Stop Shoplifting – 4 WC Blog 451
Checkpoint Security System – 4
Employees With A Vested Interest In Shortage Reduction Can Make A Checkpoint Security System More Powerful
Lowering stock shortage and how to stop shoplifting are topics we frequently talk about in retail. We discuss issues related to improper markdowns and front end cashiering errors. We make shortage actions plans to try to nail down how we are going to focus on improving high shrinkage departments. We talk about theft and fraud and the need to prevent it but when it comes down to the rubber meeting the road what do we really do to stop shoplifting? What are store owners and managers really willing to do to make an impact on this aspect of shortage? I am going to ask if a store owner is willing to take it seriously enough to invest in a Checkpoint Security System.
What is a Checkpoint Security System? It is a system built to directly stop shoplifting and retail theft through the use of radio frequency enabled tags and receiving pedestals. Tags and labels that send out radio waves are applied to all sorts of merchandise. Hard tags can be pinned to clothing, bedding, towels and other softlines goods. Labels can be placed on all sorts of surfaces, cardboard, shrink wrap, plastics, etc. Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) pedestals are set up near the store exits and entrances have a detection field designed to pick up the radio waves being sent out by the tags and labels. When tagged merchandise is carried into this detection field alarms sound and LED lights in the pedestals flash warning store employees that tagged merchandise is being carried out of the store. Trained employees know how to respond to these alarm activations and resolve them through receipt checks. Usually recoveries are from shoplifters attempting to get merchandise out of the store but some recoveries include merchandise that was overlooked in the bottom of a shopping cart. Think about the implications that has on shortage reduction from attempted theft AND operational errors at the point of sale.
Continuing with my point on taking shortage reduction seriously employers need to understand that theft related shortage comprised 81% of shortage in North America according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer. This leaves only 19% of losses attributed to operational errors and problems and vendor shortage and fraud. If an employer is focusing a shortage action plan and most efforts on these areas it is a poor plan. A better plan would be to spend money on a Checkpoint Security System and the tags, labels and accessories associated with it. Also spend the time training the store staff on how to tag merchandise properly and how to respond appropriately to EAS alarm activations. When employees are trained on proper tag placement, tagging becomes consistent and fewer pieces of merchandise are missed in the process. Trained employees answer the pedestal alarm with tact and with the knowledge of how to do a thorough inspection of a receipt and packages. They have the confidence to approach someone who has activated that alarm and can recover unpaid merchandise without making accusations of shoplifting even if that was the offender’s intent.
Why should employees expend any more effort on shortage reduction than any other aspect of the business? There’s incentive for the store owners, it makes the business more profitable profitable when shortage is brought down. In some stores managers receive bonuses when they meet certain financial goals for a store, such as low shortage and meeting sales objectives. Often the store employees receive no additional incentive to help the store reduce shrinkage. I worked for a retailer that would give bonuses to store managers for the achievements of goals which included beating shortage objectives but the hourly employees had no additional perks. The only benefit that the employees would receive was a better percentage increase at annual review time if the store met financial goals. The company I work for now has just announced that if a store beats its shortage objective this year full time and part time employees will receive bonuses. That is a great incentive for employees to buy into a theft reduction plan for a store.
So what should a business expect when employees have a vested interest in the profitability of the store? Employees will not just speak of great customer service they will demonstrate it to discourage theft and improve sales. They will be aggressive in tagging products to stop shoplifting. They will want to learn how to properly use the Checkpoint Security System, testing the equipment and learning how to respond to alarms properly. Find out for yourself how profitable your company can be when you invest in Checkpoint Systems and the talented people who work for you.
For more information about Checkpoint Security Systems contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
Lowering stock shortage and how to stop shoplifting are topics we frequently talk about in retail. We discuss issues related to improper markdowns and front end cashiering errors. We make shortage actions plans to try to nail down how we are going to focus on improving high shrinkage departments. We talk about theft and fraud and the need to prevent it but when it comes down to the rubber meeting the road what do we really do to stop shoplifting? What are store owners and managers really willing to do to make an impact on this aspect of shortage? I am going to ask if a store owner is willing to take it seriously enough to invest in a Checkpoint Security System.
What is a Checkpoint Security System? It is a system built to directly stop shoplifting and retail theft through the use of radio frequency enabled tags and receiving pedestals. Tags and labels that send out radio waves are applied to all sorts of merchandise. Hard tags can be pinned to clothing, bedding, towels and other softlines goods. Labels can be placed on all sorts of surfaces, cardboard, shrink wrap, plastics, etc. Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) pedestals are set up near the store exits and entrances have a detection field designed to pick up the radio waves being sent out by the tags and labels. When tagged merchandise is carried into this detection field alarms sound and LED lights in the pedestals flash warning store employees that tagged merchandise is being carried out of the store. Trained employees know how to respond to these alarm activations and resolve them through receipt checks. Usually recoveries are from shoplifters attempting to get merchandise out of the store but some recoveries include merchandise that was overlooked in the bottom of a shopping cart. Think about the implications that has on shortage reduction from attempted theft AND operational errors at the point of sale.
Continuing with my point on taking shortage reduction seriously employers need to understand that theft related shortage comprised 81% of shortage in North America according to the 2014-2015 Global Retail Theft Barometer. This leaves only 19% of losses attributed to operational errors, problems, vendor shortage and fraud. If an employer is focusing a shortage action plan and most efforts on these areas it is a poor plan. A better plan would be to spend money on a Checkpoint Security System and the tags, labels and accessories associated with it. Also spend the time training the store staff on how to tag merchandise properly and how to respond appropriately to EAS alarm activations. When employees are trained on proper tag placement, tagging becomes consistent and fewer pieces of merchandise are missed in the process. Trained employees answer the pedestal alarm with tact and with the knowledge of how to do a thorough inspection of a receipt and packages. They have the confidence to approach someone who has activated that alarm and can recover unpaid merchandise without making accusations of shoplifting even if that was the offender’s intent.
Why should employees expend any more effort on shortage reduction than any other aspect of the business? There’s incentive for the store owners, it makes the business more profitable profitable when shortage is brought down. In some stores managers receive bonuses when they meet certain financial goals for a store, such as low shortage and meeting sales objectives. Often the store employees receive no additional incentive to help the store reduce shrinkage. I worked for a retailer that would give bonuses to store managers for the achievements of goals which included beating shortage objectives but the hourly employees had no additional perks. The only benefit that the employees would receive was a better percentage increase at annual review time if the store met financial goals. The company I work for now has just announced that if a store beats its shortage objective this year full time and part time employees will receive bonuses. That is a great incentive for employees to buy into a theft reduction plan for a store.
So what should a business expect when employees have a vested interest in the profitability of the store? Employees will not just speak of great customer service they will demonstrate it to discourage theft and improve sales. They will be aggressive in tagging products to stop shoplifting. They will want to learn how to properly use the Checkpoint Security System, testing the equipment and learning how to respond to alarms properly. Find out for yourself how profitable your company can be when you invest in Checkpoint Systems and the talented people who work for you.
For more information about Checkpoint Security Systems contact us or call 1.770.426.0547
