Return Fraud-4 , CP Labels-2, Stop Shoplifting-1
It’s Always That Time Of Year
I work for a small retail pharmacy, and I used to be surprised at what people would try to return to my store. Almost fifteen years later, I think I have seen it all. Many people have developed the mindset that it is okay to steal if you’re going to bring the item back and to get a refund. That sounds maniacal but it’s true. These folks have justified to themselves that stealing merchandise may be wrong, but that companies can absolutely afford to lose some money. Return fraud is becoming a bigger and much costlier issue for retailers because of this concept.
I had a lady come into my store yesterday, and she asked if we sold gift cards. I showed her where they were and she shopped the rack for a bit. Then she came up to the counter with several of them and tried to pay for them with one a store credit. I told her she couldn’t buy gift cards with store credit and she got really upset with me about it. These cards usually only have a few dollars on them anyway, but when I scanned it, it said there was $130 on it. I asked her which location had issued this card to her and she wouldn’t tell me. She said she had returned some fragrance sets she had received as gifts and the store gave her this huge credit. The whole thing screamed return fraud to me, and I simply couldn’t believe she had gotten away with it. When someone tries to bring back expensive items to my store to return, I hate to admit it, but I put them through the ringer. If they don’t have a receipt, they better have some way to prove they bought the items or I’ll send them back out the door. It’s hard enough to stop shoplifting, and you don’t want to encourage theft with a too lenient return policy. It doesn’t stop there though.
I volunteer with an organization that collects toys for children during the holidays. I help pack the boxes and bags based on the list their parents have provided. As part of the process, we black out the bar codes on all the packages that are given to these children. There was such rampant return fraud attributed to these toy giveaways, we had to do something. Basically, the parents would come pick up the toys, take them straight to a big box store to return them all, and pocket the money. This year I added another touch to help stop the problem. I donated several rolls of Checkpoint Labels to the toy drive. As we unpacked all the boxes and sorted them, we went through and attached labels to every single toy. We put them on the fronts of the packages and we concealed them inside others. That way, if a parent decided to try and take the free toys back to the store, the active Checkpoint Labels would cause the alarm to sound when they came in the door. I called the area stores that were usually hit with this appalling type of return fraud and alerted them to watch and listen for the labels as well.
Return fraud can be a year round problem. Swiftly dealing with it can also help stop shoplifting in your stores too, though. If the criminal knows you won’t take the merchandise back and give them the money for it, then there’s no need to take the chance of getting caught stealing it in the first place. It just makes sense.
For more information on how to stop return fraud, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547
I work for a small retail pharmacy, and I used to be surprised at what people would try to return to my store. Almost fifteen years later, I think I have seen it all. Many people have developed the mindset that it is okay to steal if you’re going to bring the item back and to get a refund. That sounds maniacal but it’s true. These folks have justified to themselves that stealing merchandise may be wrong, but that companies can absolutely afford to lose some money. Return fraud is becoming a bigger and much costlier issue for retailers because of this concept.
I had a lady come into my store yesterday, and she asked if we sold gift cards. I showed her where they were and she shopped the rack for a bit. Then she came up to the counter with several of them and tried to pay for them with one a store credit. I told her she couldn’t buy gift cards with store credit and she got really upset with me about it. These cards usually only have a few dollars on them anyway, but when I scanned it, it said there was $130 on it. I asked her which location had issued this card to her and she wouldn’t tell me. She said she had returned some fragrance sets she had received as gifts and the store gave her this huge credit. The whole thing screamed return fraud to me, and I simply couldn’t believe she had gotten away with it. When someone tries to bring back expensive items to my store to return, I hate to admit it, but I put them through the ringer. If they don’t have a receipt, they better have some way to prove they bought the items or I’ll send them back out the door. It’s hard enough to stop shoplifting, and you don’t want to encourage theft with a too lenient return policy. It doesn’t stop there though.
I volunteer with an organization that collects toys for children during the holidays. I help pack the boxes and bags based on the list their parents have provided. As part of the process, we black out the bar codes on all the packages that are given to these children. There was such rampant return fraud attributed to these toy giveaways, we had to do something. Basically, the parents would come pick up the toys, take them straight to a big box store to return them all, and pocket the money. This year I added another touch to help stop the problem. I donated several rolls of Checkpoint Labels to the toy drive. As we unpacked all the boxes and sorted them, we went through and attached labels to every single toy. We put them on the fronts of the packages and we concealed them inside others. That way, if a parent decided to try and take the free toys back to the store, the active Checkpoint Labels would cause the alarm to sound when they came in the door. I called the area stores that were usually hit with this appalling type of return fraud and alerted them to watch and listen for the labels as well.
Return fraud can be a year round problem. Swiftly dealing with it can also help stop shoplifting in your stores too, though. If the criminal knows you won’t take the merchandise back and give them the money for it, then there’s no need to take the chance of getting caught stealing it in the first place. It just makes sense.
For more information on how to stop return fraud, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547
N10 Antenna-3 , Alpha Thunder Tag-3 , Tablet Theft-2 , Medical Field-2
A Whole New Type Of Tablet Theft
When I think of what people typically steal from a doctor’s office, many different items come to mind. Latex gloves, magazines, bandages, and even facial tissues are often liberated from exam rooms and waiting areas across the country every day. Patients often feel entitled to those items, considering the costs associated with the office visit or the time they spent waiting to be seen. While those are minor infractions, those items do add more and more to the overall costs to the medical field in general. Of course, there are much more serious cases of theft in many doctor’s offices too. People steal from the supply of medication samples. There is also a very alarming rate of thefts of identities and medical records. These are problems all employees of the medical field must face and battle every day.
Tablet theft is a whole new problem that doctor’s offices could be dealing with, and I don’t mean the type you swallow. I’m talking about those new tablets that the front desk hands the patient to register for their appointments. Many offices are steering away from the traditional clipboard, with paper and pen, to update contacts, insurance and gather information for the purpose of the visit. They are going with a more technological and paperless approach with tablets and digital notebooks for patients to use instead. The patient is typically given the tablet and allowed to go sit in the lobby to fill in all the pertinent information. They may fill that in and hand it right back or they may keep the device throughout their appointment and hand it back in at the checkout desk. Either way, these are major investments and they must be protected. Since they have access to medical records, and because they are expensive pieces of equipment, this type of tablet theft must not be allowed to happen. It won’t if the office has the right tools.
The N10 Antenna offered by Checkpoint Systems is a key player in this game plan. Pair that with the Alpha Thunder Tag and you have a team that can’t be beat. The N10 Antenna is a sleek and compact detection system designed for small spaces. It is meant to blend in with its surroundings. However, it will not just sit quietly if one of the patients attempts to steal a tablet if said device has an Alpha Thunder Tag. It’s a simple plan: Attach the tag and turn it on. If the patient walks to close to the N10 Antenna (usually placed close to the exit to minimize false alarms) the alarm will sound from the detection system. If there is an attempt to remove or tamper with the Alpha Thunder Tag, an alarm will sound directly from the tag itself. On top of that, if the person was to successfully get out the door, once they were beyond the selected perimeter, the tag would self-alarm as well. Most patients would never even think to try and commit this type of tablet theft, but for those that think they can, this pair of tools will put a very fast and loud stop to it.
The medical field is always in need of improvements that can help streamline the ability to share medical records and make things easier for the patient. These new paperless check in systems fit right in with the reduction of redundant and seemingly ceaseless paperwork. Taking a glove or two won’t break the bank, but there needs to be a plan in place to prevent tablet theft. (And that means the electronic or medication type!)
For more information on how to prevent theft in the medical field, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547
When I think of what people typically steal from a doctor’s office, many different items come to mind. Latex gloves, magazines, bandages, and even facial tissues are often liberated from exam rooms and waiting areas across the country every day. Patients often feel entitled to those items, considering the costs associated with the office visit or the time they spent waiting to be seen. While those are minor infractions, those items do add more and more to the overall costs to the medical field in general. Of course, there are much more serious cases of theft in many doctor’s offices too. People steal from the supply of medication samples. There is also a very alarming rate of thefts of identities and medical records. These are problems all employees of the medical field must face and battle every day.
Tablet theft is a whole new problem that doctor’s offices could be dealing with, and I don’t mean the type you swallow. I’m talking about those new tablets that the front desk hands the patient to register for their appointments. Many offices are steering away from the traditional clipboard, with paper and pen, to update contacts, insurance and gather information for the purpose of the visit. They are going with a more technological and paperless approach with tablets and digital notebooks for patients to use instead. The patient is typically given the tablet and allowed to go sit in the lobby to fill in all the pertinent information. They may fill that in and hand it right back or they may keep the device throughout their appointment and hand it back in at the checkout desk. Either way, these are major investments and they must be protected. Since they have access to medical records, and because they are expensive pieces of equipment, this type of tablet theft must not be allowed to happen. It won’t if the office has the right tools.
The N10 Antenna offered by Checkpoint Systems is a key player in this game plan. Pair that with the Alpha Thunder Tag and you have a team that can’t be beat. The N10 Antenna is a sleek and compact detection system designed for small spaces. It is meant to blend in with its surroundings. However, it will not just sit quietly if one of the patients attempts to steal a tablet if said device has an Alpha Thunder Tag. It’s a simple plan: Attach the tag and turn it on. If the patient walks to close to the N10 Antenna (usually placed close to the exit to minimize false alarms) the alarm will sound from the detection system. If there is an attempt to remove or tamper with the Alpha Thunder Tag, an alarm will sound directly from the tag itself. On top of that, if the person was to successfully get out the door, once they were beyond the selected perimeter, the tag would self-alarm as well. Most patients would never even think to try and commit this type of tablet theft, but for those that think they can, this pair of tools will put a very fast and loud stop to it.
The medical field is always in need of improvements that can help streamline the ability to share medical records and make things easier for the patient. These new paperless check in systems fit right in with the reduction of redundant and seemingly ceaseless paperwork. Taking a glove or two won’t break the bank, but there needs to be a plan in place to prevent tablet theft. (And that means the electronic or medication type!)
For more information on how to prevent theft in the medical field, contact us or call: 1.770.426.0547
Bottle service-5 WC blog 41
Bottle Locks-4
Nightclub-4
Building A Bigger Fan Base With Bottle Service
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and with it parties, celebrations, and bars and clubs filled with revelers looking for a good time. Celebrations don’t stop there, sports fans will be crowding into sports bars and clubs for College Football Bowl Games and in February, Super Bowl parties will take center stage. March Madness is not far behind, and again, sports bars will be filled with fans rooting their favorite college teams on to victory. Most of the customers go to the bars and clubs to have a good time and enjoy friends and engage in good natured badgering of those cheering for rival teams. What an opportune time for bars and clubs which may not already have a Bottle Service to start one! With this service, nightclubs and bars can offer a dedicated server to a group and bottles of liquor or wine secured with bottle locks. The bottle locks can help a sports bar or club to keep those who are partying a little too excessively from continuing if they begin to become a nuisance.
Obviously sports bar and nightclub owners want their patrons to have a good time, but always within reason. When fans get a little too intoxicated it is easy for good natured fun to get out of control. It may be the fan who just becomes excessively loud or the one who gets angry and aggressive towards others. When patrons are permitted continual access to alcohol without any constraints that is the time when fights and arguments flare up, sometimes with little or no reason. With a bottle service, bottle locks are used to secure the bottle and drinks are poured by a waiter or waitress. The server has a key to open the lock and pour drinks when requested and secures the lock in place again once drinks are filled. If a patron is deemed to be becoming too intoxicated, the server has the ability to refuse to open the bottle and refill a drink. This service also gives the club or bar owner the ability to identify if a patron is not fit to drive and insist on a group’s dedicated driver to step in or insist a cab be called for the patron.
You may be wondering how you can make a bottle service work in your sports bar or nightclub. In either situation separate seating areas or rooms can be set aside for group reservation. If the group is large enough consider setting aside a room with a bar and wait staff that are dedicated to this group. For a sports bar there may be several large televisions with multiple games playing. For a nightclub, the room might be used for office get-togethers, birthday celebrations, wedding parties, etc. Set a group rate and designate the number of top shelf alcoholic beverages will be included in the price. Dedicate a waiter or waitress to the group and he or she will be the server and control the bottle cap key. The server can ensure no uninvited guests enter the group area and disrupt the party or try to drink from the allotted bottle(s). The server can be told in advance who a designated driver for the party group will be and ensure that the dedicated driver is not provided with alcohol and they can partner with the dedicated driver if a member of the group is becoming too rambunctious. The use of bottle caps and locks can help management keep control over a facility and intervene before issues arise by cutting off access to wine and spirits when a group is using a bottle service.
Bottle Service can be an asset to your sports bar or club by catering to groups of fans or special occasion celebrations. Provide a unique experience with dedicated wait staff and control the festivities by incorporating bottle locks so fans don’t turn fanatical in your establishment.
For more information on Bottle Service contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and with it parties, celebrations, and bars and clubs filled with revelers looking for a good time. Celebrations don’t stop there, sports fans will be crowding into sports bars and clubs for College Football Bowl Games and in February, Super Bowl parties will take center stage. March Madness is not far behind, and again, sports bars will be filled with fans rooting their favorite college teams on to victory. Most of the customers go to the bars and clubs to have a good time and enjoy friends and engage in good natured badgering of those cheering for rival teams. What an opportune time for bars and clubs which may not already have a Bottle Service to start one! With this service, nightclubs and bars can offer a dedicated server to a group and bottles of liquor or wine secured with bottle locks. The bottle locks can help a sports bar or club to keep those who are partying a little too excessively from continuing if they begin to become a nuisance.
Obviously sports bar and nightclub owners want their patrons to have a good time, but always within reason. When fans get a little too intoxicated it is easy for good natured fun to get out of control. It may be the fan who just becomes excessively loud or the one who gets angry and aggressive towards others. When patrons are permitted continual access to alcohol without any constraints that is the time when fights and arguments flare up, sometimes with little or no reason. With a bottle service, bottle locks are used to secure the bottle and drinks are poured by a waiter or waitress. The server has a key to open the lock and pour drinks when requested and secures the lock in place again once drinks are filled. If a patron is deemed to be becoming too intoxicated, the server has the ability to refuse to open the bottle and refill a drink. This service also gives the club or bar owner the ability to identify if a patron is not fit to drive and insist on a group’s dedicated driver to step in or insist a cab be called for the patron.
You may be wondering how you can make a bottle service work in your sports bar or nightclub. In either situation separate seating areas or rooms can be set aside for group reservation. If the group is large enough consider setting aside a room with a bar and wait staff that are dedicated to this group. For a sports bar there may be several large televisions with multiple games playing. For a nightclub, the room might be used for office get-togethers, birthday celebrations, wedding parties, etc. Set a group rate and designate the number of top shelf alcoholic beverages will be included in the price. Dedicate a waiter or waitress to the group and he or she will be the server and control the bottle cap key. The server can ensure no uninvited guests enter the group area and disrupt the party or try to drink from the allotted bottle(s). The server can be told in advance who a designated driver for the party group will be and ensure that the dedicated driver is not provided with alcohol and they can partner with the dedicated driver if a member of the group is becoming too rambunctious. The use of bottle caps and locks can help management keep control over a facility and intervene before issues arise by cutting off access to wine and spirits when a group is using a bottle service.
Bottle Service can be an asset to your sports bar or club by catering to groups of fans or special occasion celebrations. Provide a unique experience with dedicated wait staff and control the festivities by incorporating bottle locks so fans don’t turn fanatical in your establishment.
For more information on Bottle Service contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Return Fraud is generally not a laughing matter, it costs money and it can take up a lot of time in dealing with those attempting to commit fraud. There are steps you can take to prevent some attempts at return fraud like using Alpha Shark Tags to stop “ wardrobing”. Wardrobing is the wearing of merchandise then returning it after it has been worn once or twice. Other types of return fraud include stolen merchandise returns, ticket switching and no-receipt or wrong receipt return attempts. After almost 20 years in retail, I would like to share with you some of the people you will encounter in your holiday return frenzy.
Who are the fraud returners you will meet this year after the Holidays come to an end?
1. The “I got it as a gift and I didn’t get a receipt” customer. This customer will be adamant that there was never a gift receipt and the person who gave the item lives far away. They may have even lost the gift giver’s phone number or when the gift giver moved to the Alaskan Wilderness they couldn’t get phone reception.
2. The “Screamer”. This will be the person who has seen too many talk shows with guests who tell the audience how they create a scene and get what they want. These customers will try to draw attention to themselves, knowing managers don’t want these antics to disrupt the other customers.
3. The “Crier”. This customer will get teary eyed and let you know of all the problems they are facing and why an in-store credit just will not suffice for their return. Hold onto your heart strings…these have the saddest of lives.
4. The no-receipt, “What do you mean I have to get the lowest price?” customer. This patron will be horrified to learn that without a receipt they will only receive the last markdown price of an item. These customers can easily turn into the “Screamer” or “Crier”, prepare for either.
5. One of my favorites is the “I’m not leaving until I get my money” returner. This customer has the ability to stand in one place at your return desk even after all options have been reviewed and you have walked away. This patron has long term tenacity. They customer may have removed Alpha Shark Tags from clothing and they aren’t concerned that you have a return policy stating tags have to be on clothing to be returned. Your policies are “not their problem”. Be prepared to maneuver your lines around these customers.
6. There is the all-powerful “I want the number to corporate” returner. This customer is sure that your efforts were useless and with the power of “corporate” looming over you the game changes and suddenly miracles can be worked on their behalf.
7. There is the “Deer in the headlights” customer. This customer may not say anything or respond to you after you have turned down their return attempt. This customer can be identified by the slack jaw, the non-responsive stare and inability to move from the return counter. While passive, this returner can be deceiving, it is not necessary to call EMS. Just check on them from time to time. Generally they will follow you with their eyes as you return to your other duties.
8. Finally, there is the “I didn’t wear it!” customer who returns the clothing with make-up stains and occasional food stains or perfume odors. Somehow this customer never saw the stains or noticed the smells when they purchased the item, nor, for that matter, did the cashier. This one will usually have the receipt and even the tags on the item. This is a tricky refunder and will seemingly be more familiar with your return policies than you. This person may even know state laws! (PS. If your store uses Alpha Shark Tags, you may be able to fend off this patron)
To be fair not all of your customers who fit into these categories are attempting return fraud. They may just be reacting in the only way they know how at the moment. But, it can be intimidating and frustrating for the service desk associate or manager who has to deal with them. With the right return policies in place and consistency in applying them, you can avoid many of the uncomfortable interactions. Alpha Shark Tags can stop wardrobing fraud for your store if you apply the tags properly, have the store return policy clearly posted and you enforce the policy consistently.
Let Alpha Shark Tags keep your post-holiday return headaches a little less stressful. See what Alpha Solutions can do to help minimize return fraud and make your store more profitable.
For more information on Return Fraud contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Return Fraud-5 WC blog 30
Alpha Shark Tags-5
Wardrobing-3
Holiday Return Fraud: Who Are The People You Will Meet?
Return Fraud is generally not a laughing matter, it costs money and it can take up a lot of time in dealing with those attempting to commit fraud. There are steps you can take to prevent some attempts at return fraud like using Alpha Shark Tags to stop “ wardrobing”. Wardrobing is the wearing of merchandise then returning it after it has been worn once or twice. Other types of return fraud include stolen merchandise returns, ticket switching and no-receipt or wrong receipt return attempts. After almost 20 years in retail, I would like to share with you some of the people you will encounter in your holiday return frenzy.
Who are the fraud returners you will meet this year after the Holidays come to an end?
1. The “I got it as a gift and I didn’t get a receipt” customer. This customer will be adamant that there was never a gift receipt and the person who gave the item lives far away. They may have even lost the gift giver’s phone number or when the gift giver moved to the Alaskan Wilderness they couldn’t get phone reception.
2. The “Screamer”. This will be the person who has seen too many talk shows with guests who tell the audience how they create a scene and get what they want. These customers will try to draw attention to themselves, knowing managers don’t want these antics to disrupt the other customers.
3. The “Crier”. This customer will get teary eyed and let you know of all the problems they are facing and why an in-store credit just will not suffice for their return. Hold onto your heart strings…these have the saddest of lives.
4. The no-receipt, “What do you mean I have to get the lowest price?” customer. This patron will be horrified to learn that without a receipt they will only receive the last markdown price of an item. These customers can easily turn into the “Screamer” or “Crier”, prepare for either.
5. One of my favorites is the “I’m not leaving until I get my money” returner. This customer has the ability to stand in one place at your return desk even after all options have been reviewed and you have walked away. This patron has long term tenacity. They customer may have removed Alpha Shark Tags from clothing and they aren’t concerned that you have a return policy stating tags have to be on clothing to be returned. Your policies are “not their problem”. Be prepared to maneuver your lines around these customers.
6. There is the all-powerful “I want the number to corporate” returner. This customer is sure that your efforts were useless and with the power of “corporate” looming over you the game changes and suddenly miracles can be worked on their behalf.
7. There is the “Deer in the headlights” customer. This customer may not say anything or respond to you after you have turned down their return attempt. This customer can be identified by the slack jaw, the non-responsive stare and inability to move from the return counter. While passive, this returner can be deceiving, it is not necessary to call EMS. Just check on them from time to time. Generally they will follow you with their eyes as you return to your other duties.
8. Finally, there is the “I didn’t wear it!” customer who returns the clothing with make-up stains and occasional food stains or perfume odors. Somehow this customer never saw the stains or noticed the smells when they purchased the item, nor, for that matter, did the cashier. This one will usually have the receipt and even the tags on the item. This is a tricky refunder and will seemingly be more familiar with your return policies than you. This person may even know state laws! (PS. If your store uses Alpha Shark Tags, you may be able to fend off this patron)
To be fair not all of your customers who fit into these categories are attempting return fraud. They may just be reacting in the only way they know how at the moment. But, it can be intimidating and frustrating for the service desk associate or manager who has to deal with them. With the right return policies in place and consistency in applying them, you can avoid many of the uncomfortable interactions. Alpha Shark Tags can stop wardrobing fraud for your store if you apply the tags properly, have the store return policy clearly posted and you enforce the policy consistently.
Let Alpha Shark Tags keep your post-holiday return headaches a little less stressful. See what Alpha Solutions can do to help minimize return fraud and make your store more profitable.
For more information on Return Fraud contact us or call 1.770.426.0547Return Fraud is generally not a laughing matter, it costs money and it can take up a lot of time in dealing with those attempting to commit fraud. There are steps you can take to prevent some attempts at return fraud like using Alpha Shark Tags to stop “ wardrobing”. Wardrobing is the wearing of merchandise then returning it after it has been worn once or twice. Other types of return fraud include stolen merchandise returns, ticket switching and no-receipt or wrong receipt return attempts. After almost 20 years in retail, I would like to share with you some of the people you will encounter in your holiday return frenzy. Who are the fraud returners you will meet this year after the Holidays come to an end?1. The “I got it as a gift and I didn’t get a receipt” customer. This customer will be adamant that there was never a gift receipt and the person who gave the item lives far away. They may have even lost the gift giver’s phone number or when the gift giver moved to the Alaskan Wilderness they couldn’t get phone reception.2. The “Screamer”. This will be the person who has seen too many talk shows with guests who tell the audience how they create a scene and get what they want. These customers will try to draw attention to themselves, knowing managers don’t want these antics to disrupt the other customers. 3. The “Crier”. This customer will get teary eyed and let you know of all the problems they are facing and why an in-store credit just will not suffice for their return. Hold onto your heart strings…these have the saddest of lives.4. The no-receipt, “What do you mean I have to get the lowest price?” customer. This patron will be horrified to learn that without a receipt they will only receive the last markdown price of an item. These customers can easily turn into the “Screamer” or “Crier”, prepare for either.5. One of my favorites is the “I’m not leaving until I get my money” returner. This customer has the ability to stand in one place at your return desk even after all options have been reviewed and you have walked away. This patron has long term tenacity. They customer may have removed Alpha Shark Tags from clothing and they aren’t concerned that you have a return policy stating tags have to be on clothing to be returned. Your policies are “not their problem”. Be prepared to maneuver your lines around these customers.6. There is the all-powerful “I want the number to corporate” returner. This customer is sure that your efforts were useless and with the power of “corporate” looming over you the game changes and suddenly miracles can be worked on their behalf.7. There is the “Deer in the headlights” customer. This customer may not say anything or respond to you after you have turned down their return attempt. This customer can be identified by the slack jaw, the non-responsive stare and inability to move from the return counter. While passive, this returner can be deceiving, it is not necessary to call EMS. Just check on them from time to time. Generally they will follow you with their eyes as you return to your other duties.8. Finally, there is the “I didn’t wear it!” customer who returns the clothing with make-up stains and occasional food stains or perfume odors. Somehow this customer never saw the stains or noticed the smells when they purchased the item, nor, for that matter, did the cashier. This one will usually have the receipt and even the tags on the item. This is a tricky refunder and will seemingly be more familiar with your return policies than you. This person may even know state laws! (PS. If your store uses Alpha Shark Tags, you may be able to fend off this patron) To be fair not all of your customers who fit into these categories are attempting return fraud. They may just be reacting in the only way they know how at the moment. But, it can be intimidating and frustrating for the service desk associate or manager who has to deal with them. With the right return policies in place and consistency in applying them, you can avoid many of the uncomfortable interactions. Alpha Shark Tags can stop wardrobing fraud for your store if you apply the tags properly, have the store return policy clearly posted and you enforce the policy consistently. Let Alpha Shark Tags keep your post-holiday return headaches a little less stressful. See what Alpha Solutions can do to help minimize return fraud and make your store more profitable. For more information on Return Fraud contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
BG Check Company-4 , Employee BG Checks-2 , Pre-Employment Screening-1
Protect Your Assets With Employee Background Checks
There are times of the year it seems everybody is hiring, and with so many qualified people to choose from, it’s imperative to make the right choice. I am in that very situation right now, along with a few of our other stores in the area. We are all looking to fill positions before the holidays get into full swing. Unfortunately, I’m looking for help because the manager before me did not use a quality background check company to vet a guy I just had to help terminate.
There are certain things you can do as a hiring manager. First of all, you do need to check the applicant’s references. (I’ve had someone list a dead man as one of his professional references.) People do overstate their education and enhance their job histories. You can call the college and universities listed to verify the degree they have listed. You could also call their previous employers listed to verify their tenure. I also like to use the web and just do a quick check on their name to make sure nothing wild pops up about them. That said, you can’t find the critical items in a potential employees past. That’s why you need to check into a background check company. A pre-employment screening can save your company a lot of money in the long run. First of all, they offer a more complete check and they will stay in compliance with all local laws and regulations. There are legalities surrounding what you can or can’t look into when conducting employee background checks. I’ve hired someone recently that was from out of state, and she had to provide an additional signed form giving permission to the county courthouse from where she was from to release the information. A good background check company will take care of that extra footwork for you.
The key is getting as much information about the applicant as possible to make sure you make the right choice. You not only want to pick the best person for the job opening; you also don’t want to let the right person get away by picking the wrong one. People can have excellent interview skills and make themselves look like amazing candidates. Then you hire them and it’s you that’s the biggest loser. The manager before me hired a guy from a job fair. He talked a good game and claimed to have had an extensive and grand work history. The former manager called the references he had listed and bought the guy’s stories hook, line, and sinker. Amazingly, he failed to get a thorough pre-employment screening and I ended up firing the guy for stealing pain pills. It didn’t stop there. A couple days later we found ourselves in the office with representatives from the DEA and board of pharmacy. I can tell you that was not a fun time, and not a conversation I want to be part of again. One by one they called all the other technicians to the office to take statements and give them the third degree. This is just another good example of why employee background checks are so very important. Save yourself the time and money and invest in a reputable background check company. In work environments where your staff works with prescription drugs, sensitive documents or records, and certain groups of people like the elderly or children, employee background checks are not negotiable. Your company can be held liable for any harm or damages caused by an employee with a criminal record.
For more information on Background Checks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
There are times of the year it seems everybody is hiring, and with so many qualified people to choose from, it’s imperative to make the right choice. I am in that very situation right now, along with a few of our other stores in the area. Unfortunately, I’m looking for help because the manager before me did not use a quality background check company to vet a guy I just had to help terminate.
There are certain things you can do as a hiring manager. First of all, you do need to check the applicant’s references. (I’ve had someone list a dead man as one of his professional references.) People do overstate their education and enhance their job histories. You can call the college and universities listed to verify the degree they have listed. You could also call their previous employers listed to verify their tenure. I also like to use the web and just do a quick check on their name to make sure nothing wild pops up about them. That said, you can’t find the critical items in a potential employees past. That’s why you need to check into a background check company. A pre-employment screening can save your company a lot of money in the long run. First of all, they offer a more complete check and they will stay in compliance with all local laws and regulations. There are legalities surrounding what you can or can’t look into when conducting employee background checks. I’ve hired someone recently that was from out of state, and she had to provide an additional signed form giving permission to the county courthouse from where she was from to release the information. A good background check company will take care of that extra footwork for you.
The key is getting as much information about the applicant as possible to make sure you make the right choice. You not only want to pick the best person for the job opening; you also don’t want to let the right person get away by picking the wrong one. People can have excellent interview skills and make themselves look like amazing candidates. Then you hire them and it’s you that’s the biggest loser. The manager before me hired a guy from a job fair. He talked a good game and claimed to have had an extensive and grand work history. The former manager called the references he had listed and bought the guy’s stories hook, line, and sinker. Amazingly, he failed to get a thorough pre-employment screening and I ended up firing the guy for stealing pain pills. It didn’t stop there. A couple days later we found ourselves in the office with representatives from the DEA and board of pharmacy. I can tell you that was not a fun time, and not a conversation I want to be part of again. One by one they called all the other technicians to the office to take statements and give them the third degree. This is just another good example of why employee background checks are so very important. Save yourself the time and money and invest in a reputable background check company. In work environments where your staff works with prescription drugs, sensitive documents or records, and certain groups of people like the elderly or children, employee background checks are not negotiable. Your company can be held liable for any harm or damages caused by an employee with a criminal record.
For more information on Background Checks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
