20 USES FOR ALPHA KEEPERS – PART 1
I’ve not run into a product more versatile than the line of Alpha Keepers. There are dozens upon dozens of sizes, shapes, and styles that will fit just about any product out there. I’ve combed through and compiled a list of 20 products that your store should be protecting in this 4 part series.
1. Razor Blades
Razors and razor blades come in at #1 on the list. These are an incredible hot item across the spectrum of retail stores. It doesn’t matter if you are a large chain, a small pharmacy or somewhere in-between. Blades are expensive, which opens up a large “black market” for them. Boosters are able to easily resell them through fences, flea markets, and online sites such as Craigslist or eBay. The best solution to this problem is the use of an Alpha Keeper, hands down. By securing your goods here, you can almost bet that thieves will move on to a less secured store.
2. Cologne and perfume
This category is a close 2nd to razor blades, but proves to be a bit more difficult for the retailer. You almost certainly need prevent shoplifting, as there are an endless supply of high theft/high in-demand products. Again, due to the ease of resell, and how easily concealable the product is, it becomes a prime target for boosters. Securing the product in a keeper allows you to fully merchandise the product, all while protecting your inventory.
3. Shampoo
While there aren’t that many bottles of shampoo out there that retail over $10, you’d probably be surprised just how commonly it’s stolen. This is one of the highest shrinking categories for dollar stores and convenience stores. It falls back on the ease of resale. Using an Alpha Keeper may sound a bit silly, however it you are truly going to prevent shoplifting, shampoo protection should be a part of that strategy.
4. Deodorant
I’ve had cases where boosters would literally, empty out my entire shelf of deodorant and run out the front door. The market for this product is huge! Common theme today… but the ease of resale makes this another prime target for thieves; and a great candidate for Alpha Keepers.
5. Electronic Toothbrushes
No, a thief isn’t too concerned with proper hygiene, but they are concerned with stealing your inventory. These items have steadily grown in popularity over the past few years. There high retail price coupled with a demand for the product has opened up a huge market for criminal to resell their stolen goods. If not protected, these items will most certainly be carted out of your store.
Over the past year, I’ve worked theft cases where information led us to resellers. Most of these individuals would mask their illicit activities behind a computer and keyboard, but there was on case where I found a store, in the most un-suspecting place; a suburban home. The homeowner was recruiting boosters to steal the 5 items above (in addition to several others). There was a bedroom in the house that was converted to a mini-shopping center, complete with racks and peg hooks. Everyone from the neighborhood would come “shop”. Boosters were able to steal this product from local stores, as they were not secured in any way. That should be a firm reminder that to prevent shoplifting, Alpha Keepers should be a part of your store’s product protection strategy.
For more information about Alpha Keepers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
I’ve not run into a product more versatile than the line of Alpha Keepers. There are dozens upon dozens of sizes, shapes, and styles that will fit just about any product out there. I’ve combed through and compiled a list of 20 products that your store should be protecting in this 4 part series.
1. Razor Blades
Razors and razor blades come in at #1 on the list. These are an incredible hot item across the spectrum of retail stores. It doesn’t matter if you are a large chain, a small pharmacy or somewhere in-between. Blades are expensive, which opens up a large “black market” for them. Boosters are able to easily resell them through fences, flea markets, and online sites such as Craigslist or eBay. The best solution to this problem is the use of an Alpha Keeper, hands down. By securing your goods here, you can almost bet that thieves will move on to a less secured store.
2. Cologne and perfume
This category is a close 2nd to razor blades, but proves to be a bit more difficult for the retailer. You almost certainly need prevent shoplifting, as there are an endless supply of high theft/high in-demand products. Again, due to the ease of resell, and how easily concealable the product is, it becomes a prime target for boosters. Securing the product in a keeper allows you to fully merchandise the product, all while protecting your inventory.
3. Shampoo
While there aren’t that many bottles of shampoo out there that retail over $10, you’d probably be surprised just how commonly it’s stolen. This is one of the highest shrinking categories for dollar stores and convenience stores. It falls back on the ease of resale. Using an Alpha Keeper may sound a bit silly, however it you are truly going to prevent shoplifting, shampoo protection should be a part of that strategy.
4. Deodorant
I’ve had cases where boosters would literally, empty out my entire shelf of deodorant and run out the front door. The market for this product is huge! Common theme today… but the ease of resale makes this another prime target for thieves; and a great candidate for Alpha Keepers.
5. Electronic Toothbrushes
No, a thief isn’t too concerned with proper hygiene, but they are concerned with stealing your inventory. These items have steadily grown in popularity over the past few years. There high retail price coupled with a demand for the product has opened up a huge market for criminal to resell their stolen goods. If not protected, these items will most certainly be carted out of your store.
Over the past year, I’ve worked theft cases where information led us to resellers. Most of these individuals would mask their illicit activities behind a computer and keyboard, but there was on case where I found a store, in the most un-suspecting place; a suburban home. The homeowner was recruiting boosters to steal the 5 items above (in addition to several others). There was a bedroom in the house that was converted to a mini-shopping center, complete with racks and peg hooks. Everyone from the neighborhood would come “shop”. Boosters were able to steal this product from local stores, as they were not secured in any way. That should be a firm reminder that to prevent shoplifting, Alpha Keepers should be a part of your store’s product protection strategy.
For more information about Alpha Keepers contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
N10 Antenna-4 , Alpha Thunder Tag-4 , Medical Field-2
Protect Your Paperless Check In Devices
The president has issued the challenge for doctor’s offices to go digital. This will make sharing patient records among different doctors much easier and more streamlined so that everyone is getting the same information and a more consistent message. Some technology makers have taken this to the next level by adding an option for paperless check in as well. The problem for many offices, however, is that these are major investments and the safety and security of these electronic tablets is paramount. That’s why some new anti-theft devices for the medical field have been developed. You’ve likely seen these devices being used at retailers, but with the N10 Antenna, your patients would probably never even know it is there. You would need an additional tool, like Alpha Thunder Tags, attached to the tablets in order to trigger the alarm.
First, let’s look at the benefits of a paperless check in system. First of all, there’s no clipboard full of redundant papers for the patient to fill in. The staff doesn’t have to keep up with ink pens being available for each clip board user either. The patient could go sit in the lobby with the tablet, fill in all the pertinent information, and be done much quicker. This would be a major time-saver and help the office stay on schedule. Plus, if the office was behind on the day’s workload, the patient would be less likely to complain about them being behind if they were able to utilize the tablets once they had completed all their registration tasks. They could check and respond to their emails or just browse the internet. If they had children in tow, or if the children were the patients, they could watch videos or even play games to keep them occupied. (Open internet use may not be available with all devices, but some of the makers of this system do offer this as an option.)
Now of course, these tablets have to be maintained and kept secure. The tablets themselves are very expensive and the office obviously can’t afford to constantly replace them, so there must be safeguards in place. This is where those tools for the medical field I wrote about earlier can come into play. First the N10 Antenna is sleek, compact, and designed for small spaces. The detection ability is still just as powerful, and the office’s tablets will be under constant unseen surveillance. The other tool that the office would need to pair with the N10 Antenna is the Alpha Thunder Tag. These are small and versatile and they have more than one alarm level. Here’s how it works: If a patient were to accidentally (or purposefully) attempt to leave with the paperless check in tablet, the N10 Antenna will alarm (caused by the technology embedded in the Alpha Thunder Tag). This should be enough of a deterrent to convince the person to come back and return the tablet to the desk. However, if they go ahead and walk out the door with the tablet, the Alpha Thunder Tag will self-alarm at that point, and continue to sound to alert staff to its location.
For more information on these and more options to protect your office electronics, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
The president has issued the challenge for doctor’s offices to go digital. This will make sharing patient records among different doctors much easier and more streamlined so that everyone is getting the same information and a more consistent message. Some technology makers have taken this to the next level by adding an option for paperless check in as well. The problem for many offices, however, is that these are major investments and the safety and security of these electronic tablets is paramount. That’s why some new anti-theft devices for the medical field have been developed. You’ve likely seen these devices being used at retailers, but with the N10 Antenna, your patients would probably never even know it is there. You would need an additional tool, like Alpha Thunder Tags, attached to the tablets in order to trigger the alarm.
First, let’s look at the benefits of a paperless check in system.
First of all, there’s no clipboard full of redundant papers for the patient to fill in. The staff doesn’t have to keep up with ink pens being available for each clip board user either. The patient could go sit in the lobby with the tablet, fill in all the pertinent information, and be done much quicker. This would be a major time-saver and help the office stay on schedule. Plus, if the office was behind on the day’s workload, the patient would be less likely to complain about them being behind if they were able to utilize the tablets once they had completed all their registration tasks. They could check and respond to their emails or just browse the internet. If they had children in tow, or if the children were the patients, they could watch videos or even play games to keep them occupied. (Open internet use may not be available with all devices, but some of the makers of this system do offer this as an option.)
Now of course, these tablets have to be maintained and kept secure. The tablets themselves are very expensive and the office obviously can’t afford to constantly replace them, so there must be safeguards in place. This is where those tools for the medical field I wrote about earlier can come into play. First the N10 Antenna is sleek, compact, and designed for small spaces. The detection ability is still just as powerful, and the office’s tablets will be under constant unseen surveillance. The other tool that the office would need to pair with the N10 Antenna is the Alpha Thunder Tag. These are small and versatile and they have more than one alarm level. Here’s how it works: If a patient were to accidentally (or purposefully) attempt to leave with the paperless check in tablet, the N10 Antenna will alarm (caused by the technology embedded in the Alpha Thunder Tag). This should be enough of a deterrent to convince the person to come back and return the tablet to the desk. However, if they go ahead and walk out the door with the tablet, the Alpha Thunder Tag will self-alarm at that point, and continue to sound to alert staff to its location.
For more information on these and more options to protect your office electronics, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Either through higher prices or with tougher return policies, every one of us pays for those that commit return fraud. In a recent survey, 70% of those businesses asked said they had made changes to their return policies and 25% of those asked responded that they had made their policies much stricter. Considering that annual return rates are around 7.3% of all sales, and it goes up to 8.8% during the 4th quarter holiday season, stores have to make adjustments now to combat the loss of sales associated with returns.
There are many different ways to handle refunds and exchanges to help put a dent in return fraud Many stores keep track of them through a database recording their driver’s license numbers. When they’ve reached their yearly limit, they are denied any further returns for at least that year. The problem with that approach is the fact that they can simply get around it by having a family member or friend bring it back for them. Many retailers have an exchange only policy. That means they will replace the item with another item of equal or lesser value, but they will not give the person their money back. This idea does work for those trying to return stolen items just so they can get the money or even store credit. But it also punishes those customers that are truly unhappy with their purchase. And really, if the store is giving the person merchandise, it’s just as bad as giving them the money. The store still had to purchase the inventory, so the retailer is still losing profit either way.
The most common knee jerk response for many businesses to battle return fraud is a “no receipt, no return” tactic. So, without proof of purchase, they will send you back out the door whether you really bought it or not. In many cases, this can be a real customer service killer. It also is completely useless to another refund villain, the customer participating in the practice of wardrobing. Yes, this arch enemy of all retailers’ worldwide buys stuff but never once intends to keep it. They go into small boutiques or even big box stores and buy the nicest dress, shoes, purse, and maybe even all the accessories to go with their ensemble. They buy all this with no concern or worry about how much it costs. They wear it all to their big event, get all sorts of compliments, and then they bring it all back to the store the next day expecting a full refund. They have their receipts for goodness sakes; it’s not like they stole it. Wardrobing is absolutely a type of return fraud, but many times these people portray themselves as the victims of buyer’s remorse and will have a fit if the store refuses their refund.
The answer to this type of theft is simple: Alpha Shark Tags. They are simple, yet extremely effective tools that you clip on to a very prominent place on the item. (You can attach it via lanyard as well, and you can even use the clip to attach a copy of the return policy right onto the item.) When the customer gets home, they can cut off the Alpha Shark Tags with a simple pair of household scissors. But the catch is that once the tag is removed, the item becomes non-returnable. It’s that easy. And you stop this “free rent” type of return fraud in its tracks.
For more information on return fraud, contact us: 1.770.426.0547
Background checks-3 WC blog 31
Background check company-3
Pre-employment screening-3
“Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” – Not So, If You Use Background Checks
As we enter the New Year, many businesses face the task of starting to let go some of those seasonal folks who were hired on to fill their scheduling needs during the busy holidays. Were you one of those businesses that brought new hires on board? How well do you know those people? Did you have the time to run background checks on your seasonal and temporary hires? These are a few things to think about as you make those critical decisions on who stays and who should go. You may be wondering why this is important if Mary Sue or Billy Bob did a great job for you during the holiday rush. My response to you is to consider how well you really know these individuals. Remember, if you keep them on staff, what may they be doing for you and what impact could they have on your business if they are not who you thought they were when you hired them.
Even the best Human Resources Managers can be fooled by someone who knows how to say the right things and how to present themselves in an interview. Many of us want to think the best of someone and a good story can charm us, even if we have that “gut feeling” something isn’t quite right. Background checks run before a hiring decision is made can save you a lot of headaches in the future. A Background check company can verify educational information on your candidate if you have education requirements for a position. They can conduct credit checks for you (do you want to hire a cashier who may be in debt to credit card companies?). Employers have to have I-9 verification; a background check company can trace social security numbers to validate identity. Perhaps your business requires vehicle deliveries, an applicant’s driver history can be checked for citations, revocations and suspensions. A solid pre-employment screening will ensure you are not being sold a fake bill of goods.
SO! Why am I so concerned about Mary Sue and Billy Bob, they worked hard, they showed up for all their shifts, they gave really great customer service at the register or on the sales floor? First, it was the holiday season, YOU as the store owner or manager were very busy, did you REALLY get to see them in action or were these cursory observations you made? Who were those people that were receiving the super customer service treatment? It could be they were friends of Mary or Billy and they received good customer service because they were getting really “good” deals at the register. A pre-employment screening may have revealed that they had been released from a number of other retail jobs or had criminal histories involving theft. Sometimes dishonest employees will behave for a time in order to build your trust, and establish themselves until seasonal staff have been let go and they are remaining. They may be looking for the long-term theft that they can get away with over the next few years.
You also need to think about inventory control. Once a person remains on after the holidays they have probably earned your trust and will start to have more responsibility or access to higher risk inventory. For example, someone may start off as a customer service clerk and after the seasonal hires have been let go, this person remains on staff. They show they are a hard worker and you move them to your electronics department. Now they have keys to your showcases, or your stockroom if you lock up your electronics. You forget they never went through a background check when they were hired. Who is this person to whom you have entrusted such a high risk area? Who is that cashier that you are now considering to work in your cash office?
Don’t allow your company to take unnecessary employment risks, look into what a background check company can do to protect your interests. Pre-employment screenings are the preference but even if you have already made hiring decisions, a background check may not be too late. If an employee has been found to have lied on an application through a background check, you may still have the ability to take action. Hire the best and don’t settle for less, see what background checks can do for you.
For more information on background checks contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
As we enter the New Year, many businesses face the task of starting to let go some of those seasonal folks who were hired on to fill their scheduling needs during the busy holidays. Were you one of those businesses that brought new hires on board? How well do you know those people? Did you have the time to run background checks on your seasonal and temporary hires? These are a few things to think about as you make those critical decisions on who stays and who should go. You may be wondering why this is important if Mary Sue or Billy Bob did a great job for you during the holiday rush. My response to you is to consider how well you really know these individuals. Remember, if you keep them on staff, what may they be doing for you and what impact could they have on your business if they are not who you thought they were when you hired them.
Even the best Human Resources Managers can be fooled by someone who knows how to say the right things and how to present themselves in an interview. Many of us want to think the best of someone and a good story can charm us, even if we have that “gut feeling” something isn’t quite right. Background checks run before a hiring decision is made can save you a lot of headaches in the future. A Background check company can verify educational information on your candidate if you have education requirements for a position. They can conduct credit checks for you (do you want to hire a cashier who may be in debt to credit card companies?). Employers have to have I-9 verification; a background check company can trace social security numbers to validate identity. Perhaps your business requires vehicle deliveries, an applicant’s driver history can be checked for citations, revocations and suspensions. A solid pre-employment screening will ensure you are not being sold a fake bill of goods.
SO! Why am I so concerned about Mary Sue and Billy Bob, they worked hard, they showed up for all their shifts, they gave really great customer service at the register or on the sales floor? First, it was the holiday season, YOU as the store owner or manager were very busy, did you REALLY get to see them in action or were these cursory observations you made? Who were those people that were receiving the super customer service treatment? It could be they were friends of Mary or Billy and they received good customer service because they were getting really “good” deals at the register. A pre-employment screening may have revealed that they had been released from a number of other retail jobs or had criminal histories involving theft. Sometimes dishonest employees will behave for a time in order to build your trust, and establish themselves until seasonal staff have been let go and they are remaining. They may be looking for the long-term theft that they can get away with over the next few years.
You also need to think about inventory control. Once a person remains on after the holidays they have probably earned your trust and will start to have more responsibility or access to higher risk inventory. For example, someone may start off as a customer service clerk and after the seasonal hires have been let go, this person remains on staff. They show they are a hard worker and you move them to your electronics department. Now they have keys to your showcases, or your stockroom if you lock up your electronics. You forget they never went through a background check when they were hired. Who is this person to whom you have entrusted such a high risk area? Who is that cashier that you are now considering to work in your cash office?
Don’t allow your company to take unnecessary employment risks, look into what a background check company can do to protect your interests. Pre-employment screenings are the preference but even if you have already made hiring decisions, a background check may not be too late. If an employee has been found to have lied on an application through a background check, you may still have the ability to take action. Hire the best and don’t settle for less, see what background checks can do for you.
For more information on background checks contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
BUILDING GREAT LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIPS WILL HELP YOU TO STOP SHOPLIFTING IN YOUR STORES
Often, I write about ways to stop shoplifting, or ways to better use technology to prevent losses. I sincerely hope that someone out there reads what I have to say and uses it in there store to help them make more money in the form of reduced losses. Well, I don’t have any tips today. What I do have is a pretty great story out of one of my stores that show just how pervasive the shoplifting culture is and how a couple of fantastic property crime detectives recovered tens of thousands of dollars for my store.
Over the past decade with my current employer, I’ve made some great partnerships with the law enforcement community in each jurisdiction I have a store in. My theory here is that if you take care of the police, they will take care of you. Our stores are willing and able to support any investigation they may have. Whether it is a case of identity theft, vehicle burglary in the parking lot, or even a pick pocket in the store, I instruct my managers to always give the police access to anything they need to satisfy their investigation. In addition, I make sure a good portion of my community engagement budget goes to law enforcement functions in the community. That level of partnership and cooperation has benefited me tremendously with my goal to stop shoplifting. Anytime I need help with an investigation, I can pick up the phone and someone will lend a helping hand. Other times, I’ll get a case hand delivered to me. Like this week.
A few days ago, a detective I’ve known for quite some time called me with information on a shoplifting ring that was targeting one of my stores. They had very reliable information that the pair, a husband and wife had been shoplifting large quantities of merchandise from this particular store for quite a while. Through their investigation, they had discovered a storage facility that merchandise was likely being kept at, and he had already secured a search warrant for the storage unit, as well as their home. Awesome I though, but why are you calling?
He thought it’d be great to catch them in the act. He had some specific information on when they would target the store next and asked if I wanted to “ride along”. Who passes up this opportunity? So, within hours, I had an overnight bag packed and I was on my way. The lengths I go to stop shoplifting…..
The day that his source tells him arrives and we set up at the store. I arrive at the store and there are several detectives, in plain clothes all around. Like clock-work, the happy couple arrives. Immediately, they start going for all sorts of high end product. Everything they grab has a checkpoint label secured to it. Not 15 minutes later, the pair exits the store. The checkpoint labels didn’t set the alarm off, which was a surprise to me. Within seconds of their exit, they are swarmed by detectives. The female decides to run… she didn’t get that far. The weight of 15 pairs of denim jeans kept her from reaching her top speed. Her accomplice had just as many pairs, along with several watches, electronics and footwear merchandise. They were literally busting at the seams.
With warrants in hand, I had the privilege to ride along with the detectives as they busted open their storage locker. Their source had paid off big time. Inside the locker was close to 75 pairs of jeans, stacks of shoes, piles of neatly folded clothing and scores of electronic merchandise. All of it belonged to my store. When one of the detectives asked how I could be sure that the merchandise belonged to me, I pointed out that nearly every item had a checkpoint label attached to it. That label had my stores name and number printed on it.
We also discovered, once these two fine citizens got to the jail, was how they were able to defeat the EAS system. They would wear two layers of clothing. Underneath their outer garments, they wore baggier jogging type clothing. That clothing was taped around their ankles, so when they stuffed the store’s merchandise down their pants, it was secured. That second layer was also meticulously lined with aluminum foil, thus blocking the sensors from going off at the door. This just goes to show, while our efforts may not be fruitful 100%, thieves will always, eventually, get caught!
For more information about Checkpoint Labels contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Often, I write about ways to stop shoplifting, or ways to better use technology to prevent losses. I sincerely hope that someone out there reads what I have to say and uses it in there store to help them make more money in the form of reduced losses. Well, I don’t have any tips today. What I do have is a pretty great story out of one of my stores that show just how pervasive the shoplifting culture is and how a couple of fantastic property crime detectives recovered tens of thousands of dollars for my store.
Over the past decade with my current employer, I’ve made some great partnerships with the law enforcement community in each jurisdiction I have a store in. My theory here is that if you take care of the police, they will take care of you. Our stores are willing and able to support any investigation they may have. Whether it is a case of identity theft, vehicle burglary in the parking lot, or even a pick pocket in the store, I instruct my managers to always give the police access to anything they need to satisfy their investigation. In addition, I make sure a good portion of my community engagement budget goes to law enforcement functions in the community. That level of partnership and cooperation has benefited me tremendously with my goal to stop shoplifting. Anytime I need help with an investigation, I can pick up the phone and someone will lend a helping hand. Other times, I’ll get a case hand delivered to me. Like this week.
A few days ago, a detective I’ve known for quite some time called me with information on a shoplifting ring that was targeting one of my stores. They had very reliable information that the pair, a husband and wife had been shoplifting large quantities of merchandise from this particular store for quite a while. Through their investigation, they had discovered a storage facility that merchandise was likely being kept at, and he had already secured a search warrant for the storage unit, as well as their home. Awesome I though, but why are you calling?
He thought it’d be great to catch them in the act. He had some specific information on when they would target the store next and asked if I wanted to “ride along”. Who passes up this opportunity? So, within hours, I had an overnight bag packed and I was on my way. The lengths I go to stop shoplifting…..
The day that his source tells him arrives and we set up at the store. I arrive at the store and there are several detectives, in plain clothes all around. Like clock-work, the happy couple arrives. Immediately, they start going for all sorts of high end product. Everything they grab has a checkpoint label secured to it. Not 15 minutes later, the pair exits the store. The checkpoint labels didn’t set the alarm off, which was a surprise to me. Within seconds of their exit, they are swarmed by detectives. The female decides to run… she didn’t get that far. The weight of 15 pairs of denim jeans kept her from reaching her top speed. Her accomplice had just as many pairs, along with several watches, electronics and footwear merchandise. They were literally busting at the seams.
With warrants in hand, I had the privilege to ride along with the detectives as they busted open their storage locker. Their source had paid off big time. Inside the locker was close to 75 pairs of jeans, stacks of shoes, piles of neatly folded clothing and scores of electronic merchandise. All of it belonged to my store. When one of the detectives asked how I could be sure that the merchandise belonged to me, I pointed out that nearly every item had a checkpoint label attached to it. That label had my stores name and number printed on it.
We also discovered, once these two fine citizens got to the jail, was how they were able to defeat the EAS system. They would wear two layers of clothing. Underneath their outer garments, they wore baggier jogging type clothing. That clothing was taped around their ankles, so when they stuffed the store’s merchandise down their pants, it was secured. That second layer was also meticulously lined with aluminum foil, thus blocking the sensors from going off at the door. This just goes to show, while our efforts may not be fruitful 100%, thieves will always, eventually, get caught!
For more information about Checkpoint Labels contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
