the market.
Get more information on Electronic Article Surveillance, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547, now.
AA Blog 05: Alpha 3 Alarm
Alpha 3 Alarm: 4
Prevent Shoplifting: 3
Retail Anti-Theft Devices: 3
How Alpha Alpha 3 Alarm Technology Can Add a Whole New Level to Your Loss Prevention Program
In my experience as a police officer, I would have to say that the majority of the shopliftings I have responded to involved some sort of concealment on the part of the offender. This happens in various ways and occurs across a large spectrum of people. I have seen people blatantly conceal items on the retail floor, by placing them in their purse or backpack or inside their clothing. This is typical of the younger crowd, although I have arrested an older man for stealing vitamins, which may say more about our health care system, than it does retail theft. I have also seen people remove items from their packaging, to allow for easier concealment, or hide the item in a stroller or cart. I have also responded to the calls where someone took the item into the dressing room and placed it somewhere on their person, sometimes even layering clothing or undergarments. I have even seen someone conceal items in their person, which is going above and beyond if you ask me; nobody needs a necklace that bad. Regardless of the method, concealment seems to be the most popular method of shoplifting from my experience, and requires special consideration. The best method to prevent shoplifting, of this nature, is to utilize retail anti-theft devices
Alpha Security has a myriad of retail anti-theft devices that can be used to prevent shoplifting. They have hard tags and locks that can be used to protect any item in your inventory. Many of these devices can be equipped with the Alpha 3 Alarm, which provide an audible notification alarm. The cable locks, for example can be affixed to clothing and other items such as shoes, purses or other accessories and allow the retailer the ability to secure the item without having to pin expensive items. The locks come in various lengths and therefore provide a wide range of options in order to prevent shoplifting. They are small and easy to affix and can be equipped with the Alpha 3 Alarm technology, which is battery powered. The alarm is designed to sound if someone attempts to leave the store with the item or tries to remove the tag from the merchandise. These Alarms are designed to deter shoplifting because concealment will not play a factor with these types of devices. These tags and locks are reusable and can be affixed at the retail level. You can also purchase anti-theft devices for larger items such as televisions, gaming consoles, tools and other high priced items.
I know some retail owners believe that equipping their merchandise with locks or tags or other anti-shoplifting devices is too troublesome and expensive, but as an officer and consumer, the up-front cost outweighs the potential risk to your property and your pocketbook. As a law abiding citizen and a retail shopper, retail anti-theft devices are important to me as well. They ensure I am getting the products I want at a reasonable price. Preventing shoplifting doesn’t just improve profits for the retailer it also ensures retail prices are not marked up, due to inventory loss, associated with shoplifting. These devices will also reduce the amount of time you are seeing me in your store, at least in a law enforcement capacity that is, and will reduce your frustration. These devices are meant to supplement your existing loss prevention program and floor level associates with detection and deterrence. They also reduce your chances of having to deal with a lengthy judicial process, to try and reconcile your losses.
For more information about Alpha 3 Alarm technology, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
In my experience as a police officer, I would have to say that the majority of the shopliftings I have responded to involved some sort of concealment on the part of the offender. This happens in various ways and occurs across a large spectrum of people. I have seen people blatantly conceal items on the retail floor, by placing them in their purse or backpack or inside their clothing. This is typical of the younger crowd, although I have arrested an older man for stealing vitamins, which may say more about our health care system, than it does retail theft. I have also seen people remove items from their packaging, to allow for easier concealment, or hide the item in a stroller or cart. I have also responded to the calls where someone took the item into the dressing room and placed it somewhere on their person, sometimes even layering clothing or undergarments. I have even seen someone conceal items in their person, which is going above and beyond if you ask me; nobody needs a necklace that bad. Regardless of the method, concealment seems to be the most popular method of shoplifting from my experience, and requires special consideration. The best method to prevent shoplifting, of this nature, is to utilize retail anti-theft devices
Alpha Security has a myriad of retail anti-theft devices that can be used to prevent shoplifting.They have hard tags and locks that can be used to protect any item in your inventory. Many of these devices can be equipped with the Alpha 3 Alarm, which provide an audible notification alarm. The cable locks, for example can be affixed to clothing and other items such as shoes, purses or other accessories and allow the retailer the ability to secure the item without having to pin expensive items. The locks come in various lengths and therefore provide a wide range of options in order to prevent shoplifting. They are small and easy to affix and can be equipped with the Alpha 3 Alarm technology, which is battery powered. The alarm is designed to sound if someone attempts to leave the store with the item or tries to remove the tag from the merchandise. These Alarms are designed to deter shoplifting because concealment will not play a factor with these types of devices. These tags and locks are reusable and can be affixed at the retail level. You can also purchase anti-theft devices for larger items such as televisions, gaming consoles, tools and other high priced items.
I know some retail owners believe that equipping their merchandise with locks or tags or other anti-shoplifting devices is too troublesome and expensive, but as an officer and consumer, the up-front cost outweighs the potential risk to your property and your pocketbook. As a law abiding citizen and a retail shopper, retail anti-theft devices are important to me as well. They ensure I am getting the products I want at a reasonable price. Preventing shoplifting doesn’t just improve profits for the retailer it also ensures retail prices are not marked up, due to inventory loss, associated with shoplifting. These devices will also reduce the amount of time you are seeing me in your store, at least in a law enforcement capacity that is, and will reduce your frustration. These devices are meant to supplement your existing loss prevention program and floor level associates with detection and deterrence. They also reduce your chances of having to deal with a lengthy judicial process, to try and reconcile your losses.
For more information about Alpha 3 Alarm technology, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Having worked in retail for so many years now, I have always hated to see what I considered wasted payroll. Some stores seem to be over staffed when there is no need for it and then there are times I look around a store and can’t seem to find any help.When I get to a checkout counter and there is only one lane open and a line of customers waiting to check out, I shake my head and just wonder what is going on with that store’s payroll and scheduling. I have also been a Manager On Duty and experienced the frustration of a schedule that was too light due to an automated scheduling system that supposedly gave payroll hours based on “historical” data. How about a schedule based on numbers of patrons, not just sales data like dollars spent or someone’s perception of what payroll should be. How beneficial would it be to your store to have a customer counting system that provides actual head counts so you can staff your store effectively?
The VisiPlus retail traffic counting system gives the store the ability to make accurate decisions on how many people should be staffed and at what times. Perhaps you staff your store with 10 employees every day from open to close. No changes to the schedule, just plug in 10 people and go. Do you truly need the same 10 people at 8:00 a.m. that you have scheduled at 10:00 p.m.? What time does your customer traffic really pick up? Wouldn’t it be nice to have 12 or 13 people on the schedule during your busiest hours? A customer counting system can help you do that. A door counting system works by measuring the people entering and exiting the building. Rather than estimating the number of patrons a store has had based on transactions, real numbers of patrons are counted.
So what is the difference between estimated numbers and real customer counts through a retail traffic counting system? Estimating customer counts through sales does not take into account those customers who may have left the store without making a purchase due to frustrations at wait times. If there is inadequate staffing at peak hours, customers who may have been seeking sales floor assistance may not have received it. Customers who saw the lines of a checkout counter and left due to the anticipated wait time are not counted. Customer counting systems give actual data and can provide day of the week and time break downs to make scheduling much more effective. I may need 10 people for 3 hours to stock merchandise and run the store, but if my counts show I have low customer counts for a few hours afterwards then I can send two or three workers home when the work is done. I can use historical counts to staff 13 or 14 people for 4 or 5 hours or more, based on what my door counting system has shown as peak times. In this way, I ensure ample coverage is in place to serve the additional foot traffic shopping in the store. Those additional three or four people can ensure I am serving my customers on the floor and getting them through the checkout lines quickly. As I improve my service, my sales will go up.
As a Manager On Duty I also closed a store with far too few people to get a proper recovery done. Because of poor scheduling we would have just enough staff to help customers, but not enough at those peak times to also recover the store as it was being torn up. Sales data showed a slowdown in traffic so, why have extra help at 10:00 p.m.? Basing staffing on the results of a door counting system, proper payroll allocation can be adjusted to make sure ALL tasks get done, patrons are served AND you get your staff out on time. I can’t tell you how much payroll I see overspent because staffs are kept past scheduled hours to straighten a store.
A retail counting system can help you be smarter in payroll spending. In doing so you will be able to better serve your customers, and increase transactions and dollars. Don’t depend on sales that have been missed as a measure of your customer traffic, see what a difference a customer counting system can make for your staffing model!
Need information on a customer counting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
