Retail traffic counting – 3 wc blog 773
door counting sensor – 3
There Are Dollars In Numbers A Door Counting Sensor Can Help Harness Those Numbers
Can retail traffic counting save a business in a period where retail stores seem to be shutting their doors permanently every time you turn around? I would like to say it can IF and only IF those numbers are used to improve what you do. Here is what I mean; I go to work at my part-time retail job, I look at the daily sales goal and I may even look at the sales goal for the department I am going to work in that day. Does knowing the sales goal do anything to help me improve sales? No. It is good to be aware of how my store is doing and it doesn’t hurt to know what numbers were set by some computer magic at headquarters based on prior year information. Ultimately though I am going to do what I do best when I get on the sales floor and start my day, I am going to give the best service I can give to everyone I meet. I will use suggestive selling and upselling techniques to drive sales. I will help a shopper generate ideas for a project or business they may be working on and that in and of itself may increase sales. What I personally would never do is say, “Hey, we hit our sales goal in this department so I can work on something else now.” If a manager uses data from a door counting sensor as an informational tool only it is a waste of time to look at that data and a waste of money to invest in one. That manager is not leveraging data to improve sales, the very thing that keeps the doors to a business open.
Retail traffic counting and the data it generates require an analysis of the information it produces. A store manager has to look at the data and be able to make sound decisions based on that information. A counter can show how many people are entering a store, which days of the week they are shopping and what times they are entering. If that manager will take the data and use it to make scheduling adjustments there are many opportunities that he or she take advantage of. Let’s take as an example my part-time job. We take down our ad set for the past week on sat night and start setting up for the next morning. The store is still open so shoppers need help (remember I said I do all I can to reach as many customers as I can). It often happens that I am the only sales floor person available as the remaining staff members are assigned to the cash register or one other department. The only other available employee may be the manager on duty. That doesn’t provide a lot of coverage to get the task of ad take down and set-up complete and sell merchandise. Now, my focus does become the customers rather than the tasks but there have been times when there were not enough people to provide assistance to all our patrons. We get stretched at times when there are just not enough of us and I know I have seen shoppers walk out who I was unable to give assistance to when I saw them. If staffing was based on data from a door counting sensor schedule adjustments could reflect what foot traffic looks like from shopping history. Consider what it could mean to reach one more customer who enters the store. How much could one customer purchase if provided with the proper customer service? Would an additional sales team member have helped to add on to the purchase with proper suggestive selling? Add a $50 chair mat to a chair purchase. Add an extra set of ink cartridges to a new printer purchase. Add a set of baby bottles to that baby formula purchase. You see what I mean.
How difficult is it to set up a retail traffic counting device? For stores with a Sensormatic anti-theft system it may be a very simple installation. Many of the Sensormatic towers can easily have an integrated people counting sensor installed seamlessly into the tower. Stores with older towers can contact Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. to learn how affordable it would be to upgrade their existing system and install the people counter at the same time.
Not knowing how many people are shopping in your store is folly. You may be missing opportunities for sales growth you never dreamed of. Let Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. help you set up a door counting sensor and glean the data that can take your store to the next level. Knowledge with a purpose makes a powerful combination.
Need information on retail traffic counting? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Can retail traffic counting save a business in a period where retail stores seem to be shutting their doors permanently every time you turn around? I would like to say it can IF and only IF those numbers are used to improve what you do. Here is what I mean; I go to work at my part-time retail job, I look at the daily sales goal and I may even look at the sales goal for the department I am going to work in that day. Does knowing the sales goal do anything to help me improve sales? No. It is good to be aware of how my store is doing and it doesn’t hurt to know what numbers were set by some computer magic at headquarters based on prior year information. Ultimately though I am going to do what I do best when I get on the sales floor and start my day, I am going to give the best service I can give to everyone I meet. I will use suggestive selling and upselling techniques to drive sales. I will help a shopper generate ideas for a project or business they may be working on and that in and of itself may increase sales. What I personally would never do is say, “Hey, we hit our sales goal in this department so I can work on something else now.” If a manager uses data from a door counting sensor as an informational tool only it is a waste of time to look at that data and a waste of money to invest in one. That manager is not leveraging data to improve sales, the very thing that keeps the doors to a business open.
Retail traffic counting and the data it generates require an analysis of the information it produces. A store manager has to look at the data and be able to make sound decisions based on that information. A counter can show how many people are entering a store, which days of the week they are shopping and what times they are entering. If that manager will take the data and use it to make scheduling adjustments there are many opportunities that he or she take advantage of. Let’s take as an example my part-time job. We take down our ad set for the past week on sat night and start setting up for the next morning. The store is still open so shoppers need help (remember I said I do all I can to reach as many customers as I can). It often happens that I am the only sales floor person available as the remaining staff members are assigned to the cash register or one other department. The only other available employee may be the manager on duty. That doesn’t provide a lot of coverage to get the task of ad take down and set-up complete and sell merchandise. Now, my focus does become the customers rather than the tasks but there have been times when there were not enough people to provide assistance to all our patrons. We get stretched at times when there are just not enough of us and I know I have seen shoppers walk out who I was unable to give assistance to when I saw them. If staffing was based on data from a door counting sensor schedule adjustments could reflect what foot traffic looks like from shopping history. Consider what it could mean to reach one more customer who enters the store. How much could one customer purchase if provided with the proper customer service? Would an additional sales team member have helped to add on to the purchase with proper suggestive selling? Add a $50 chair mat to a chair purchase. Add an extra set of ink cartridges to a new printer purchase. Add a set of baby bottles to that baby formula purchase. You see what I mean.
How difficult is it to set up a retail traffic counting device? For stores with a Sensormatic anti-theft system it may be a very simple installation. Many of the Sensormatic towers can easily have an integrated people counting sensor installed seamlessly into the tower. Stores with older towers can contact Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. to learn how affordable it would be to upgrade their existing system and install the people counter at the same time.
Not knowing how many people are shopping in your store is folly. You may be missing opportunities for sales growth you never dreamed of. Let Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. help you set up a door counting sensor and glean the data that can take your store to the next level. Knowledge with a purpose makes a powerful combination.
Need information on retail traffic counting? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Anti-shoplifting – 5 WC Blog 785
Sensormatic Security System – 4
Fix Your Malfunctioning Monstrosity By Purchasing A New Anti-Shoplifting System.
Although it is not called an anti-shoplifting system (it is an anti-theft system) the library where I work does have a RFID system in place to keep people from walking out with library materials. About a week or so ago our system began alarming with no one around. What a nuisance! The alarm was doing what it was intended to do, attract the attention of employees but it was loud and after a few minutes a major distraction to patrons. I walked over and looked for a cause for the alarms but there wasn’t anything obvious in the area. I unplugged the system and plugged it back in but to no avail. No sooner did I walk away than the alarm started acting up again. Once more I looked around and could find no cause for the issue. There was a trash can nearby but it did not have anything in it that would have set off the tower. Finally, with no other recourse (besides allowing the alarm to drive out all of the patrons) I unplugged the tower and submitted a ticket to our technology staff. It would have been so much easier if this had been a retail store with a Sensormatic security system instead of this RFID company.
When I was a Loss Prevention Manager and an equipment failure or problem happened with a retail anti-shoplifting system I used to have the ability to put in a service call on my own. The response was usually quick. In the meantime, I would have to lose the protection of the system because I would unplug the unit. The erratic alarms and chirping were a distraction to customers and a signal to shoplifters that the system was out of order. Today’s technology allows a retailer to have a security system remotely analyzed and in some cases worked on without a technician having to come out to the store. It is a pain to wait for a system to be fixed. You worry about the criminals who are going to take advantage of your “down time”. With the purchase of a Sensormatic security system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. that down time may no longer present an issue for your store.
When you are deciding on where you should purchase your anti-shoplifting system you need to consider that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers remote service to their clients. To quote their website, “A simple connection allows Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. to conduct remote maintenance and fix some issues without an onsite service call at a fraction of the price.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that. I can also tell you that after having a conversation with Bill Bregar the CEO of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. he takes his commitments to his clients seriously. If your Sensormatic security system has a problem and it cannot be resolved remotely you are going to get a Sensormatic certified technician to complete the work. I have worked with sub-contractors in the past. Some are good at what they do but there are others who are not and it can be a hit or miss proposition with which one you would get. A Sensormatic certified technician knows the equipment and how to repair it properly.
An anti-shoplifting system has to work consistently if it is going to be effective at saving your store money. If you have a system that is constantly in need of attention to keep it operating you have a real problem on your hands. If you have a system that seems like it is on its’ last legs it may be time to look for a replacement and it may not be as expensive as you think it will be. A visit to the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator will show you how much you could save in shortage with a new (fully functional) Sensormatic security system. It will also show you how long it would take for a new system to pay for itself. What I am trying to get at is a broken down system is costing you money in service calls and stolen merchandise. A new system will pay for itself over time and with the purchase of a standard Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. you also get a one year warranty! Get on the road to savings with a reliable anti-shoplifting system.
Need information on an anti-shoplifting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Although it is not called an anti-shoplifting system (it is an anti-theft system) the library where I work does have a RFID system in place to keep people from walking out with library materials. About a week or so ago our system began alarming with no one around. What a nuisance! The alarm was doing what it was intended to do, attract the attention of employees but it was loud and after a few minutes a major distraction to patrons. I walked over and looked for a cause for the alarms but there wasn’t anything obvious in the area. I unplugged the system and plugged it back in but to no avail. No sooner did I walk away than the alarm started acting up again. Once more I looked around and could find no cause for the issue. There was a trash can nearby but it did not have anything in it that would have set off the tower. Finally, with no other recourse (besides allowing the alarm to drive out all of the patrons) I unplugged the tower and submitted a ticket to our technology staff. It would have been so much easier if this had been a retail store with a Sensormatic security system instead of this RFID company.
When I was a Loss Prevention Manager and an equipment failure or problem happened with a retail anti-shoplifting system I used to have the ability to put in a service call on my own. The response was usually quick. In the meantime, I would have to lose the protection of the system because I would unplug the unit. The erratic alarms and chirping were a distraction to customers and a signal to shoplifters that the system was out of order. Today’s technology allows a retailer to have a security system remotely analyzed and in some cases worked on without a technician having to come out to the store. It is a pain to wait for a system to be fixed. You worry about the criminals who are going to take advantage of your “down time”. With the purchase of a Sensormatic security system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. that down time may no longer present an issue for your store.
When you are deciding on where you should purchase your anti-shoplifting system you need to consider that Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. offers remote service to their clients. To quote their website, “A simple connection allows Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. to conduct remote maintenance and fix some issues without an onsite service call at a fraction of the price.” It doesn’t get any clearer than that. I can also tell you that after having a conversation with Bill Bregar the CEO of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. he takes his commitments to his clients seriously. If your Sensormatic security system has a problem and it cannot be resolved remotely you are going to get a Sensormatic certified technician to complete the work. I have worked with sub-contractors in the past. Some are good at what they do but there are others who are not and it can be a hit or miss proposition with which one you would get. A Sensormatic certified technician knows the equipment and how to repair it properly.
An anti-shoplifting system has to work consistently if it is going to be effective at saving your store money. If you have a system that is constantly in need of attention to keep it operating you have a real problem on your hands. If you have a system that seems like it is on its’ last legs it may be time to look for a replacement and it may not be as expensive as you think it will be. A visit to the Loss Prevention ROI Calculator will show you how much you could save in shortage with a new (fully functional) Sensormatic security system. It will also show you how long it would take for a new system to pay for itself. What I am trying to get at is a broken down system is costing you money in service calls and stolen merchandise. A new system will pay for itself over time and with the purchase of a standard Sensormatic system from Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. you also get a one year warranty! Get on the road to savings with a reliable anti-shoplifting system.
Need information on an anti-shoplifting system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Let me start off this article with two questions, how often do you talk to your associates about how important it is to stop shoplifting in your store? Do you ever discuss with your managers the need to look for signs of employee theft? It may never have even occurred to you to have these conversations. If you are operating small retail stores you may not deem it necessary to mention it much because you don’t have a lot of people working for you anyways. I walk into small retail stores and may get a “hello” or a “can I help you find something?” from a clerk sitting behind a counter. I say, “Thank you I’m just looking” and wander around browsing. Often I can cruise through a store without being offered any additional assistance. I can’t help but think if I was a thief I could have gotten away with a bunch of merchandise. Maybe it is because I look like I’m honest or because I happen to be a friendly person. I ran into this not long ago when my wife and I went into an antique store. You are thinking, “That was an antique store who is going to steal from there?” Is that the point? If I was the store owner I would want that employee walking around and being available to offer assistance.
Training to stop shoplifting and reduce employee theft is not difficult if someone knows what it is that deters thieves and also the signs that someone is stealing. The problem that frequently arises is that employers don’t really understand theft themselves. It is uncomfortable for them to try to train others on it so it is glossed over or ignored as a part of an onboarding orientation or ongoing training. That does not have to be the case. If you don’t know about a topic or have little understanding of it there is always a resource somewhere to help out. Loss Prevention Systems Inc. is a reliable resource for training that will provide managers and store owners with the knowledge they need. Not only will the people who attend the trainings gain a wealth of knowledge, they will be able to incorporate that information into future new hire training.
“But I don’t have time to fly off somewhere to attend a training seminar!” I completely understand. As a Loss Prevention Manager I used to have to travel on occasion to attend training sessions and as valuable as those trainings were, I hated to leave my store. The folks at Loss Prevention Systems Inc. understand this and have several solutions for the retail owners. They offer live webinars for you and your staff. With options available to you there is no reason you should remain in the dark not only on how theft is happening in your store but how much it is impacting your business. You can stop it but it takes an entire store of employees who understand their role in prevention of theft and what to do to stop it.
Is shortage something that you as a small business owner need to be concerned with? According to the 2017 National Retail Security Survey, the average shrink rate for retailers is 1.44% (pg. 6). More importantly 23% of retailers reported shrink at 2% or higher (pg. 6). The report also indicates on average 36.5% of shortage is attributed to shoplifting and 30% due to employee theft (pg.8). As you can see by the numbers you have to control shortage in your stores and the only way to effectively do that is by knowing how to stop shoplifting and employee theft.
Don’t underestimate the thieves who are pilfering your business. Get training to know how to identify criminals and how to prevent them from stealing. After you are trained pass that knowledge on to your employees during orientation and ongoing refreshers. A whole lot of knowledge means a lot less employee theft and shoplifting and that means more black ink on your profit line.
Need information on employee theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
