People Counting Systems – 4 WC Blog 733
Retail Traffic Counting – 3
Combining Retail Traffic Counting Devices With Other Technologies
I was looking at technology on the Sensormatic.com website for information on people counting systems because I like to see what is new as well as how different technology can be tied together. It is my opinion that frequently retailers do not use the systems they install to the fullest potential. For example, I understand the advantages a door counting sensor can provide to help boost sales. Sometimes this is called measuring the conversion rate for the retailer. This measurement is useful to know how many people have walked through the doors and how many transactions were completed. A big difference in those numbers indicate something in the store is not right, whether it is poor customer service or a lack of products that shoppers came in to purchase. In this sense I see how retail traffic counting can be related to Loss Prevention. I have been in retail a LONG time so I recognize that shoplifting does impact merchandise in-stocks and product availability. What I am looking for when I am researching information on different websites is how various technologies complement each other so store owners and managers can leverage more out of their Loss Prevention systems.
It was during the course of my searching that I found something that could be quite useful from Sensormatic if paired together. This company offers a Sensormatic Synergy Camera that I believe could be coupled with their people counting device to make a giant leap for retailers, especially small and medium sized stores. The company information on this camera is that it “provides clear, high-definition video recordings or snapshots of loss events at the storefront”. The camera is mounted to a Sensormatic electronic article surveillance pedestal and captures video when alarms are detected which includes systems that can detect booster foil-lined bags. It will also capture video when a Sensormatic tag or label sets off the alarm. Now, I want you to picture this in conjunction with the pedestals that are fitted with people counting systems. You track how many customers are entering your store AND you are capturing video when alarm activations take place. You can get high-definition video and pictures of potential shoplifters who are visiting your business. If you have high foot traffic counts compared to sales as I mentioned earlier and you start to view images from your camera when alarms are set off you can begin to identify who the regular shoplifters are visiting your store. Along with the losses they are causing you through their theft activity they may be the ones causing empty spaces on your shelves. This could be why sales are low compared to your retail traffic counting numbers.
Another advantage for store management if they combine the people counting systems with the Synergy Camera is that they can view how their teams are responding to electronic article surveillance alarms. It is one thing to know how many alarms are sounding and who the people are who are causing activations but the response to those alarms is just as important if not more so. If alarms are activated and employees are simply waving people out the door without conducting proper package and receipt checks thieves are going to take advantage of this and steal even more. From my personal experiences as a Loss Prevention Manager I have seen employees who do not address alarms properly. Some of those are theft related and those people return to your store over and over until something is done to address how responses are handled. Again, I believe combining the videos with numbers from your retail traffic counting data can aid in improving sales by identifying issues taking place in the store.
Like so many other processes in a retail environment, one process has a direct impact on other areas of the business. If data itself is gathered and you are only counting patrons with people counting systems and you are not tying that information into other areas it becomes useless. Tie it into a Sensormatic Synergy Camera and you can begin to improve shortage numbers through suspect identification AND alarm response training. Do that and you begin to improve on hand quantities and improve sales and that should be your ultimate goal.
Retail Traffic Counting is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I was looking at technology on the Sensormatic.com website for information on people counting systems because I like to see what is new as well as how different technology can be tied together. It is my opinion that frequently retailers do not use the systems they install to the fullest potential. For example, I understand the advantages a door counting sensor can provide to help boost sales. Sometimes this is called measuring the conversion rate for the retailer. This measurement is useful to know how many people have walked through the doors and how many transactions were completed. A big difference in those numbers indicate something in the store is not right, whether it is poor customer service or a lack of products that shoppers came in to purchase. In this sense I see how retail traffic counting can be related to Loss Prevention. I have been in retail a LONG time so I recognize that shoplifting does impact merchandise in-stocks and product availability. What I am looking for when I am researching information on different websites is how various technologies complement each other so store owners and managers can leverage more out of their Loss Prevention systems.
It was during the course of my searching that I found something that could be quite useful from Sensormatic if paired together. This company offers a Sensormatic Synergy Camera that I believe could be coupled with their people counting device to make a giant leap for retailers, especially small and medium sized stores. The company information on this camera is that it “provides clear, high-definition video recordings or snapshots of loss events at the storefront”. The camera is mounted to a Sensormatic electronic article surveillance pedestal and captures video when alarms are detected which includes systems that can detect booster foil-lined bags. It will also capture video when a Sensormatic tag or label sets off the alarm. Now, I want you to picture this in conjunction with the pedestals that are fitted with people counting systems. You track how many customers are entering your store AND you are capturing video when alarm activations take place. You can get high-definition video and pictures of potential shoplifters who are visiting your business. If you have high foot traffic counts compared to sales as I mentioned earlier and you start to view images from your camera when alarms are set off you can begin to identify who the regular shoplifters are visiting your store. Along with the losses they are causing you through their theft activity they may be the ones causing empty spaces on your shelves. This could be why sales are low compared to your retail traffic counting numbers.
Another advantage for store management if they combine the people counting systems with the Synergy Camera is that they can view how their teams are responding to electronic article surveillance alarms. It is one thing to know how many alarms are sounding and who the people are who are causing activations but the response to those alarms is just as important if not more so. If alarms are activated and employees are simply waving people out the door without conducting proper package and receipt checks thieves are going to take advantage of this and steal even more. From my personal experiences as a Loss Prevention Manager I have seen employees who do not address alarms properly. Some of those are theft related and those people return to your store over and over until something is done to address how responses are handled. Again, I believe combining the videos with numbers from your retail traffic counting data can aid in improving sales by identifying issues taking place in the store.
Like so many other processes in a retail environment, one process has a direct impact on other areas of the business. If data itself is gathered and you are only counting patrons with people counting systems and you are not tying that information into other areas it becomes useless. Tie it into a Sensormatic Synergy Camera and you can begin to improve shortage numbers through suspect identification AND alarm response training. Do that and you begin to improve on hand quantities and improve sales and that should be your ultimate goal.
Retail Traffic Counting is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Employee theft reduction training-3 WC Blog 643
Stop Shoplifting -3
Profit From Employee Theft Reduction Training
Recently the store where I work had a scam pulled on a cashier and it caused me to think about employee theft reduction training to stop shoplifting and prevent fraud. It also prompted me to think about how managers train employees and where do store owners get their expertise to train managers to prevent employee theft? There were two incidents on back to back nights that involved fraud attempts and actual fraud that got me going on this subject. The first incident involved a couple attempting to purchase several gift cards and prepaid gift cards with different credit cards. Each of the credit cards they put into the credit card reader prompted a decline message and the cashier asked for another form of payment. After three or four attempts the cashier finally called a manager to the counter. At that point the customers decided they had to contact the bank and walked out. It bothered me that the cashier was not suspicious about the purchase in the first place considering the items the couple were trying to purchase were only gift cards and prepaid cards. The next day that I worked the store manager told me about a scam pulled by a customer the day after that incident. A customer came to the register and had around $400 loaded onto prepaid cards and told the cashier she was paying with “Apple-Pay”. Apparently the customer made her phone sound like it had paid and the cashier said the transaction had not gone through. My understanding is that somehow this customer convinced the cashier that her phone showed her the transaction HAD gone through and did this two more times and then left. She scammed the store of over $1,000 in theft/fraud. The manager learned that the suspect had done this same scam in another one of our stores a few days prior to this. If this can happen in a national chain store with a Loss Prevention department that provides employee training videos to stop shoplifting and fraud, what is your training program?
Training on theft related issues is not an automatic program when someone opens their own new store. I could open a business and understand selling techniques, know how to order merchandise and I might even be versed in proper hiring practices. I would need help with property rental, business contracts and how to handle payroll. I would have to seek out business resources and advisors to help me establish my company. Likewise, few owners are going to know all about Loss Prevention practices and how it can impact the store. How can anyone be expected to train others in an area they are not familiar with? You certainly wouldn’t want me teaching your staff how to work in Quickbooks for your business finances and payroll. If you are going to prevent thieves from taking advantage of your employees you need a company specializing in employee theft reduction training and other Loss Prevention related training programs. Bill Bregar, former Director of Loss Prevention for several national retail chains and President of Loss Prevention Systems Inc., has created the essential training programs that are proven to reduce theft and fraud in stores that have no Loss Prevention teams of their own. These sessions are invaluable and teach the necessary skills that will help stores improve sales through the deterrence of theft and fraud from shoplifters AND dishonest employees.
Scammers and thieves will pull all kinds of tricks to pull off their crimes. While it would be nearly impossible for someone to keep up with all of the methods the criminals will employ there are ways to counter them. The employee theft reduction training conducted by Bill teaches managers the signals that can tip you and your team that someone may be intent on committing a crime. For example, a short change artist will seem to be a legitimate customer as they make a purchase but then they start asking for different change or denominations. At that point there are different methods the scam could be completed but the trained associate knows to close the register drawer and call for a manager. Training simply increases awareness and THAT can make the difference between stopping a loss or incurring one.
Stop shoplifting, employee theft and other criminal activity from draining your store profitability. Let Loss Prevention Systems Inc. train your management team on theft identification and reduction techniques. You will be surprised at how much you didn’t know and more surprised at how much you can save!
Employee theft reduction training is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Recently the store where I work had a scam pulled on a cashier and it caused me to think about employee theft reduction training to stop shoplifting and prevent fraud. It also prompted me to think about how managers train employees and where do store owners get their expertise to train managers to prevent employee theft? There were two incidents on back to back nights that involved fraud attempts and actual fraud that got me going on this subject. The first incident involved a couple attempting to purchase several gift cards and prepaid gift cards with different credit cards. Each of the credit cards they put into the credit card reader prompted a decline message and the cashier asked for another form of payment. After three or four attempts the cashier finally called a manager to the counter. At that point the customers decided they had to contact the bank and walked out. It bothered me that the cashier was not suspicious about the purchase in the first place considering the items the couple were trying to purchase were only gift cards and prepaid cards. The next day that I worked the store manager told me about a scam pulled by a customer the day after that incident. A customer came to the register and had around $400 loaded onto prepaid cards and told the cashier she was paying with “Apple-Pay”. Apparently the customer made her phone sound like it had paid and the cashier said the transaction had not gone through. My understanding is that somehow this customer convinced the cashier that her phone showed her the transaction HAD gone through and did this two more times and then left. She scammed the store of over $1,000 in theft/fraud. The manager learned that the suspect had done this same scam in another one of our stores a few days prior to this. If this can happen in a national chain store with a Loss Prevention department that provides employee training videos to stop shoplifting and fraud, what is your training program?
Training on theft related issues is not an automatic program when someone opens their own new store. I could open a business and understand selling techniques, know how to order merchandise and I might even be versed in proper hiring practices. I would need help with property rental, business contracts and how to handle payroll. I would have to seek out business resources and advisors to help me establish my company. Likewise, few owners are going to know all about Loss Prevention practices and how it can impact the store. How can anyone be expected to train others in an area they are not familiar with? You certainly wouldn’t want me teaching your staff how to work in Quickbooks for your business finances and payroll. If you are going to prevent thieves from taking advantage of your employees you need a company specializing in employee theft reduction training and other Loss Prevention related training programs. Bill Bregar, former Director of Loss Prevention for several national retail chains and President of Loss Prevention Systems Inc., has created the essential training programs that are proven to reduce theft and fraud in stores that have no Loss Prevention teams of their own. These sessions are invaluable and teach the necessary skills that will help stores improve sales through the deterrence of theft and fraud from shoplifters AND dishonest employees.
Scammers and thieves will pull all kinds of tricks to pull off their crimes. While it would be nearly impossible for someone to keep up with all of the methods the criminals will employ there are ways to counter them. The employee theft reduction training conducted by Bill teaches managers the signals that can tip you and your team that someone may be intent on committing a crime. For example, a short change artist will seem to be a legitimate customer as they make a purchase but then they start asking for different change or denominations. At that point there are different methods the scam could be completed but the trained associate knows to close the register drawer and call for a manager. Training simply increases awareness and THAT can make the difference between stopping a loss or incurring one.
Stop shoplifting, employee theft and other criminal activity from draining your store profitability. Let Loss Prevention Systems Inc. train your management team on theft identification and reduction techniques. You will be surprised at how much you didn’t know and more surprised at how much you can save!
Employee theft reduction training is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Retail Theft Prevention – 3 WC Blog 711
Sensormatic security system – 3
Retail Theft Prevention – Lessons For Those Considering A Career In Loss Prevention Part 2
In Part 1 I talked about lessons I had to pick up about retail theft prevention as I transitioned into a career of Loss Prevention. I came into the job having been a U.S. Air Force Law Enforcement Specialist and after leaving the service attended college. I was hired and after a brief training period I was starting to catch shoplifters. I got pretty good at it and found I liked the adrenaline rush of watching a suspect as he/she started giving the signals they might steal. There were very few rules other than don’t make a bad stop. We were able to give chase and do what needed to be done to apprehend a bad guy. I made a lot of friends and contacts on the police department. They would race to get to where I was if I was chasing a shoplifter because they knew the cases we called them for were going to be solid. We didn’t call them just because someone set off our Sensormatic security system and got away.
Unfortunately all I really learned in this first job was how to catch a shoplifter primarily using closed circuit television. I learned a little about employee theft, setting up a covert camera and some signals to look for to identify a dishonest worker. I did not learn about the part retail theft prevention plays in store profitability. I also didn’t learn about managing a team or managing a schedule. I had experience in the Air Force training others and a little supervisory background but I chose to leave before I had a significant amount of supervisory training. Four and a half years later I was hired as a Loss Prevention Manager for a big box retail store and though I thought I was ready I was in for a rude awakening my first year. I had no real idea what it was to interview people to work for me. I also had a rookie District Manager who was new to his job which was not very helpful to me. He had stores to supervise up to 4 hours distant from my store which was in a new market for this company. Yes, I had gone through several weeks of training but I didn’t learn about interviewing a team. In hindsight here are some of the things I would like to have known if I had it to do over again:
• Don’t necessarily hire people with a background in Loss Prevention. Some of the best people I hired later were those I could train from scratch. That does not mean I would not consider someone with an L.P. background. Unfortunately some had ways of doing things that were not in our best practices. An example might be they make apprehensions based on a Sensormatic security system alarm only. They could be harder to train and some had bad or risky behaviors they brought with them.
• Surround yourself with people who have skill sets different from your own. Don’t be afraid to hire someone who may surpass you. Hire great people that can help you be better.
• Don’t allow others to push a candidate on you. They may give you an opinion but ultimately you have to supervise that person.
There were mistakes I made in my hiring decisions and I own that but if I had some choices to do over again I guarantee I would.
I mentioned a Sensormatic security system so let me add this to my tips for those considering a career in Loss Prevention. If you work in a store that doesn’t have one ask the store owner or manager to consider installing a system. If the store does have a system, learn how it operates and how to troubleshoot it. Be able to teach associates how to respond to electronic article surveillance alarms because they will be the first ones to conduct the receipt checks. A well-trained associate can save a store a LOT of money by properly answering alarms.
Retail theft prevention can be rewarding. You must be aware that there is more to it than just watching cameras and “catching bad guys”. A good Associate or Manager will learn the operational side of the store business and become a partner to the store manager. You can be worth your weight in gold to a management team but you have to see the role as bigger than just preventing shoplifting. In the next installment I will cover a few more tips I wish someone had given me as I embarked on my Loss Prevention journey.
Retail theft prevention is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 for more information.
In Part 1 I talked about lessons I had to pick up about retail theft prevention as I transitioned into a career of Loss Prevention. I came into the job having been a U.S. Air Force Law Enforcement Specialist and after leaving the service attended college. I was hired and after a brief training period I was starting to catch shoplifters. I got pretty good at it and found I liked the adrenaline rush of watching a suspect as he/she started giving the signals they might steal. There were very few rules other than don’t make a bad stop. We were able to give chase and do what needed to be done to apprehend a bad guy. I made a lot of friends and contacts on the police department. They would race to get to where I was if I was chasing a shoplifter because they knew the cases we called them for were going to be solid. We didn’t call them just because someone set off our Sensormatic security system and got away.
Unfortunately all I really learned in this first job was how to catch a shoplifter primarily using closed circuit television. I learned a little about employee theft, setting up a covert camera and some signals to look for to identify a dishonest worker. I did not learn about the part retail theft prevention plays in store profitability. I also didn’t learn about managing a team or managing a schedule. I had experience in the Air Force training others and a little supervisory background but I chose to leave before I had a significant amount of supervisory training. Four and a half years later I was hired as a Loss Prevention Manager for a big box retail store and though I thought I was ready I was in for a rude awakening my first year. I had no real idea what it was to interview people to work for me. I also had a rookie District Manager who was new to his job which was not very helpful to me. He had stores to supervise up to 4 hours distant from my store which was in a new market for this company. Yes, I had gone through several weeks of training but I didn’t learn about interviewing a team. In hindsight here are some of the things I would like to have known if I had it to do over again:
• Don’t necessarily hire people with a background in Loss Prevention. Some of the best people I hired later were those I could train from scratch. That does not mean I would not consider someone with an L.P. background. Unfortunately some had ways of doing things that were not in our best practices. An example might be they make apprehensions based on a Sensormatic security system alarm only. They could be harder to train and some had bad or risky behaviors they brought with them.
• Surround yourself with people who have skill sets different from your own. Don’t be afraid to hire someone who may surpass you. Hire great people that can help you be better.
• Don’t allow others to push a candidate on you. They may give you an opinion but ultimately you have to supervise that person.
There were mistakes I made in my hiring decisions and I own that but if I had some choices to do over again I guarantee I would.
I mentioned a Sensormatic security system so let me add this to my tips for those considering a career in Loss Prevention. If you work in a store that doesn’t have one ask the store owner or manager to consider installing a system. If the store does have a system, learn how it operates and how to troubleshoot it. Be able to teach associates how to respond to electronic article surveillance alarms because they will be the first ones to conduct the receipt checks. A well-trained associate can save a store a LOT of money by properly answering alarms.
Retail theft prevention can be rewarding. You must be aware that there is more to it than just watching cameras and “catching bad guys”. A good Associate or Manager will learn the operational side of the store business and become a partner to the store manager. You can be worth your weight in gold to a management team but you have to see the role as bigger than just preventing shoplifting. In the next installment I will cover a few more tips I wish someone had given me as I embarked on my Loss Prevention journey.
Retail theft prevention is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 for more information.
