Loss Prevention ROI Calculator -3 WC Blog 404
Free Loss Prevention Calculator-3
Shortage Reduction Must Cost Money, Right? Maybe Not! Try Tackling The Problem Using LPSI’s Free Loss Prevention Calculator
I work at a college library. Coming from a retail background I am all about customer service and our school really places a strong emphasis on it. Well, in my day to day activities I meet lots of different students and I try to at least ask how classes are going or how their week is. I have also made the acquaintance of some of the athletes. As I was talking with one of the football players I was asking about his practices and if they still conduct two-a-days. I was surprised when he told me that the NCAA no longer permits two-a-days. He explained that officials reviewed the practice and determined that it has negligible effects and can actually be detrimental to the players. I asked the student what he thought about it and he indicated that most of the players were for the move for obvious reasons (it is really taxing to be out there on the field twice a day, especially in the heat of the day). He made another point that made perfect sense to me. There isn’t much return on investment in the two-a-day rituals. His point was that most of the players who really want to get playing time are already in the gym staying in condition. The freshmen are expected to be physically ready when they arrive to school and start practices with the team. Being on the field is the time for the team to learn plays, learn their positions and prepare for game time. He said that the majority of the guys on the team have played football since high school or earlier so they know they are expected to work out when not in school and to come to college ready. Retailers know all about Return on Investment, spending hard earned money when there will be something to show for that investment. For a retailer to invest in Loss Prevention sometimes they have to be shown where the payoff will be. That was the reason Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. introduced the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator.
It is easy for me with somewhere around 20 years of Loss Prevention experience and 25 years of total retail experience to tell the small retail store owner how important Loss Prevention is. What I can’t do to the same degree as that owner is appreciate just how careful he/she has to be when spending a single dollar. On the other hand what I CAN offer is a Free Loss Prevention Calculator. At no cost to use it this Loss Prevention ROI Calculator allows retailers to enter a few pieces of information such as estimated annual sales and approximately how much money they would consider spending on a Checkpoint Security System. The Calculator gives an estimated 1.2% shortage rate for all stores and estimates store losses would be reduced to .65% (in many cases the shrinkage rate would be reduced even more with a system installed). The calculator then determines how many months it would take for a Checkpoint System to pay for itself from the reduction in shortage. In other words, a Loss Prevention System can pay for itself and after it pays for itself the savings hit the profit line of the ledger books. I don’t know of too many investments that can give the kind of Return on Investment that can be achieved by using the Free Loss Prevention Calculator.
I am certain there are some of you reading this who are like me and have it instilled in you that nothing is free and have taught your children there is no free ride in life, everything has a cost. Since we think alike I also know you want to know what the catch is, are you going to get spammed with emails after you use the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator? Some sales rep. is going to call your store and bug you about buying now, right? Maybe you don’t get to see your calculation until you enter a credit card number? I can assure you that you can spend all day entering information and you won’t be tracked by cookies or trigger anything to solicit calls unless YOU choose to request more information from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. because you like the results you see. I do think you will be asking for more information when use the Free Loss Prevention Calculator and see that a Loss Prevention System can pay for itself, but we’ll let the results speak for themselves.
For more information about the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
I work at a college library. Coming from a retail background I am all about customer service and our school really places a strong emphasis on it. Well, in my day to day activities I meet lots of different students and I try to at least ask how classes are going or how their week is. I have also made the acquaintance of some of the athletes. As I was talking with one of the football players I was asking about his practices and if they still conduct two-a-days. I was surprised when he told me that the NCAA no longer permits two-a-days. He explained that officials reviewed the practice and determined that it has negligible effects and can actually be detrimental to the players. I asked the student what he thought about it and he indicated that most of the players were for the move for obvious reasons (it is really taxing to be out there on the field twice a day, especially in the heat of the day). He made another point that made perfect sense to me. There isn’t much return on investment in the two-a-day rituals. His point was that most of the players who really want to get playing time are already in the gym staying in condition. The freshmen are expected to be physically ready when they arrive to school and start practices with the team. Being on the field is the time for the team to learn plays, learn their positions and prepare for game time. He said that the majority of the guys on the team have played football since high school or earlier so they know they are expected to work out when not in school and to come to college ready. Retailers know all about Return on Investment, spending hard earned money when there will be something to show for that investment. For a retailer to invest in Loss Prevention sometimes they have to be shown where the payoff will be. That was the reason Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. introduced the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator.
It is easy for me with somewhere around 20 years of Loss Prevention experience and 25 years of total retail experience to tell the small retail store owner how important Loss Prevention is. What I can’t do to the same degree as that owner is appreciate just how careful he/she has to be when spending a single dollar. On the other hand what I CAN offer is a Free Loss Prevention Calculator. At no cost to use it this Loss Prevention ROI Calculator allows retailers to enter a few pieces of information such as estimated annual sales and approximately how much money they would consider spending on a Checkpoint Security System. The Calculator gives an estimated 1.2% shortage rate for all stores and estimates store losses would be reduced to .65% (in many cases the shrinkage rate would be reduced even more with a system installed). The calculator then determines how many months it would take for a Checkpoint System to pay for itself from the reduction in shortage. In other words, a Loss Prevention System can pay for itself and after it pays for itself the savings hit the profit line of the ledger books. I don’t know of too many investments that can give the kind of Return on Investment that can be achieved by using the Free Loss Prevention Calculator.
I am certain there are some of you reading this who are like me and have it instilled in you that nothing is free and have taught your children there is no free ride in life, everything has a cost. Since we think alike I also know you want to know what the catch is, are you going to get spammed with emails after you use the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator? Some sales rep. is going to call your store and bug you about buying now, right? Maybe you don’t get to see your calculation until you enter a credit card number? I can assure you that you can spend all day entering information and you won’t be tracked by cookies or trigger anything to solicit calls unless YOU choose to request more information from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. because you like the results you see. I do think you will be asking for more information when use the Free Loss Prevention Calculator and see that a Loss Prevention System can pay for itself, but we’ll let the results speak for themselves.
For more information about the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Prevent Shoplifting-4 WC Blog 385
Alpha 2 Alarm-5
One Size Doesn’t Fit All, Prevent Shoplifting In Your Store With The Alpha Tag That Works Best For Your Business
In my part-time employment I am a customer service associate in a store that sells computers, office supplies, printers and so forth. This past week I assisted a couple who were in the market for a printer. I asked if they had any specific brand in mind or features that they were looking for in their printer. The wife was very specific and told me she wanted a printer from a specific company that could print, copy and scan. I asked her about the types of documents she prints and whether she needed to print on both sides of a page very frequently. After learning her needs, I began to show her several models that would meet her requirements. She found two models that were similar but she had questions about why they were approximately $20 different in price. I explained the features of the upgraded model including a top feed tray for automatic two-sided printing, something she did not necessarily need although it would have provided some convenience to her. It also had a slightly larger display screen, again not a game changer for her but what did make a difference to my customer was the fact there was a USB port for a jump drive and a memory card slot. THOSE were features she could find a use for. She decided to purchase the slightly more expensive model because it would suit her purposes, not because it was just added bells and whistles. The same thing can be true for retailers in the market for retail anti-theft devices. If a store owner is going to invest in a system to prevent shoplifting do they need to purchase Alpha 2 Alarm tags or should they choose the Alpha 3 Alarm tag? That may depend on what the needs of their store(s) are.
Alpha electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags are hard tags that can be pinned directly to an item, including clothing, bedding, towels, sheets, purses and so on. I have even seen them pinned through the plastic blister packaging of some hardlines merchandise. Tags are best used in stores that also have Checkpoint EAS towers at the doors. The EAS circuitry designed in the tags sends a signal to the towers if a protected piece of merchandise is brought into the area of the door where the tower is located. When the signal is picked up alarms in the tower activate and sound a loud noise and lights built in the towers flash. The alarm catches the attention of employees and they respond to recover merchandise being carried out the door. The Alpha 2 Alarm tag is the basic version of the device, having a built in alarm that sounds when someone decides to tamper with it or try to pry a tag off. It also sets off the alarm in the tower. The 3 Alarm tag has the addition of a built in alarm that activates if a crook gets outside the building.
This brings us back to the question of why someone might choose an Alpha 2 Alarm tag instead of the 3 Alarm. A small retail store may have a very limited staff at any given time, perhaps even a manager working alone in the place. In the vast majority of cases retail anti-theft devices will prevent shoplifting but on occasion a shoplifter will take a risk and try to get past the doors with concealed goods. If a shoplifter scoots past the EAS towers and sets off the alarms in the towers, a manager or even a staff of two can’t risk stepping outside to see the thief’s direction of travel. It may be that there is little point in having the tags with the third alarm in that case. The Alpha 2 Alarm tag can meet the needs of these stores. For a larger store with enough staff to cover the front end and salesfloor, a manager could step outside the doors and using the third alarm to identify the thief, watch the direction he or she runs while calling the police. Please understand, you should NOT chase the shoplifter, simply watch from the front doors while on the phone with police if you know what was stolen.
Prevent shoplifting with the right tools for your business. Decide if Alpha 2 Alarm tags will provide the protection you need or if you could use a step up to a 3 alarm tag. In either case just remember, some protection to prevent shoplifting is better than none at all.
Get more information on Alpha 2 Alarm, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
In my part-time employment I am a customer service associate in a store that sells computers, office supplies, printers and so forth. This past week I assisted a couple who were in the market for a printer. I asked if they had any specific brand in mind or features that they were looking for in their printer. The wife was very specific and told me she wanted a printer from a specific company that could print, copy and scan. I asked her about the types of documents she prints and whether she needed to print on both sides of a page very frequently. After learning her needs, I began to show her several models that would meet her requirements. She found two models that were similar but she had questions about why they were approximately $20 different in price. I explained the features of the upgraded model including a top feed tray for automatic two-sided printing, something she did not necessarily need although it would have provided some convenience to her. It also had a slightly larger display screen, again not a game changer for her but what did make a difference to my customer was the fact there was a USB port for a jump drive and a memory card slot. THOSE were features she could find a use for. She decided to purchase the slightly more expensive model because it would suit her purposes, not because it was just added bells and whistles. The same thing can be true for retailers in the market for retail anti-theft devices. If a store owner is going to invest in a system to prevent shoplifting do they need to purchase Alpha 2 Alarm tags or should they choose the Alpha 3 Alarm tag? That may depend on what the needs of their store(s) are.
Alpha electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags are hard tags that can be pinned directly to an item, including clothing, bedding, towels, sheets, purses and so on. I have even seen them pinned through the plastic blister packaging of some hardlines merchandise. Tags are best used in stores that also have Checkpoint EAS towers at the doors. The EAS circuitry designed in the tags sends a signal to the towers if a protected piece of merchandise is brought into the area of the door where the tower is located. When the signal is picked up alarms in the tower activate and sound a loud noise and lights built in the towers flash. The alarm catches the attention of employees and they respond to recover merchandise being carried out the door. The Alpha 2 Alarm tag is the basic version of the device, having a built in alarm that sounds when someone decides to tamper with it or try to pry a tag off. It also sets off the alarm in the tower. The 3 Alarm tag has the addition of a built in alarm that activates if a crook gets outside the building.
This brings us back to the question of why someone might choose an Alpha 2 Alarm tag instead of the 3 Alarm. A small retail store may have a very limited staff at any given time, perhaps even a manager working alone in the place. In the vast majority of cases retail anti-theft devices will prevent shoplifting but on occasion a shoplifter will take a risk and try to get past the doors with concealed goods. If a shoplifter scoots past the EAS towers and sets off the alarms in the towers, a manager or even a staff of two can’t risk stepping outside to see the thief’s direction of travel. It may be that there is little point in having the tags with the third alarm in that case. The Alpha 2 Alarm tag can meet the needs of these stores. For a larger store with enough staff to cover the front end and salesfloor, a manager could step outside the doors and using the third alarm to identify the thief, watch the direction he or she runs while calling the police. Please understand, you should NOT chase the shoplifter, simply watch from the front doors while on the phone with police if you know what was stolen.
Prevent shoplifting with the right tools for your business. Decide if Alpha 2 Alarm tags will provide the protection you need or if you could use a step up to a 3 alarm tag. In either case just remember, some protection to prevent shoplifting is better than none at all.
Get more information on Alpha 2 Alarm, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Stop Shoplifting-3 WC Blog 421
Checkpoint Security System-4
It Isn’t Rocket Science But A Properly Functioning Checkpoint System Can Stop Shoplifting
I am old enough to remember the launches of NASA spacecraft at Cape Canaveral Space Center and monitored from mission control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. It was stirring to listen to the calm, cool and collected voices of the flight engineers and Mission Control technicians as they went through their checklists and you would hear the words, “All systems are go for launch”. The countdown would continue or stop depending on weather conditions or a warning signal on a control panel somewhere in Mission Control. It was really an intense experience even for a young boy in front of the television set. When all systems worked properly the technicians would go through their checklists and give a “Go” from their station. If something was not right such as a storm system moving to close to the launch pad the launch would be put on hold. The announcer would narrate what was happening and we would wait in suspense. If all systems were functioning as they should and weather issues were out of the way the rocket engines would ignite in a massive blast of flame and smoke and the spacecraft and astronauts would be carried into space on their mission. Though it doesn’t have all of the thrills and excitement of a NASA spacecraft system, a Checkpoint Security System has to have all parts functioning properly in order for it to fulfill the mission it was intended for. When one part is not “ready” the system does not do what it is intended to do, stop shoplifting.
A Checkpoint Security System is a complete retail anti-theft package that deters theft and can detect attempted shoplifting activity. Included in a package are electronic article surveillance pedestals usually installed near the entrance and exit points of a store. The pedestals sound the alarm when merchandise protected with Checkpoint tags is carried too close to the pedestals. That leads to the next piece in the package, the tags. Tags are attached to merchandise to ensure the item can’t get past the pedestals. Tags are available in a number of various styles from adhesive labels to hard tags that can be pinned to goods like softlines products. The Security System also requires de-activation pads that deactivate soft tags at the point of sale in order to prevent paid merchandise from creating unintentional alarm activations. Hard tags have to be removed from merchandise and require special detachment keys secured at the point of sale. The detachment key can be purchased with a lock that attaches to the counter and prevents a thief from being able to walk off with the detachment key. The failure of any piece of this system can result in a failure to stop shoplifting and even become a liability to a store.
When I was a Retail Loss Prevention Manager I remember an incident with a shopper when the Checkpoint Security System in our store failed. The customer made a purchase and as he exited the store the alarm pedestal sounded. He was approached by a supervisor who asked to see his receipt. The customer refused and raised his voice in an obvious attempt to cause a scene. An item he had purchased had not been deactivated at the register. I was called in and in order to de-escalate the situation I apologized for the inconvenience and told the customer he could leave. The customer told me he was a Loss Prevention Manager for another company and he was going to sue us. I told him that as a fellow L.P. Manager he was aware that mistakes happen and we still had a right to ask for a receipt but as a courtesy I was not going to do so. He muttered something and left the store. We never heard from him again. I also checked with some friends who worked for the company he had mentioned he worked for and each one told me what they thought of the inconsiderate oaf. After he was gone I checked our equipment and found that a morning test of the deactivation pads had not been completed and there was a faulty unit. Had the proper checklist been followed, we would have had a “Hold” on the L.P. end of things and the register would not have been used that day until I could get it repaired or replaced.
Just as NASA has to follow their procedures to ensure all systems are functioning for a “Go” for launch, a Checkpoint Security System has to properly function too. Broken equipment can cause a problem but when everything works properly it will stop shoplifting and reduce shortage. Why not shoot for the stars and watch profits soar with a retail anti-theft system from Checkpoint?
Need information on a Checkpoint Security System? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
I am old enough to remember the launches of NASA spacecraft at Cape Canaveral Space Center and monitored from mission control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. It was stirring to listen to the calm, cool and collected voices of the flight engineers and Mission Control technicians as they went through their checklists and you would hear the words, “All systems are go for launch”. The countdown would continue or stop depending on weather conditions or a warning signal on a control panel somewhere in Mission Control. It was really an intense experience even for a young boy in front of the television set. When all systems worked properly the technicians would go through their checklists and give a “Go” from their station. If something was not right such as a storm system moving to close to the launch pad the launch would be put on hold. The announcer would narrate what was happening and we would wait in suspense. If all systems were functioning as they should and weather issues were out of the way the rocket engines would ignite in a massive blast of flame and smoke and the spacecraft and astronauts would be carried into space on their mission. Though it doesn’t have all of the thrills and excitement of a NASA spacecraft system, a Checkpoint Security System has to have all parts functioning properly in order for it to fulfill the mission it was intended for. When one part is not “ready” the system does not do what it is intended to do, stop shoplifting.
A Checkpoint Security System is a complete retail anti-theft package that deters theft and can detect attempted shoplifting activity. Included in a package are electronic article surveillance pedestals usually installed near the entrance and exit points of a store. The pedestals sound the alarm when merchandise protected with Checkpoint tags is carried too close to the pedestals. That leads to the next piece in the package, the tags. Tags are attached to merchandise to ensure the item can’t get past the pedestals. Tags are available in a number of various styles from adhesive labels to hard tags that can be pinned to goods like softlines products. The Security System also requires de-activation pads that deactivate soft tags at the point of sale in order to prevent paid merchandise from creating unintentional alarm activations. Hard tags have to be removed from merchandise and require special detachment keys secured at the point of sale. The detachment key can be purchased with a lock that attaches to the counter and prevents a thief from being able to walk off with the detachment key. The failure of any piece of this system can result in a failure to stop shoplifting and even become a liability to a store.
When I was a Retail Loss Prevention Manager I remember an incident with a shopper when the Checkpoint Security System in our store failed. The customer made a purchase and as he exited the store the alarm pedestal sounded. He was approached by a supervisor who asked to see his receipt. The customer refused and raised his voice in an obvious attempt to cause a scene. An item he had purchased had not been deactivated at the register. I was called in and in order to de-escalate the situation I apologized for the inconvenience and told the customer he could leave. The customer told me he was a Loss Prevention Manager for another company and he was going to sue us. I told him that as a fellow L.P. Manager he was aware that mistakes happen and we still had a right to ask for a receipt but as a courtesy I was not going to do so. He muttered something and left the store. We never heard from him again. I also checked with some friends who worked for the company he had mentioned he worked for and each one told me what they thought of the inconsiderate oaf. After he was gone I checked our equipment and found that a morning test of the deactivation pads had not been completed and there was a faulty unit. Had the proper checklist been followed, we would have had a “Hold” on the L.P. end of things and the register would not have been used that day until I could get it repaired or replaced.
Just as NASA has to follow their procedures to ensure all systems are functioning for a “Go” for launch, a Checkpoint Security System has to properly function too. Broken equipment can cause a problem but when everything works properly it will stop shoplifting and reduce shortage. Why not shoot for the stars and watch profits soar with a retail anti-theft system from Checkpoint?
Need information on a Checkpoint Security System? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
