WHY INSTALL A CHECKPOING SECURITY SYSTEM?
What are those towers at the front of most retailers? You know, those little things that you see everywhere, but perhaps haven’t thought much about? Chances are, it’s a part of that store’s Checkpoint security system. What is that, and what benefit could that have to my store you say? Well, probably too many to list, but I’ll try anyway.
What is a Checkpoint Security System?
It’s an all-encompassing, multi-pronged technology aimed at one goal; stop shoplifting. It’s more than just the towers you see at the front of the store. The entire system consists of hard tags, soft tags, other EAS devices, detachers and deactivators at the registers and of course, those very visible towers.
Why is it important for my business?
You want to stop shoplifting, right? You understand that your staff can’t be in every square inch of your store during every waking minute of the day. A Checkpoint Security System can be that extra set of eyes that never wander, never take a break and never let the thieves get away.
How does it work?
Well, it starts by applying EAS tags to merchandise throughout your store. There is an endless combination of sticky “soft” tags, hard tags and specialty tags that all will trigger an audible and visual alarm if they pass through those towers without first being removed, or deactivated at the point of sale. If a shoplifter knows that you are utilizing anti-theft technology in your store, they WILL think twice before concealing that pair of pants, or car GPS.
Does it interfere with my Legitimate Customers?
In short, absolutely, 100% no. A Checkpoint Security System is one of the most cost effective methods to stop shoplifting. Not only do the alarming towers give you notice to customers exiting the store with unpaid merchandise, the assorted variety of EAS tags provide a physical barrier to theft.
In short, a Checkpoint Security System is a vital part of any retail store. Simple systems and towers are incredibly inexpensive, provided a positive return on investment and helps you keep a low-price commitment to your honest customers. If you’re trying to find a way to stop shoplifting, look no further!
Checkpoint Security System is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
What are those towers at the front of most retailers?
You know, those little things that you see everywhere, but perhaps haven’t thought much about? Chances are, it’s a part of that store’s Checkpoint security system. What is that, and what benefit could that have to my store you say? Well, probably too many to list, but I’ll try anyway.
What is a Checkpoint Security System?
It’s an all-encompassing, multi-pronged technology aimed at one goal; stop shoplifting. It’s more than just the towers you see at the front of the store. The entire system consists of hard tags, soft tags, other EAS devices, detachers and deactivators at the registers and of course, those very visible towers.
Why is it important for my business?
You want to stop shoplifting, right? You understand that your staff can’t be in every square inch of your store during every waking minute of the day. A Checkpoint Security System can be that extra set of eyes that never wander, never take a break and never let the thieves get away.
How does it work?
Well, it starts by applying EAS tags to merchandise throughout your store. There is an endless combination of sticky “soft” tags, hard tags and specialty tags that all will trigger an audible and visual alarm if they pass through those towers without first being removed, or deactivated at the point of sale. If a shoplifter knows that you are utilizing anti-theft technology in your store, they WILL think twice before concealing that pair of pants, or car GPS.
Does it interfere with my Legitimate Customers?
In short, absolutely, 100% no. A Checkpoint Security System is one of the most cost effective methods to stop shoplifting. Not only do the alarming towers give you notice to customers exiting the store with unpaid merchandise, the assorted variety of EAS tags provide a physical barrier to theft.
In short, a Checkpoint Security System is a vital part of any retail store. Simple systems and towers are incredibly inexpensive, provided a positive return on investment and helps you keep a low-price commitment to your honest customers. If you’re trying to find a way to stop shoplifting, look no further!
Checkpoint Security Systems are important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
5 REASONS YOU SHOULD NEVER PROTECT RAZOR BLADES
Reason #5 – A Booster has to Make a Living
Would you really be able to call yourself an American if you were the reason a fellow citizen couldn’t make a decent living? I know I couldn’t. Using Alpha Keepers to protect razor blades could be the reason some poor soul goes without food or drugs tonight. Can you live with that weighing on your mind? That shoplifter has to get up every day and drive all the way to your store just to steal. Now, he could go to dozens of other shops, but he picks you. Help him out a little and think twice before you try to keep your profits to yourself.
Reason #4 – Corner Stores, Flea Markets and Other Fences Rely on you
You know, that booster isn’t the only one relying on an easy pay day from your store. That booster has to sell those stolen razors somewhere to someone. There’s a whole supply chain that could maybe go hungry if you did something crazy, like start using Alpha Keepers to keep your blades safe.
Reason #3 – Profit Margins on razors are YUGE! You can Afford some Losses
Of all the items in the store, boosters target razor blades. Good for you since the margins are so incredibly high. All those razor blade manufacturers spur so much competition in the market that your costs are next to nothing. You just mark up the prices because you’re a greedy company. It doesn’t matter if someone steals a few dozen a day; those losses will hardly have any impact on your overall profitability. Heck, using Alpha Keepers to protect razor blades is like using a flashlight during the day!
Reason #2 – Losses Look Good on Your Taxes
Any good businessperson will tell you that you have to show a loss at the end of the year. It’s the only way to stay in business. What better way to show losses than to be as inviting to criminals as possible? The thieves will stay away if you start to protect razor blades with security measures, so make sure you leave them out and un-secured so you can show the biggest loss imaginable.
Reason #1 – Razors are Expensive, that Means Shoplifters Can’t Afford Them
Shoplifters have to shave too, you know? Clearly if they are shoplifting, then they don’t have much money to begin with. You could cut them some slack and not use those Alpha Keepers to protect razor blades. For all you know, they may have a big interview coming up with a big fence and they have to look sharp to land the job. You wouldn’t want to get in the way of that, now would you?
Need information on Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Reason #5 – A Booster has to Make a Living Would you really be able to call yourself an American if you were the reason a fellow citizen couldn’t make a decent living? I know I couldn’t. Using Alpha Keepers to protect razor blades could be the reason some poor soul goes without food or drugs tonight. Can you live with that weighing on your mind? That shoplifter has to get up every day and drive all the way to your store just to steal. Now, he could go to dozens of other shops, but he picks you. Help him out a little and think twice before you try to keep your profits to yourself.
Reason #4 – Corner Stores, Flea Markets and Other Fences Rely on you You know, that booster isn’t the only one relying on an easy pay day from your store. That booster has to sell those stolen razors somewhere to someone. There’s a whole supply chain that could maybe go hungry if you did something crazy, like start using Alpha Keepers to keep your blades safe.
Reason #3 – Profit Margins on razors are YUGE! You can Afford some Losses Of all the items in the store, boosters target razor blades. Good for you since the margins are so incredibly high. All those razor blade manufacturers spur so much competition in the market that your costs are next to nothing. You just mark up the prices because you’re a greedy company. It doesn’t matter if someone steals a few dozen a day; those losses will hardly have any impact on your overall profitability. Heck, using Alpha Keepers to protect razor blades is like using a flashlight during the day!
Reason #2 – Losses Look Good on Your Taxes Any good businessperson will tell you that you have to show a loss at the end of the year. It’s the only way to stay in business. What better way to show losses than to be as inviting to criminals as possible? The thieves will stay away if you start to protect razor blades with security measures, so make sure you leave them out and un-secured so you can show the biggest loss imaginable.
Reason #1 – Razors are Expensive, that Means Shoplifters Can’t Afford Them Shoplifters have to shave too, you know? Clearly if they are shoplifting, then they don’t have much money to begin with. You could cut them some slack and not use those Alpha Keepers to protect razor blades. For all you know, they may have a big interview coming up with a big fence and they have to look sharp to land the job. You wouldn’t want to get in the way of that, now would you?
Need information on Alpha Keepers? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Return Fraud-5 WC Blog 258
Wardrobing-5
Alpha Shark Tags-5
Wardrobing Tags-3
The Lying Witch And Wardobing; A Sales Associate’s Story Of Dealing With Return Fraud
While I have many stories I have shared from my experiences in retail as a Loss Prevention Manager and a sales specialist, my wife also worked in retail for a long time and has her own share of stories to share. One of her problem customers was regularly engaged in return fraud. This particular fraud is now known as wardrobing but at the time the only term for it was return fraud because it involved returning clothing that had already been worn. On the surface that may not sound like an issue however, the condition of the clothes being returned often required them to be marked down or marked out of stock. This particular customer would purchase clothes but would not try them on in the store. She would tell my wife she had to take them home to see how they looked with her shoes and jewelry. Several days later this customer would bring the clothing back and it would sometimes smell of perfume and occasionally there would be make-up stains on them. This happened so regularly that my wife was certain the clothes were being worn out to events and then returned with the tags and receipt. The customer insisted she had not worn them and had only tried them on. My wife described her as a “witch” due to her smug attitude, knowing the return would be accepted. Because of store return policies my wife had to process the refund and give the woman her money back. Store owners still face the same problems today, but now they have Alpha Shark Tags available to them to prevent return fraud.
Alpha Shark Tags are one-time use, brightly colored wardrobing tags that are pinned to a piece of clothing in a prominent location. Unlike retail anti-theft devices that are removed by cashiers at a point of sale upon purchase, wardrobing tags remain on the item and are removed by the customer when the customer gets home. The purchaser tries on the clothing, makes sure they like them and once they have finalized their decision to keep the garments, THEN they cut off the Alpha Shark Tags. What if they don’t like the items once they try them on? As long as the wardrobing tags are intact they can return the items with the receipt and store hang tags and get a refund. The same applies if they were to give the items as gifts.
How do Alpha Shark Tags prevent the purchaser from wardrobing and wearing clothes on a night out? Do you recall I mentioned the tags are brightly colored and placed in a visible location? People engaged in wardrobing hide hang tags or carefully remove them and then wear the clothing and no one can tell the clothes are ready to be returned after the evening is over. Shark Tags can’t be cut off or the clothes can’t be returned and if they are in a prominent area of the clothes, they can’t be hidden. Those engaged in return fraud are trying to portray an image and can’t wear something that has a colored tag hanging from it.
You may be thinking to yourself, “Okay, so the customer returned some clothes, how much of a problem can one customer be?” The issue is not one customer and one return. There are people that make wardrobing a regular practice and do not see an issue with it. The problem retailers have to deal with is they frequently have to mark down the price of the clothes that are returned or remove them from stock completely. This affects the profit margin for a store and in some cases where employees work on a commission it negatively impacts them as well. That sales commission they were counting on after spending time with the customer selling them their outfit is gone once the return is processed.
Avoid the negative effects of dealing with return fraud as my wife had to do. Use Alpha Shark Tags on all of your clothing and watch your profits grow and your wardrobing witches melt away.
Wardrobing is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
While I have many stories I have shared from my experiences in retail as a Loss Prevention Manager and a sales specialist, my wife also worked in retail for a long time and has her own share of stories to share. One of her problem customers was regularly engaged in return fraud. This particular fraud is now known as wardrobing but at the time the only term for it was return fraud because it involved returning clothing that had already been worn. On the surface that may not sound like an issue however, the condition of the clothes being returned often required them to be marked down or marked out of stock. This particular customer would purchase clothes but would not try them on in the store. She would tell my wife she had to take them home to see how they looked with her shoes and jewelry. Several days later this customer would bring the clothing back and it would sometimes smell of perfume and occasionally there would be make-up stains on them. This happened so regularly that my wife was certain the clothes were being worn out to events and then returned with the tags and receipt. The customer insisted she had not worn them and had only tried them on. My wife described her as a “witch” due to her smug attitude, knowing the return would be accepted. Because of store return policies my wife had to process the refund and give the woman her money back. Store owners still face the same problems today, but now they have Alpha Shark Tags available to them to prevent return fraud.
Alpha Shark Tags are one-time use, brightly colored wardrobing tags that are pinned to a piece of clothing in a prominent location. Unlike retail anti-theft devices that are removed by cashiers at a point of sale upon purchase, wardrobing tags remain on the item and are removed by the customer when the customer gets home. The purchaser tries on the clothing, makes sure they like them and once they have finalized their decision to keep the garments, THEN they cut off the Alpha Shark Tags. What if they don’t like the items once they try them on? As long as the wardrobing tags are intact they can return the items with the receipt and store hang tags and get a refund. The same applies if they were to give the items as gifts.
How do Alpha Shark Tags prevent the purchaser from wardrobing and wearing clothes on a night out? Do you recall I mentioned the tags are brightly colored and placed in a visible location? People engaged in wardrobing hide hang tags or carefully remove them and then wear the clothing and no one can tell the clothes are ready to be returned after the evening is over. Shark Tags can’t be cut off or the clothes can’t be returned and if they are in a prominent area of the clothes, they can’t be hidden. Those engaged in return fraud are trying to portray an image and can’t wear something that has a colored tag hanging from it.
You may be thinking to yourself, “Okay, so the customer returned some clothes, how much of a problem can one customer be?” The issue is not one customer and one return. There are people that make wardrobing a regular practice and do not see an issue with it. The problem retailers have to deal with is they frequently have to mark down the price of the clothes that are returned or remove them from stock completely. This affects the profit margin for a store and in some cases where employees work on a commission it negatively impacts them as well. That sales commission they were counting on after spending time with the customer selling them their outfit is gone once the return is processed.
Avoid the negative effects of dealing with return fraud as my wife had to do. Use Alpha Shark Tags on all of your clothing and watch your profits grow and your wardrobing witches melt away.
Wardrobing is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Employee Theft- 4 WC log 311
Stop Shoplifting-3
Manager Training To Stop Employee Theft-3
Manager Training To Stop Employee Theft And Shoplifting Can Make Shortage Reduction Easier And Save You Money In The Long Run
When a new hire is brought on board with a business there should always be some type of discussion with them about the company expectations in regard to shoplifters and employee theft. Do you take the time to do an orientation or training? Do you address these points or simply gloss over them? Do you avoid even bringing it up out of concern the employee may get irritated over it and will quit? You can’t shrink from the necessity of having these orientations or on-boarding talks. But what is the best way to go about it? Well, you could just hold a meeting in an office or classroom setting and read over dry, old material that talks about theft and fraud. You could do a power point presentation with a handout, those are always fun. Though I worked for a large company I always made it a point as the Loss Prevention Manager to meet with new hires. Whether it was a mass orientation for a group of seasonal new hires or a single cashier coming to work for us; I made sure I met with everyone at some point and talked about their role in preventing shortage. I would discuss how they could help stop shoplifting and even employee theft. I also made sure they understood what would happen if I caught them stealing. I would frequently end my presentation with the comment that if they were planning on stealing while working for the company they would do themselves a favor by not showing up their first day of work so they could avoid jail later. Believe it or not, occasionally I did have new hires that would not show up for work.
Being comfortable with a topic is an important aspect of creating an impactful new employee orientation. Theft and fraud are not always topics managers are comfortable talking about. Suppose you had a class available to you on manager training to stop employee theft, would that build your confidence in this area so you could speak about it? It is possible to speak about theft and fraud in generalities but making employees understand the negative impact it has on them and the business isn’t always easy to do. Manager training to stop employee theft and shoplifter theft reduction training are just two of the seminars available to retailers from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Learn from an expert in the field of Loss Prevention, Bill Bregar, as he teaches you what you need to know about shoplifting and how to develop procedures to address it. Bill can also instruct you and your managers on the full impact that employee theft and fraud can have on your business and how you can see signals that may be pre-cursors to an employee stealing from you. With these trainings, whether for your employees or managers, you will have the knowledge in hand that you can use to train future managers and employees.
Are you thinking, “I have tried talking to my employees about how to stop shoplifting but they don’t seem to be paying attention or they don’t care”? It is possible that they aren’t paying attention because you don’t have all the information you need to make it important to them. For example, have you talked to employees about how it hits them in the wallet when a co-worker steals from the business? If there was no theft to worry about how much more could they be paid? How about the impact shoplifters have on them and their families in terms of the prices of merchandise when they go shopping? Of course as the business owner and manager you have your own personal interest in the success of the business and the need to curtail theft. Proper training can help you build a culture of shortage awareness in your store.
Don’t underestimate how much your employees and managers can do to stop shoplifting and prevent theft and fraud. Let Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct manager training to stop employee theft in your stores and see the impact it can have on shortage reduction.
Need information on conducting manager training to stop employee theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
When a new hire is brought on board with a business there should always be some type of discussion with them about the company expectations in regard to shoplifters and employee theft. Do you take the time to do an orientation or training? Do you address these points or simply gloss over them? Do you avoid even bringing it up out of concern the employee may get irritated over it and will quit? You can’t shrink from the necessity of having these orientations or on-boarding talks. But what is the best way to go about it? Well, you could just hold a meeting in an office or classroom setting and read over dry, old material that talks about theft and fraud. You could do a power point presentation with a handout, those are always fun. Though I worked for a large company I always made it a point as the Loss Prevention Manager to meet with new hires. Whether it was a mass orientation for a group of seasonal new hires or a single cashier coming to work for us; I made sure I met with everyone at some point and talked about their role in preventing shortage. I would discuss how they could help stop shoplifting and even employee theft. I also made sure they understood what would happen if I caught them stealing. I would frequently end my presentation with the comment that if they were planning on stealing while working for the company they would do themselves a favor by not showing up their first day of work so they could avoid jail later. Believe it or not, occasionally I did have new hires that would not show up for work.
Being comfortable with a topic is an important aspect of creating an impactful new employee orientation. Theft and fraud are not always topics managers are comfortable talking about. Suppose you had a class available to you on manager training to stop employee theft, would that build your confidence in this area so you could speak about it? It is possible to speak about theft and fraud in generalities but making employees understand the negative impact it has on them and the business isn’t always easy to do. Manager training to stop employee theft and shoplifter theft reduction training are just two of the seminars available to retailers from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. Learn from an expert in the field of Loss Prevention, Bill Bregar, as he teaches you what you need to know about shoplifting and how to develop procedures to address it. Bill can also instruct you and your managers on the full impact that employee theft and fraud can have on your business and how you can see signals that may be pre-cursors to an employee stealing from you. With these trainings, whether for your employees or managers, you will have the knowledge in hand that you can use to train future managers and employees.
Are you thinking, “I have tried talking to my employees about how to stop shoplifting but they don’t seem to be paying attention or they don’t care”? It is possible that they aren’t paying attention because you don’t have all the information you need to make it important to them. For example, have you talked to employees about how it hits them in the wallet when a co-worker steals from the business? If there was no theft to worry about how much more could they be paid? How about the impact shoplifters have on them and their families in terms of the prices of merchandise when they go shopping? Of course as the business owner and manager you have your own personal interest in the success of the business and the need to curtail theft. Proper training can help you build a culture of shortage awareness in your store.
Don’t underestimate how much your employees and managers can do to stop shoplifting and prevent theft and fraud. Let Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. conduct manager training to stop employee theft in your stores and see the impact it can have on shortage reduction.
Need information on conducting manager training to stop employee theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Pre-employment Screening-4 WC blog 273
Background Check Company-3
Employee background checks-3
Job Performance, Employment Terminations And Dishonest Employee Interviews Can Be Dangerous; Pre-employment Screening Can Make It Safer – Part 1
As a Loss Prevention Manager I had to conduct investigative interviews with dishonest employees on quite a few occasions over a 15 year period. It is never an easy thing to do since you don’t know what to expect from the person you are interviewing. In some cases you may anticipate the employee will be quiet or meek and during the interview process they become verbally aggressive or threatening. I have dealt with the employee I thought would potentially become violent and they were the one to be subdued and give an easy admission of guilt. People are all different and react to stressful situations in a multitude of ways and a store owner or manager must always use care when having to confront someone. This is one of the reasons it is so important to use employee background checks when hiring staff. You want to try to find the most suitable person to work for you and that includes the ability to do the work and the ability to get along with others in a safe environment. While a background check company may not weed out ALL of the worst candidates, pre-employment screening can be effective in eliminating many questionable applicants before you make a job offer.
When an applicant completes your job application, the answers they write down or input in the computer are the responses you have to go by. On your own, you don’t know whether this person has given you the correct Social Security Number or the real address where they lived for the past ten years. They may respond that they have no prior criminal record but, is that true? The person you are considering for the job may not even be telling you the truth about their employment history. A background check company can verify all of these things for you and help you to know if you are hiring who you think you are hiring. If there is information that cannot be verified you will be told about that too, further assisting you in your final hiring decision.
While you may not have to concern yourself with conducting investigations and interviewing dishonest employees it is highly likely that you will have to have job performance discussions with employees from time to time. I believe if you are leading your staff you will be having coaching sessions or performance discussions, it will simply be a matter of when or how frequently. You may possibly have to fire an employee at some point and these discussions can be just as contentious as an employee theft interview. You don’t know how that person is going to react during the discussion. If you had a pre-employment screening completed before hiring you may at least be sure that the person you are going to fire does not have a criminal history of violence.
Employee background checks can also provide insight into a candidate’s background and verify education, driving records, credit card and payment histories, even check sex offender registries. While not all of this information would necessarily determine if an employee would steal from your company or be a danger to others, it can be a strong indicator when making hiring choices. Pre-employment screening gives you a better picture of the candidate and if something concerns you on a report you can discuss it with the candidate on a follow up interview. If you have multiple applicants for a position it can help weed out the candidate field.
By using the background check company to conduct employee background checks you save yourself time and energy because the information you need is gathered by professionals who know how the resources needed to gather the information. If you bring on the right people or minimize the risk of bringing on those who may have violent backgrounds you can feel more confident about your safety when you have to conduct those tough discussions or reprimands.
Need information on pre-employment screening? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
As a Loss Prevention Manager I had to conduct investigative interviews with dishonest employees on quite a few occasions over a 15 year period. It is never an easy thing to do since you don’t know what to expect from the person you are interviewing. In some cases you may anticipate the employee will be quiet or meek and during the interview process they become verbally aggressive or threatening. I have dealt with the employee I thought would potentially become violent and they were the one to be subdued and give an easy admission of guilt. People are all different and react to stressful situations in a multitude of ways and a store owner or manager must always use care when having to confront someone. This is one of the reasons it is so important to use employee background checks when hiring staff. You want to try to find the most suitable person to work for you and that includes the ability to do the work and the ability to get along with others in a safe environment. While a background check company may not weed out ALL of the worst candidates, pre-employment screening can be effective in eliminating many questionable applicants before you make a job offer.
When an applicant completes your job application, the answers they write down or input in the computer are the responses you have to go by. On your own, you don’t know whether this person has given you the correct Social Security Number or the real address where they lived for the past ten years. They may respond that they have no prior criminal record but, is that true? The person you are considering for the job may not even be telling you the truth about their employment history. A background check company can verify all of these things for you and help you to know if you are hiring who you think you are hiring. If there is information that cannot be verified you will be told about that too, further assisting you in your final hiring decision.
While you may not have to concern yourself with conducting investigations and interviewing dishonest employees it is highly likely that you will have to have job performance discussions with employees from time to time. I believe if you are leading your staff you will be having coaching sessions or performance discussions, it will simply be a matter of when or how frequently. You may possibly have to fire an employee at some point and these discussions can be just as contentious as an employee theft interview. You don’t know how that person is going to react during the discussion. If you had a pre-employment screening completed before hiring you may at least be sure that the person you are going to fire does not have a criminal history of violence.
Employee background checks can also provide insight into a candidate’s background and verify education, driving records, credit card and payment histories, even check sex offender registries. While not all of this information would necessarily determine if an employee would steal from your company or be a danger to others, it can be a strong indicator when making hiring choices. Pre-employment screening gives you a better picture of the candidate and if something concerns you on a report you can discuss it with the candidate on a follow up interview. If you have multiple applicants for a position it can help weed out the candidate field.
By using the background check company to conduct employee background checks you save yourself time and energy because the information you need is gathered by professionals who know how the resources needed to gather the information. If you bring on the right people or minimize the risk of bringing on those who may have violent backgrounds you can feel more confident about your safety when you have to conduct those tough discussions or reprimands.
Need information on pre-employment screening? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
