Checkpoint System-4 WC Blog 307
Retail Theft Prevention-3
Stop Shoplifting-3
Responding To A Checkpoint System EAS Alarm Can Be Intimidating; Train Your Employees How To Approach Customers With Confidence And A Smile
There are many situations in retail where employees have encounters that can be uncomfortable, especially when they aren’t trained on how to approach people. I have seen customers become defensive when a cashier catches a ticket switch while ringing a sale. The employee became intimidated by the customer’s attitude. As a Manager On Duty I have had to deal with customers who have become angry when I wouldn’t allow a full refund for an item because they had no receipt. I have seen employees wave at a customer who set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestal rather than have to try to resolve the cause of an alarm. There have also been instances where an employee did approach a shopper who set off a tower alarm and the employee’s attitude created a tense situation. For retail theft prevention to be effective store owners and managers need to conduct ongoing training with staff on how to effectively handle conflict or de-escalate situations appropriately, especially with regard to events involving Checkpoint Systems.
A Checkpoint System is a tool that is only as effective as the store team using it. The retail theft prevention system itself is a combination of EAS pedestals installed at entry/exit doors and other key locations in a store, and the use of protective EAS tags and labels placed on merchandise. There are also deactivation pads located at checkout lanes and detachment tools to remove hard tags from merchandise. The pedestals alarm when tagged merchandise is carried near them and alert employees that a possible theft is taking place. Tags and labels provide the protection for merchandise ensuring that if a shoplifter attempts to steal product the tower alarm will be activated. Deactivation pads and detachment tools remove hard tags or “de-tune” soft tags to ensure paid merchandise won’t inadvertently cause an alarm and be a customer distraction. If your team isn’t properly trained to use this tool you degrade the effectiveness of your system to deter theft and prevent shoplifting in your store.
What do I mean? Isn’t a retail theft prevention system going to stop shoplifting once it is installed? Just having a system will deter a certain amount of shoplifting theft, the casual shoplifter generally doesn’t want to risk setting off an EAS pedestal alarm and chance being caught. It is crucial that your employees are trained in properly responding to pedestal alarm activations to get the most out of your system and that means knowing how to approach customers and resolve alarm events. Training will also make approaching customers who have set off an alarm much easier to do.
Frequently, the EAS tower alarm sound will stop shoplifting by startling a dishonest customer and they drop the goods they had and run. But not every thief runs and not every alarm is due to an attempted theft. Employees who are not properly trained to respond can be uncomfortable or even scared to have to interact with the customer who caused the event. Spend time teaching associates to walk to the doors, smile and begin a conversation with a “hello”. They can then ask about the customer’s purchases, did they buy something that may not have deactivated at the register properly? Follow-up with the question, “Do you mind if I see your receipt to try to figure out what’s causing this alarm?” By not sounding like an accusation is being made, it de-escalates the situation by making it appear an error has taken place. By showing concern that an error may have taken place I have even been able to help a customer find that tags from a prior purchase at another store were never deactivated. I have found hidden tags in wallets and the customer said they regularly were setting off alarms and never knew why. For the person who WAS trying to shoplift, giving them a potential way out by approaching and suggesting maybe they forgot to have something rung up removes the suggestion they had the intention of stealing (even if that was their intent). This is an effective method of getting the merchandise back (which is what the tower is supposed to do) and getting the crook out of your building.
Give your employees the proper training and they can stop shoplifting when the Checkpoint system alarms go off. You also give your employees the confidence that interactions at the doors don’t have to be confrontational and they will be more willing to step up and respond to those alarms.
Need information on a Checkpoint system? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
There are many situations in retail where employees have encounters that can be uncomfortable, especially when they aren’t trained on how to approach people. I have seen customers become defensive when a cashier catches a ticket switch while ringing a sale. The employee became intimidated by the customer’s attitude. As a Manager On Duty I have had to deal with customers who have become angry when I wouldn’t allow a full refund for an item because they had no receipt. I have seen employees wave at a customer who set off an electronic article surveillance (EAS) pedestal rather than have to try to resolve the cause of an alarm. There have also been instances where an employee did approach a shopper who set off a tower alarm and the employee’s attitude created a tense situation. For retail theft prevention to be effective store owners and managers need to conduct ongoing training with staff on how to effectively handle conflict or de-escalate situations appropriately, especially with regard to events involving Checkpoint Systems.
A Checkpoint System is a tool that is only as effective as the store team using it. The retail theft prevention system itself is a combination of EAS pedestals installed at entry/exit doors and other key locations in a store, and the use of protective EAS tags and labels placed on merchandise. There are also deactivation pads located at checkout lanes and detachment tools to remove hard tags from merchandise. The pedestals alarm when tagged merchandise is carried near them and alert employees that a possible theft is taking place. Tags and labels provide the protection for merchandise ensuring that if a shoplifter attempts to steal product the tower alarm will be activated. Deactivation pads and detachment tools remove hard tags or “de-tune” soft tags to ensure paid merchandise won’t inadvertently cause an alarm and be a customer distraction. If your team isn’t properly trained to use this tool you degrade the effectiveness of your system to deter theft and prevent shoplifting in your store.
What do I mean? Isn’t a retail theft prevention system going to stop shoplifting once it is installed? Just having a system will deter a certain amount of shoplifting theft, the casual shoplifter generally doesn’t want to risk setting off an EAS pedestal alarm and chance being caught. It is crucial that your employees are trained in properly responding to pedestal alarm activations to get the most out of your system and that means knowing how to approach customers and resolve alarm events. Training will also make approaching customers who have set off an alarm much easier to do.
Frequently, the EAS tower alarm sound will stop shoplifting by startling a dishonest customer and they drop the goods they had and run. But not every thief runs and not every alarm is due to an attempted theft. Employees who are not properly trained to respond can be uncomfortable or even scared to have to interact with the customer who caused the event. Spend time teaching associates to walk to the doors, smile and begin a conversation with a “hello”. They can then ask about the customer’s purchases, did they buy something that may not have deactivated at the register properly? Follow-up with the question, “Do you mind if I see your receipt to try to figure out what’s causing this alarm?” By not sounding like an accusation is being made, it de-escalates the situation by making it appear an error has taken place. By showing concern that an error may have taken place I have even been able to help a customer find that tags from a prior purchase at another store were never deactivated. I have found hidden tags in wallets and the customer said they regularly were setting off alarms and never knew why. For the person who WAS trying to shoplift, giving them a potential way out by approaching and suggesting maybe they forgot to have something rung up removes the suggestion they had the intention of stealing (even if that was their intent). This is an effective method of getting the merchandise back (which is what the tower is supposed to do) and getting the crook out of your building.
Give your employees the proper training and they can stop shoplifting when the Checkpoint System alarms go off. You also give your employees the confidence that interactions at the doors don’t have to be confrontational and they will be more willing to step up and respond to those alarms.
Need information on a Checkpoint System? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
