Pre-employment Screening- 4 WC Blog 429
Background Check Company-4
Pre-employment Screening Or Hiring Assessments; Is One A Better Tool Than The Other For Staffing Your Business? Part 2
In Part 1 of this article I spent some time discussing how hiring assessments can be detrimental to an employer in terms of the limiting effect it can have on a hiring pool. These assessments are often a hundred questions or more and can take an hour or so of a job applicant’s time. I related in part 1 my personal experience of taking an assessment for a department manager position and failing it despite my extensive management and retail background. It was also irritating to fail this assessment since I know many of the questions involved integrity issues and handling difficult situations or theft related incidents. Cover your ears, I’m about to shout…I WAS A RETAIL LOSS PREVENTION MANAGER FOR 13 YEARS AND HAD 17 YEARS OR MORE OF TOTAL LOSS PREVENTION EXPERIENCE, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Shouting over, you can uncover your ears. You don’t handle many more integrity or theft situations than I have over my lifetime. To top it off, I figured out what the test was wanting, tested for a sales associate job for the same company and scored a 100% on the same day. The questions were generally the same so it was a flawed system, in my humble opinion. Using a background check company is a better way to assess whether an applicant would be a good member of your team than using one of these assessments.
A background check company conducts pre-employment screening for employers and looks at the background and history of someone applying to a business. These checks can be customized to the needs of a particular company so that pertinent information on a candidate can be more carefully scrutinized. A long-haul truck company may be more interested in an applicant’s driver history and training schools attended than his/her credit history. A school will be more concerned with a thorough check of sex offender registries than they will be of a driver history. All employers may want to know that their employees have proper I9 credentials to ensure their workers are working legally in the United States. Based on the position search criteria may be even more stringent. The depth and intensity of the checks can be determined by the background check company and the business. The important thing to know is that you can learn a lot more about who an applicant is through pre-employment screening than through a test/assessment that may not give a true picture of the person you are considering for the job.
Aside from my own experience I also want to share the story of another person who has been affected by one of these assessments. I met a homeless man and had a conversation with him. During the course of our conversation, I asked whether he had applied to a store nearby where I knew they were hiring and have a need for hard working, freight team members. The gentleman said he had applied and even had an interview but had failed the company’s assessment so they couldn’t hire him. I was furious. Not only was this man not out panhandling or asking for handouts, he was trying to apply for work and was turned down because of one of these STUPID assessments. And while he may have been telling me a story I don’t believe he was because I have failed one and I have a college degree and over 34 years of work experience.
I do not know this guy any more than I know the men who traveled to the moon. What I do know is had the business he applied to relied on a background check company to run a pre-employment screening in lieu of an assessment, he may have had a chance to pass and get a job. It is possible this business lost an opportunity to hire one fantastic worker. I know there are those who will be naysayers and insist that hiring assessments are unbiased and give the best evaluation of a candidate’s personality. Hold that thought. According to an article on the website “workable” titled, “Pre-employment Testing: pros and cons” by Nikolleta Bika, October 11, 2016, she lists the positives of pre-employment testing but she also lists the negatives of testing including: testing can be discriminatory, they invite lies and tests assume unique people are made through molds. https://resources.workable.com/tutorial/pre-employment-testing What I am trying to point out is testing is not necessarily going to give you the best candidates and you may cheat yourself out of a great employee. Use pre-employment screening and your interview process to get the best candidates for your team.
Get more information on pre-employment screening, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
In Part 1 of this article I spent some time discussing how hiring assessments can be detrimental to an employer in terms of the limiting effect it can have on a hiring pool. These assessments are often a hundred questions or more and can take an hour or so of a job applicant’s time. I related in part 1 my personal experience of taking an assessment for a department manager position and failing it despite my extensive management and retail background. It was also irritating to fail this assessment since I know many of the questions involved integrity issues and handling difficult situations or theft related incidents. Cover your ears, I’m about to shout…I WAS A RETAIL LOSS PREVENTION MANAGER FOR 13 YEARS AND HAD 17 YEARS OR MORE OF TOTAL LOSS PREVENTION EXPERIENCE, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! Shouting over, you can uncover your ears. You don’t handle many more integrity or theft situations than I have over my lifetime. To top it off, I figured out what the test was wanting, tested for a sales associate job for the same company and scored a 100% on the same day. The questions were generally the same so it was a flawed system, in my humble opinion. Using a background check company is a better way to assess whether an applicant would be a good member of your team than using one of these assessments.
A background check company conducts pre-employment screening for employers and looks at the background and history of someone applying to a business. These checks can be customized to the needs of a particular company so that pertinent information on a candidate can be more carefully scrutinized. A long-haul truck company may be more interested in an applicant’s driver history and training schools attended than his/her credit history. A school will be more concerned with a thorough check of sex offender registries than they will be of a driver history. All employers may want to know that their employees have proper I9 credentials to ensure their workers are working legally in the United States. Based on the position search criteria may be even more stringent. The depth and intensity of the checks can be determined by the background check company and the business. The important thing to know is that you can learn a lot more about who an applicant is through pre-employment screening than through a test/assessment that may not give a true picture of the person you are considering for the job.
Aside from my own experience I also want to share the story of another person who has been affected by one of these assessments. I met a homeless man and had a conversation with him. During the course of our conversation, I asked whether he had applied to a store nearby where I knew they were hiring and have a need for hard working, freight team members. The gentleman said he had applied and even had an interview but had failed the company’s assessment so they couldn’t hire him. I was furious. Not only was this man not out panhandling or asking for handouts, he was trying to apply for work and was turned down because of one of these STUPID assessments. And while he may have been telling me a story I don’t believe he was because I have failed one and I have a college degree and over 34 years of work experience.
I do not know this guy any more than I know the men who traveled to the moon. What I do know is had the business he applied to relied on a background check company to run a pre-employment screening in lieu of an assessment, he may have had a chance to pass and get a job. It is possible this business lost an opportunity to hire one fantastic worker. I know there are those who will be naysayers and insist that hiring assessments are unbiased and give the best evaluation of a candidate’s personality. Hold that thought. According to an article on the website “workable” titled, “Pre-employment Testing: pros and cons” by Nikolleta Bika, October 11, 2016, she lists the positives of pre-employment testing but she also lists the negatives of testing including: testing can be discriminatory, they invite lies and tests assume unique people are made through molds. https://resources.workable.com/tutorial/pre-employment-testing What I am trying to point out is testing is not necessarily going to give you the best candidates and you may cheat yourself out of a great employee. Use pre-employment screening and your interview process to get the best candidates for your team.
Get more information on pre-employment screening, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Clothing security- 4 WC Blog 524
Checkpoint tags-5
Checkpoint Tags Help Offset Tight Employee Budgets
Clothing security can be difficult for small and medium size retailers that have limited resources. As a Retail Loss prevention Manager I had to deal with shoplifters and employees who have stolen clothes so I have seen the various methods employed by criminals. One of the favorite forms of theft for shoplifters and I include employees in this, is the use of fitting rooms and restrooms to commit their crimes. Rather than trying to hide merchandise in a purse, shopping bag or under their clothing and risk being observed by store cameras or plain clothes security they go where they know that cameras are not permitted. Thieves know that most stores restrict Loss Prevention personnel from making what are known as “fitting room” stops and the same applies to restrooms. In order to prevent shoplifting many of the large retailers will spend payroll on a fitting room attendant. This person’s job is supposed to be taking all merchandise from a customer, separating the items, inspecting to be sure nothing is in between items and there are not multiple items on a single hanger. It may not be feasible for smaller stores to spend scarce payroll dollars on a fitting room attendant. This is where clothing security can be enhanced in the form of Checkpoint tags available from Loss Prevention Systems Inc.
Checkpoint tags for clothing are available in a sturdy design that is built to prevent shoplifters from defeating them. Tugged, pulled, pried or beaten on these tags will hold up to the most severe punishment. Of course it should be pointed out that in my encounters with anyone trying to pull a tag off of clothing they are usually putting so much effort into it they become obvious. Those shoplifters that choose to try to conceal tagged clothing and attempt to get out of a store will set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm pedestal. The alarms and lights of the pedestals are so bright and noisy that employees respond and recover merchandise through a check of the culprit’s receipt. An employee well trained on appropriate EAS alarm response knows how to keep encounters calm and recover merchandise without a nasty confrontation.
The question arises, “Why can’t I just look in a fitting room and if there are empty hangers then I can simply stop the suspect?” You can never be absolutely sure that a hanger is an indicator of theft. Some people try on clothes and if they find a garment they like they don’t bother putting it back on a hanger. When I was a Loss Prevention Associate and brand new to the retail world I worked in a department store. I vividly recall going into a fitting room and bringing out a handful of clothes hangers. I showed them to the associates at the register and told them that someone had probably stolen the items that went on those hangers. The associates were none too pleased with me, a guy new to L.P. and retail. One of the associates took the hangers and told me that they do count items going in and out, not necessarily hangers. That associate, who is now my wife, kindly reminds me of that encounter from time to time to keep me humble. Clothing security was a priority then and items were counted but we did not use Checkpoint tags as much then as we should have. Clothing alarm tags can reduce the need to have a fitting room attendant for stores without the payroll to staff that position.
Restrooms can be another problem altogether because they are often in a corner or out of the main aisles of the store. EAS towers can be placed outside of the restrooms and if merchandise with Checkpoint tags is taken in the tower alarms will sound there too. Towers can’t be placed outside of a fitting room because the purpose of a fitting room is to take merchandise in to try on. Security tags on clothes provide protection for retailers when they can’t afford to place a person at the fitting room. As I mentioned if they tamper with tags they will damage the clothes, leave the tags in place and they will activate alarms.
If you have the resources to afford a fitting room attendant to stop shoplifting then continue to do so and let Checkpoint tags be a supplement to your security efforts. If you don’t have the resources, tag all of your merchandise with clothing security tags and watch your profits grow.
Get more information on Checkpoint tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Clothing security can be difficult for small and medium size retailers that have limited resources. As a Retail Loss prevention Manager I had to deal with shoplifters and employees who have stolen clothes so I have seen the various methods employed by criminals. One of the favorite forms of theft for shoplifters and I include employees in this, is the use of fitting rooms and restrooms to commit their crimes. Rather than trying to hide merchandise in a purse, shopping bag or under their clothing and risk being observed by store cameras or plain clothes security they go where they know that cameras are not permitted. Thieves know that most stores restrict Loss Prevention personnel from making what are known as “fitting room” stops and the same applies to restrooms. In order to prevent shoplifting many of the large retailers will spend payroll on a fitting room attendant. This person’s job is supposed to be taking all merchandise from a customer, separating the items, inspecting to be sure nothing is in between items and there are not multiple items on a single hanger. It may not be feasible for smaller stores to spend scarce payroll dollars on a fitting room attendant. This is where clothing security can be enhanced in the form of Checkpoint tags available from Loss Prevention Systems Inc.
Checkpoint tags for clothing are available in a sturdy design that is built to prevent shoplifters from defeating them. Tugged, pulled, pried or beaten on these tags will hold up to the most severe punishment. Of course it should be pointed out that in my encounters with anyone trying to pull a tag off of clothing they are usually putting so much effort into it they become obvious. Those shoplifters that choose to try to conceal tagged clothing and attempt to get out of a store will set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) alarm pedestal. The alarms and lights of the pedestals are so bright and noisy that employees respond and recover merchandise through a check of the culprit’s receipt. An employee well trained on appropriate EAS alarm response knows how to keep encounters calm and recover merchandise without a nasty confrontation.
The question arises, “Why can’t I just look in a fitting room and if there are empty hangers then I can simply stop the suspect?” You can never be absolutely sure that a hanger is an indicator of theft. Some people try on clothes and if they find a garment they like they don’t bother putting it back on a hanger. When I was a Loss Prevention Associate and brand new to the retail world I worked in a department store. I vividly recall going into a fitting room and bringing out a handful of clothes hangers. I showed them to the associates at the register and told them that someone had probably stolen the items that went on those hangers. The associates were none too pleased with me, a guy new to L.P. and retail. One of the associates took the hangers and told me that they do count items going in and out, not necessarily hangers. That associate, who is now my wife, kindly reminds me of that encounter from time to time to keep me humble. Clothing security was a priority then and items were counted but we did not use Checkpoint tags as much then as we should have. Clothing alarm tags can reduce the need to have a fitting room attendant for stores without the payroll to staff that position.
Restrooms can be another problem altogether because they are often in a corner or out of the main aisles of the store. EAS towers can be placed outside of the restrooms and if merchandise with Checkpoint tags is taken in the tower alarms will sound there too. Towers can’t be placed outside of a fitting room because the purpose of a fitting room is to take merchandise in to try on. Security tags on clothes provide protection for retailers when they can’t afford to place a person at the fitting room. As I mentioned if they tamper with tags they will damage the clothes, leave the tags in place and they will activate alarms.
If you have the resources to afford a fitting room attendant to stop shoplifting then continue to do so and let Checkpoint tags be a supplement to your security efforts. If you don’t have the resources, tag all of your merchandise with clothing security tags and watch your profits grow.
Get more information on Checkpoint tags, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Tablet Theft-4 WC Blog 477
Bug Tag-4
A Bug Tag Provides Protection Against Medical Computer Tablet Theft
Tablet theft from hospitals is a concern that cannot be overstated. The issues that surround a stolen computer, tablet or iPad involve the compromise of patient information. We see in the news that corporate giants lose customer information and we worry about the personal information that is exposed to the hackers. I think about the Equifax data breach that put the information of nearly 14.5 million people at risk. This follows a long list of other businesses that were violated in recent years. When a hospital or medical facility loses patient data a lot more can be at stake. Personal information becomes available, medical history, patient billing information and payment information are just a few of the things that can be targeted by hackers. Desktop computers have been replaced with laptops and in many institutions laptops have been replaced with medical computer tablets and iPads. Trying to protect against tablet theft is much different than trying to protect a desktop computer from being stolen. There is a way to stop thieves and it requires protecting devices with a Bug Tag.
A Bug Tag is a small anti-theft device that is stuck on a tablet or iPad by sticking the adhesive back of the tag to the device. Buildings that use electronic article surveillance pedestals at doors are able to detect protected devices if carried near the exits. In the event a tagged tablet or iPad is in the range of the pedestals a loud, beeping sound resonates through the building. Workers respond to the alarm and recover the computers before they leave the building. Concerned about someone tampering with the Bug Tag? No need to worry, the tags have tamper mechanisms that activate an internal alarm if someone tries to pry a tag off. Again, employees alerted to the noise respond and prevent a theft from taking place.
Is there really a possibility that a tablet that a tablet theft could occur at a hospital? In a recent article in abc15.com, Aug 1, 2017, by Joe Enea, “PD: Man slept in Phoenix hospital basement, robs them of computers”, the article reports that, “A man was caught stealing multiple laptops and large televisions from a Phoenix hospital last month.” The story reported how the subject had been sleeping in the hospital basement and sneaking laptop computers out of the hospital and then selling them. http://www.abc15.com/news/crime/pd-man-sleeping-in-phoenix-hospital-basement-robs-them-of-computers Something that stood out to me about the story is there was no mention about what happened to any information stored on those computers. What information was on those computers and could someone hack into them and obtain patient data? It also occurred to me that with the transition in many hospitals from laptops to computer tablets and tablets are so much smaller than laptops. How much easier a tablet theft would have been if they were used in this particular building?
You may be thinking this is an isolated case and chances are that even if a computer or tablet were stolen from a medical provider the encryption or security measures would prevent loss of data. You might want to rethink that. In another recent story, dated March 3, 2017, in the Times of San Diego, by Cassia Pollock, “Data of 750 Patients Compromised by Computer Theft at Sharp Healthcare”, the article discusses the possibility that someone may have access to the records of 750 outpatients due to the theft of a computer. What kind of information could someone possibly gain from this computer? “Each study record may have included patient name, date of birth, age, current medications, family history and a summary of studies performed.” https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2017/03/03/data-of-750-patients-breached-in-computer-theft-at-sharp-healthcare/ it should give us cause for concern the next time we visit a healthcare provider.
Obviously we have to give out our information in order to be seen by doctors, nurses and even pharmacists. We do have the right to expect they will take care of our personal information since they are requiring it of us. It is important then that medical centers, hospitals, clinics and any other facility with access to patient information takes necessary precautions to prevent the theft of portable and mobile devices such as iPads and tablets. Use the Bug Tag on each device and electronic article surveillance pedestals at all entrances/exits to keep hardware from leaving the building. The confidence instilled in your patients will keep them returning again and again.
For more information on Tablet Theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Tablet theft from hospitals is a concern that cannot be overstated. The issues that surround a stolen computer, tablet or iPad involve the compromise of patient information. We see in the news that corporate giants lose customer information and we worry about the personal information that is exposed to the hackers. I think about the Equifax data breach that put the information of nearly 14.5 million people at risk. This follows a long list of other businesses that were violated in recent years. When a hospital or medical facility loses patient data a lot more can be at stake. Personal information becomes available, medical history, patient billing information and payment information are just a few of the things that can be targeted by hackers. Desktop computers have been replaced with laptops and in many institutions laptops have been replaced with medical computer tablets and iPads. Trying to protect against tablet theft is much different than trying to protect a desktop computer from being stolen. There is a way to stop thieves and it requires protecting devices with a Bug Tag.
A Bug Tag is a small anti-theft device that is stuck on a tablet or iPad by sticking the adhesive back of the tag to the device. Buildings that use electronic article surveillance pedestals at doors are able to detect protected devices if carried near the exits. In the event a tagged tablet or iPad is in the range of the pedestals a loud, beeping sound resonates through the building. Workers respond to the alarm and recover the computers before they leave the building. Concerned about someone tampering with the Bug Tag? No need to worry, the tags have tamper mechanisms that activate an internal alarm if someone tries to pry a tag off. Again, employees alerted to the noise respond and prevent a theft from taking place.
Is there really a possibility that a tablet that a tablet theft could occur at a hospital? In a recent article in abc15.com, Aug 1, 2017, by Joe Enea, “PD: Man slept in Phoenix hospital basement, robs them of computers”, the article reports that, “A man was caught stealing multiple laptops and large televisions from a Phoenix hospital last month.” The story reported how the subject had been sleeping in the hospital basement and sneaking laptop computers out of the hospital and then selling them. http://www.abc15.com/news/crime/pd-man-sleeping-in-phoenix-hospital-basement-robs-them-of-computers. Something that stood out to me about the story is there was no mention about what happened to any information stored on those computers. What information was on those computers and could someone hack into them and obtain patient data? It also occurred to me that with the transition in many hospitals from laptops to computer tablets and tablets are so much smaller than laptops. How much easier a tablet theft would have been if they were used in this particular building?
You may be thinking this is an isolated case and chances are that even if a computer or tablet were stolen from a medical provider the encryption or security measures would prevent loss of data. You might want to rethink that. In another recent story, dated March 3, 2017, in the Times of San Diego, by Cassia Pollock, “Data of 750 Patients Compromised by Computer Theft at Sharp Healthcare”, the article discusses the possibility that someone may have access to the records of 750 outpatients due to the theft of a computer. What kind of information could someone possibly gain from this computer? “Each study record may have included patient name, date of birth, age, current medications, family history and a summary of studies performed.” https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2017/03/03/data-of-750-patients-breached-in-computer-theft-at-sharp-healthcare/ it should give us cause for concern the next time we visit a healthcare provider.
Obviously we have to give out our information in order to be seen by doctors, nurses and even pharmacists. We do have the right to expect they will take care of our personal information since they are requiring it of us. It is important then that medical centers, hospitals, clinics and any other facility with access to patient information takes necessary precautions to prevent the theft of portable and mobile devices such as iPads and tablets. Use the Bug Tag on each device and electronic article surveillance pedestals at all entrances/exits to keep hardware from leaving the building. The confidence instilled in your patients will keep them returning again and again.
For more information on Tablet Theft, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
CHECKPOINT LABELS SCARE BOOSTERS FROM WALKING OUT THE DOOR WITH OVER $4K WORTH OF PRODUCT!
Checkpoint Labels: 4 ML Blog 19
Stop Shoplifting: 3
When working in retail, you put in strenuous hours to make sales and protect your bottom line. Each day you check sales and track how your location is doing. You do so much to get customers into your store daily, but what are you doing to stop the theft from happening? A lot of retailers do not realize how much theft is taking place, until their inventory numbers come out with an increase in shrink. Why not be proactive, and KNOW that you are doing everything you can to keep your merchandise on the shelf. With an increase in shrink, you have to cut hours and make adjustments due to the amount of loss that you have. This should not have to take place, after your entire year’s worth of hard work put in. A thief can wipe out a shelf within minutes, and you lose massive amounts of money. Stop waiting till the numbers show a clear increase in shrink, before doing something about it! You can easily stop shoplifting and protect your store’s assets by utilizing Checkpoint labels, on virtually any product you sell.
Whether you are trying to protect high dollar clothing or even food products, Checkpoint Labels put a stop to theft. As a Senior Loss Prevention Manger, I investigate several different types of thefts. A majority of my focus is specifically on high dollar thefts and organized retail criminals. Last month, I busted a group of 3 subjects, who tried to steal $4,352 worth of merchandise! This included expensive jackets, hoodies, and sportswear. The 3 boosters walk into my store, selecting the items quickly without any regard for the prices. One of the subjects did not even TRY to act like he was shopping. He pulled 7 of the coats right off the rack within seconds. I knew right then, it was going down! I purposely had these items tagged, due to the dollar amount and being a trending high theft product. These thieves were not use to having this type of product tagged from other retailers. They each select a backpack from one of our fixtures, after making all of their selections. They go into the fitting room, and come out with all of the items now concealed into the backpacks! If I wasn’t watching them on camera, associates would have never known they just concealed that much product. They were busy helping another customer, and never saw them even enter the fitting room. The 3 subjects now are finished and start heading for the exit. They had no idea we utilize Checkpoint Labels on our products! They concealed so fast in the fitting room, they didn’t take the labels off! As they exit, the alarm system starts sounding extremely loud! They drop the backpacks and go into panic mode! Then run into the parking lot very quickly. I then get their license plate and quickly grab all of the dumped backpacks for recovery. I came back into the store and we totaled up the merchandise they attempted to steal. We could not believe they almost got away with over 4k worth of merchandise in once instance. What if they hit us 4 times in a year? That would be on the low end of attempts. Think of how much you could do for your store with $20,000 dollars? Boosters normally target a location 4 times in a MONTH. If they target us that much, we would shrink out a massive amount just from 1 group when totaling the numbers. I am glad we use advanced merchandise protection to help keep our high dollar merchandise out from the hands of thieves. My store really likes that they can be used for a large variety of products. They are also extremely durable to stop shoplifting. I have investigated numerous amounts of cases just like this one. With the system alarming, it deters high dollar merchandise from walking straight out of the door. This is why, every retailer should invest in these products.
From petty thieves to organized retail criminals, Checkpoint Labels are an advanced form of security devices to stop shoplifting. After all of your hard work to make sales, you should not have to worry about thieves. Give yourself peace of mind, and put a stop to shrink in your store.
For more information about Checkpoint Labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
When working in retail, you put in strenuous hours to make sales and protect your bottom line. Each day you check sales and track how your location is doing. You do so much to get customers into your store daily, but what are you doing to stop the theft from happening? A lot of retailers do not realize how much theft is taking place, until their inventory numbers come out with an increase in shrink. Why not be proactive, and KNOW that you are doing everything you can to keep your merchandise on the shelf. With an increase in shrink, you have to cut hours and make adjustments due to the amount of loss that you have. This should not have to take place, after your entire year’s worth of hard work put in. A thief can wipe out a shelf within minutes, and you lose massive amounts of money. Stop waiting till the numbers show a clear increase in shrink, before doing something about it! You can easily stop shoplifting and protect your store’s assets by utilizing Checkpoint labels, on virtually any product you sell.
Whether you are trying to protect high dollar clothing or even food products, Checkpoint Labels put a stop to theft. As a Senior Loss Prevention Manger, I investigate several different types of thefts. A majority of my focus is specifically on high dollar thefts and organized retail criminals. Last month, I busted a group of 3 subjects, who tried to steal $4,352 worth of merchandise! This included expensive jackets, hoodies, and sportswear. The 3 boosters walk into my store, selecting the items quickly without any regard for the prices. One of the subjects did not even TRY to act like he was shopping. He pulled 7 of the coats right off the rack within seconds. I knew right then, it was going down! I purposely had these items tagged, due to the dollar amount and being a trending high theft product. These thieves were not use to having this type of product tagged from other retailers. They each select a backpack from one of our fixtures, after making all of their selections. They go into the fitting room, and come out with all of the items now concealed into the backpacks! If I wasn’t watching them on camera, associates would have never known they just concealed that much product. They were busy helping another customer, and never saw them even enter the fitting room. The 3 subjects now are finished and start heading for the exit. They had no idea we utilize Checkpoint Labels on our products! They concealed so fast in the fitting room, they didn’t take the labels off! As they exit, the alarm system starts sounding extremely loud! They drop the backpacks and go into panic mode! Then run into the parking lot very quickly. I then get their license plate and quickly grab all of the dumped backpacks for recovery. I came back into the store and we totaled up the merchandise they attempted to steal. We could not believe they almost got away with over 4k worth of merchandise in once instance. What if they hit us 4 times in a year? That would be on the low end of attempts. Think of how much you could do for your store with $20,000 dollars? Boosters normally target a location 4 times in a MONTH. If they target us that much, we would shrink out a massive amount just from 1 group when totaling the numbers. I am glad we use advanced merchandise protection to help keep our high dollar merchandise out from the hands of thieves. My store really likes that they can be used for a large variety of products. They are also extremely durable to stop shoplifting. I have investigated numerous amounts of cases just like this one. With the system alarming, it deters high dollar merchandise from walking straight out of the door. This is why, every retailer should invest in these products.
From petty thieves to organized retail criminals, Checkpoint Labels are an advanced form of security devices to stop shoplifting. After all of your hard work to make sales, you should not have to worry about thieves. Give yourself peace of mind, and put a stop to shrink in your store.
For more information about Checkpoint Labels, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.
Prevent Shoplifting-4 WC Blog 480
Alpha Security-4
Retail Anti-Theft Devices-4
It Takes More Than Customer Service To Prevent Shoplifting
What is your preferred method to prevent shoplifting? It isn’t always comfortable to think about. It’s easy to tell sales associates to give great customer service but it can be quite another to actually do it. This is especially true when you believe someone intends to shoplift but they haven’t done anything dishonest yet. I have had quite a few situations where I had a strong suspicion someone was going to shoplift merchandise but was not in a position to observe and catch them. While those of us who have worked in Retail Loss Prevention will preach all day long about the value of customer service in reducing shortage the truth is it isn’t a cure-all in and of itself. There must be additional steps to prevent shoplifting and that includes the use of Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices.
You may not be familiar with Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and the products under the brand name. These devices are used to protect merchandise using electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology that works with EAS pedestals. The product line features cable locks, wraps and tags that can be placed on, over or around merchandise. From clothing to hard lines products almost any item sold can be protected with Alpha items. Most of the devices offer tamper protection that ensures an alarm will sound if a criminal attempts to remove a device from the merchandise or cut it off. If a would-be thief conceals a protected item and carries it out the doors by the pedestals an alarm is activated and lights in the pedestal flash. Alerts from the devices and the pedestals warn employees an attempted theft is taking place. Employees trained in proper responses “assist” the customer with receipt checks or customer service and recover merchandise.
Perhaps you are wondering why customer service alone would not be a feasible solution to prevent shoplifting. On the surface it sounds good to think that people won’t be able to steal if your associates are helping everyone. The truth is there are shoplifters who will take their time and if they sense they are under suspicion they will spend hours walking around “browsing” a store. As a salesfloor employee I had one couple who spent well over an hour in the office supply store where I work “browsing”. I had walked up on them as they were trying to open a package so I knew what they were doing. Nevertheless they would not quit trying. They would split up and go to other areas of the store they would pick up things, walk around and then put the item down somewhere else. It almost becomes a game. Even though most of the items I thought they had concealed in shopping bags were recovered I still suspected they had gotten away with some merchandise.
Other shoplifters will become aggressive and confront an employee in an attempt to intimidate the worker and get them to back off. Even when I was a Loss Prevention Manager I would have situations where the behaviors of a shoplifter made me feel stopping them could be dangerous. If I deemed the situation as such and the subject had concealed merchandise I would make my presence known and offer “aggressive” customer service. I recall such an incident and everywhere the shoplifter went I followed and would straighten shelves and merchandise. This particular “shopper” became very irate and threatened me if I didn’t stop following her. I innocently told her I did not know what she was referring to and that I was simply available if she needed assistance. She had concealed an item in her purse that did not have any retail anti-theft devices on it as far as I knew but I didn’t share that information with her. I also periodically backed off to where I could watch her but give her room to drop any products she might have. She neared the store exit, stopped and looked at me and asked if I was going to “arrest her” if she left. I told her I didn’t know what she was talking about. She then asked if she could leave. I told her that was her decision. She was yelling at me at this point wanting to know if I was going to stop her. She eventually walked out and no alarm sounded. Had an Alpha Security device been on it she probably would not have concealed in the first place or she would have dropped the item at the door.
Customer service drives up sales but without using retail anti-theft devices it won’t be enough to stop theft significantly. Use Alpha Security products with customer service to prevent shoplifting and increase sales at the same time.
Alpha Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
What is your preferred method to prevent shoplifting? It isn’t always comfortable to think about. It’s easy to tell sales associates to give great customer service but it can be quite another to actually do it. This is especially true when you believe someone intends to shoplift but they haven’t done anything dishonest yet. I have had quite a few situations where I had a strong suspicion someone was going to shoplift merchandise but was not in a position to observe and catch them. While those of us who have worked in Retail Loss Prevention will preach all day long about the value of customer service in reducing shortage the truth is it isn’t a cure-all in and of itself. There must be additional steps to prevent shoplifting and that includes the use of Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices.
You may not be familiar with Alpha Security retail anti-theft devices and the products under the brand name. These devices are used to protect merchandise using electronic article surveillance (EAS) technology that works with EAS pedestals. The product line features cable locks, wraps and tags that can be placed on, over or around merchandise. From clothing to hard lines products almost any item sold can be protected with Alpha items. Most of the devices offer tamper protection that ensures an alarm will sound if a criminal attempts to remove a device from the merchandise or cut it off. If a would-be thief conceals a protected item and carries it out the doors by the pedestals an alarm is activated and lights in the pedestal flash. Alerts from the devices and the pedestals warn employees an attempted theft is taking place. Employees trained in proper responses “assist” the customer with receipt checks or customer service and recover merchandise.
Perhaps you are wondering why customer service alone would not be a feasible solution to prevent shoplifting. On the surface it sounds good to think that people won’t be able to steal if your associates are helping everyone. The truth is there are shoplifters who will take their time and if they sense they are under suspicion they will spend hours walking around “browsing” a store. As a salesfloor employee I had one couple who spent well over an hour in the office supply store where I work “browsing”. I had walked up on them as they were trying to open a package so I knew what they were doing. Nevertheless they would not quit trying. They would split up and go to other areas of the store they would pick up things, walk around and then put the item down somewhere else. It almost becomes a game. Even though most of the items I thought they had concealed in shopping bags were recovered I still suspected they had gotten away with some merchandise.
Other shoplifters will become aggressive and confront an employee in an attempt to intimidate the worker and get them to back off. Even when I was a Loss Prevention Manager I would have situations where the behaviors of a shoplifter made me feel stopping them could be dangerous. If I deemed the situation as such and the subject had concealed merchandise I would make my presence known and offer “aggressive” customer service. I recall such an incident and everywhere the shoplifter went I followed and would straighten shelves and merchandise. This particular “shopper” became very irate and threatened me if I didn’t stop following her. I innocently told her I did not know what she was referring to and that I was simply available if she needed assistance. She had concealed an item in her purse that did not have any retail anti-theft devices on it as far as I knew but I didn’t share that information with her. I also periodically backed off to where I could watch her but give her room to drop any products she might have. She neared the store exit, stopped and looked at me and asked if I was going to “arrest her” if she left. I told her I didn’t know what she was talking about. She then asked if she could leave. I told her that was her decision. She was yelling at me at this point wanting to know if I was going to stop her. She eventually walked out and no alarm sounded. Had an Alpha Security device been on it she probably would not have concealed in the first place or she would have dropped the item at the door.
Customer service drives up sales but without using retail anti-theft devices it won’t be enough to stop theft significantly. Use Alpha Security products with customer service to prevent shoplifting and increase sales at the same time.
Alpha Security is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
