Sensormatic labels -4 wc blog 741
Stop Shoplifting – 3
Don’t Settle For Stagnant Shortage Results – Use Sensormatic Labels
If I were to ask retail owners if they would like to stop shoplifting from taking place in their stores I feel certain I would receive a 100% response in the affirmative. I would also guarantee a 100% affirmative response if I were to ask retailers if they would like to increase profits. Interestingly to me however is the fact that a recent 2018 National Retail Security Survey, found that there was a 22.2% decrease in the use of “Acousto-magnetic, electronic security tags” from 2017-2018 (pg. 10). This category would include Sensormatic labels of all types, including the HBC labels for health and beauty products and the Ultra strip III rolls. Now before I hit the panic button let me be clear, there were increases in other categories of Retail Loss Prevention Systems. For example the report listed budget increases for “Theft deterrent devices” which would include Sensormatic Safers, wraps, etc. So not all areas of retail theft protection have been neglected but the reporting that a 22.2% decrease in acousto-magnetic tag spending is concerning to me. As a former Loss Prevention Manager I believe this is a poor decision on the part of retailers.
The report indicates that shortage remains about flat to previous years at 1.33% (pg.5). Let me ask you a question, if your store sales remained flat to previous years would you be excited about this? Certainly not! You would take steps to improve profits. Well, shrink reduction is one place to start and it can be done quickly and results will be seen almost immediately. Bringing that 1.33% down by half is not unreasonable. Remember, that percentage is an average percentage for retailers. Your store(s) could very well be experiencing shrink much higher than this. As we break down shortage we find from the report that external theft accounted for 36.5% of store losses in 2017. Internal theft or employee theft resulted in an additional 30% of store losses. Combined, on average this could be 66.5% of your merchandise shortage and does not include an estimated 5.4% attributed to vendor theft or fraud. Bill Bregar, owner of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. knows how theft takes a significant bite out of store profits. Bill has developed and operated Loss Prevention programs at the National Director level for major retailers. He draws on that experience to help business owners improve their profits through improved sales and reduced shortage. Like me, Bill DOES recommend the use of Sensormatic labels and hard tags to prevent shoplifting and internal theft to his clients.
I mentioned that you could bring shrink down by almost half and it can be done quickly. Bill agrees with me here as well and if you will take a look at the ROI calculator on the Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. website you will see that is the amount his company estimates you would reduce shrink by if you were to install a retail anti-theft system and use Sensormatic labels and tags. Sitting stagnate and accepting 1.33% losses is an unacceptable proposition when that figure can be easily improved upon.
One other aspect of the report that concerned me is that approximately 42% of stores in this survey experienced shrinkage of 1.5% and higher (with 9% of stores experiencing over 3% in shortage) (pg. 5). And what are some of the types of anti-theft measures that are increasingly being used in stores? “Simulated, visible CCTV” and “Observation mirrors” are listed as seeing a 27.0% and 9% increase since 2017 respectively (pg. 10). I have nothing against CCTV or the use of mirrors in stores. I used live CCTV and recorded video to catch shoplifters and dishonest employees. Mirrors can help with seeing corners that may be out of the line of sight of employees. Using simulated CCTV may deter a minimal amount of theft but Sensormatic labels are a much more effective method to stop shoplifting. They act as a deterrent AND they set off alarm towers providing trained employees an opportunity to recover merchandise before it gets out the door. Mirrors are only effective if employees are watching them and going to those corners but do your employees have time to be watching mirrors? Unless you have a Loss Prevention Associate working the benefits are negligible at best.
Investing in a Sensormatic system is the smart choice for store owners. They are proven to stop shoplifting and employee theft. I have first-hand experience recovering merchandise that was going to be stolen had an electronic article surveillance alarm not set off an alarm tower. Don’t waste money on technology that will not provide the same results. Keep merchandise out of the hands of thieves and in the store where it will be bought and see sales soar. Invest in Sensormatic security systems!
Need information on Sensormatic labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
If I were to ask retail owners if they would like to stop shoplifting from taking place in their stores I feel certain I would receive a 100% response in the affirmative. I would also guarantee a 100% affirmative response if I were to ask retailers if they would like to increase profits. Interestingly to me however is the fact that a recent 2018 National Retail Security Survey, found that there was a 22.2% decrease in the use of “Acousto-magnetic, electronic security tags” from 2017-2018 (pg. 10). This category would include Sensormatic labels of all types, including the HBC labels for health and beauty products and the Ultra strip III rolls. Now before I hit the panic button let me be clear, there were increases in other categories of Retail Loss Prevention Systems. For example the report listed budget increases for “Theft deterrent devices” which would include Sensormatic Safers, wraps, etc. So not all areas of retail theft protection have been neglected but the reporting that a 22.2% decrease in acousto-magnetic tag spending is concerning to me. As a former Loss Prevention Manager I believe this is a poor decision on the part of retailers.
The report indicates that shortage remains about flat to previous years at 1.33% (pg.5). Let me ask you a question, if your store sales remained flat to previous years would you be excited about this? Certainly not! You would take steps to improve profits. Well, shrink reduction is one place to start and it can be done quickly and results will be seen almost immediately. Bringing that 1.33% down by half is not unreasonable. Remember, that percentage is an average percentage for retailers. Your store(s) could very well be experiencing shrink much higher than this. As we break down shortage we find from the report that external theft accounted for 36.5% of store losses in 2017. Internal theft or employee theft resulted in an additional 30% of store losses. Combined, on average this could be 66.5% of your merchandise shortage and does not include an estimated 5.4% attributed to vendor theft or fraud. Bill Bregar, owner of Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. knows how theft takes a significant bite out of store profits. Bill has developed and operated Loss Prevention programs at the National Director level for major retailers. He draws on that experience to help business owners improve their profits through improved sales and reduced shortage. Like me, Bill DOES recommend the use of Sensormatic labels and hard tags to prevent shoplifting and internal theft to his clients.
I mentioned that you could bring shrink down by almost half and it can be done quickly. Bill agrees with me here as well and if you will take a look at the ROI calculator on the Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. website you will see that is the amount his company estimates you would reduce shrink by if you were to install a retail anti-theft system and use Sensormatic labels and tags. Sitting stagnate and accepting 1.33% losses is an unacceptable proposition when that figure can be easily improved upon.
One other aspect of the report that concerned me is that approximately 42% of stores in this survey experienced shrinkage of 1.5% and higher (with 9% of stores experiencing over 3% in shortage) (pg. 5). And what are some of the types of anti-theft measures that are increasingly being used in stores? “Simulated, visible CCTV” and “Observation mirrors” are listed as seeing a 27.0% and 9% increase since 2017 respectively (pg. 10). I have nothing against CCTV or the use of mirrors in stores. I used live CCTV and recorded video to catch shoplifters and dishonest employees. Mirrors can help with seeing corners that may be out of the line of sight of employees. Using simulated CCTV may deter a minimal amount of theft but Sensormatic labels are a much more effective method to stop shoplifting. They act as a deterrent AND they set off alarm towers providing trained employees an opportunity to recover merchandise before it gets out the door. Mirrors are only effective if employees are watching them and going to those corners but do your employees have time to be watching mirrors? Unless you have a Loss Prevention Associate working the benefits are negligible at best.
Investing in a Sensormatic system is the smart choice for store owners. They are proven to stop shoplifting and employee theft. I have first-hand experience recovering merchandise that was going to be stolen had an electronic article surveillance alarm not set off an alarm tower. Don’t waste money on technology that will not provide the same results. Keep merchandise out of the hands of thieves and in the store where it will be bought and see sales soar. Invest in Sensormatic security systems!
Need information on Sensormatic labels? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Sensormatic security Systems -3 WC Blog 712
Retail Theft Prevention -4
Retail Theft Prevention – Lessons For Those Considering A Career In Loss Prevention Part 3
How to detect shoplifters, pan-tilt-zoom cameras, closed circuit television and VCR’s (yeah, we didn’t have DVR’s then) and Sensormatic security systems were all the tools I learned to use as a Loss Prevention Associate. After four and a half years I moved into a position as a Loss Prevention Manager for a new store and found out how much I DIDN’T know about retail theft prevention. I also found I had to change my mindset about what Loss Prevention is really all about. Now, 28 years later I have my own advice to give that could make a leap into retail theft prevention a successful jump.
Security Officer, Police Officer or Something Else?
Let’s set the record straight right from the start. Do not go into Loss Prevention thinking you are a police officer. You may stop shoplifters and you might even put them in jail via a warrant or a police officer issued citation. You are not the police officer. You will have to learn to be diplomatic and you will have to sensitive. You may have to keep children from crying while doing paperwork on the apprehension of their mother. You have to be fair in how you handle every incident. You will have to keep calm while someone curses you out. Mess up and your actions can cost your store a lot of money. You should know that you are working to make the store and company more profitable. Go in with the mindset that you are there to reduce risk and optimize sales and profit. It changes how you will view your work.
Human Resources
Go into a Loss Prevention Manager position and be prepared to interview and hire people. As I mentioned in Part 2 surround yourself with people who can do what you can’t. If you don’t know how Sensormatic security systems work, hire someone who has experience with one. If you aren’t good at report writing find someone who has a background in clerical work or a degree in communications. This is not an easy step since it means you have to be honest with yourself about your own short comings. You may be called upon to help in new hire orientations. Be ready to brush up on public speaking skills. You will want to be the person that knows company policies and procedures because you may be investing dishonest employee activity. You may also have to assist the store in investigating worker’s comp. claims, and accident investigations. Knowledge of company policies can help your store minimize the risk of costly lawsuits.
Operations Expert
As a Loss Prevention professional, you need to know what affects the profitability of the store. It may be retail theft prevention, vendor shortages, operational errors on the front lanes or how empty shelves are influencing sales. YOU must know what stock shortage is and how it happens. Empty shelves mean lost money for the store. You should be the first person to notice and identify problems. Is there theft? Is there a breakdown in the stocking process? Are vendors causing issues? Learn about how a Sensormatic security systems can include a door counting sensor. Customer traffic counting data can be used to determine the time of day customers are shopping. Payroll can be more effectively managed to optimize customer service and sales (you could be a hero to a store manager). Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can provide more details on how a door counting sensor can help a store if your manager is curious. You won’t know everything about shortage immediately but knowing that it involves more than just shoplifters and dishonest employees will prepare you in advance so you can start to learn it.
Counselor
I know this may sound odd to you but trust me you will have many co-workers and managers coming to you with gripes, complaints, concerns and gossip. These people trust you because they believe you will maintain confidentiality. You must be able to listen and give advice. You may get tips that will be useful in retail theft prevention but through casual conversation. You have to listen closely. Know when to stop a conversation and how to tell someone you have no choice but to refer something to another department (such as a report of assault or sexual misconduct).
I hope all of these tips will help you understand that the role of a Loss Prevention professional is more than just stopping shoplifters. You will be a jack-of- all- trades and if you do the job properly, you will learn more than you ever dreamed you would about running a retail store. Now go forth and make a store profitable!
Need information on Sensormatic Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 today
How to detect shoplifters, pan-tilt-zoom cameras, closed circuit television and VCR’s (yeah, we didn’t have DVR’s then) and Sensormatic security systems were all the tools I learned to use as a Loss Prevention Associate. After four and a half years I moved into a position as a Loss Prevention Manager for a new store and found out how much I DIDN’T know about retail theft prevention. I also found I had to change my mindset about what Loss Prevention is really all about. Now, 28 years later I have my own advice to give that could make a leap into retail theft prevention a successful jump.
Security Officer, Police Officer or Something Else?
Let’s set the record straight right from the start. Do not go into Loss Prevention thinking you are a police officer. You may stop shoplifters and you might even put them in jail via a warrant or a police officer issued citation. You are not the police officer. You will have to learn to be diplomatic and you will have to sensitive. You may have to keep children from crying while doing paperwork on the apprehension of their mother. You have to be fair in how you handle every incident. You will have to keep calm while someone curses you out. Mess up and your actions can cost your store a lot of money. You should know that you are working to make the store and company more profitable. Go in with the mindset that you are there to reduce risk and optimize sales and profit. It changes how you will view your work.
Human Resources
Go into a Loss Prevention Manager position and be prepared to interview and hire people. As I mentioned in Part 2 surround yourself with people who can do what you can’t. If you don’t know how Sensormatic security systems work, hire someone who has experience with one. If you aren’t good at report writing find someone who has a background in clerical work or a degree in communications. This is not an easy step since it means you have to be honest with yourself about your own short comings. You may be called upon to help in new hire orientations. Be ready to brush up on public speaking skills. You will want to be the person that knows company policies and procedures because you may be investigating dishonest employee activity. You may also have to assist the store in investigating worker’s comp. claims, and accident investigations. Knowledge of company policies can help your store minimize the risk of costly lawsuits.
Operations Expert
As a Loss Prevention professional, you need to know what affects the profitability of the store. It may be retail theft prevention, vendor shortages, operational errors on the front lanes or how empty shelves are influencing sales. YOU must know what stock shortage is and how it happens. Empty shelves mean lost money for the store. You should be the first person to notice and identify problems. Is there theft? Is there a breakdown in the stocking process? Are vendors causing issues? Learn about how a Sensormatic security systems can include a door counting sensor. Customer traffic counting data can be used to determine the time of day customers are shopping. Payroll can be more effectively managed to optimize customer service and sales (you could be a hero to a store manager). Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. can provide more details on how a door counting sensor can help a store if your manager is curious. You won’t know everything about shortage immediately but knowing that it involves more than just shoplifters and dishonest employees will prepare you in advance so you can start to learn it.
Counselor
I know this may sound odd to you but trust me you will have many co-workers and managers coming to you with gripes, complaints, concerns and gossip. These people trust you because they believe you will maintain confidentiality. You must be able to listen and give advice. You may get tips that will be useful in retail theft prevention but through casual conversation. You have to listen closely. Know when to stop a conversation and how to tell someone you have no choice but to refer something to another department (such as a report of assault or sexual misconduct).
I hope all of these tips will help you understand that the role of a Loss Prevention professional is more than just stopping shoplifters. You will be a jack-of- all- trades and if you do the job properly, you will learn more than you ever dreamed you would about running a retail store. Now go forth and make a store profitable!
Need information on Sensormatic Systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 today
Stop Shoplifting-4
Anti-Shoplifting-3 WC Blog 704
Can A Dumb Crook Be Stopped With Anti-Shoplifting Devices?
When you stop shoplifting and catch thieves you hear a lot of bizarre excuses for why a suspect tried to commit the crime. I think I just came across the strangest or oddest excuse I have heard yet. In a news report on whdh.com, September 12, 2018, by Frank O’Laughlin, “Police: Walmart shoplifters tried to steal clothes for upcoming court appearance”, a couple is reported to have been caught stealing clothing. The excuse they gave was that they needed the clothes for a court hearing she would be attending. Hmmm, I have a feeling she will be wearing basic orange when she makes that appearance. Sometimes you have to wonder what people are thinking. These two would-be shoplifters weren’t too bright but they aren’t the only ones to do something stupid. Take a look at these dumb shoplifters:
• Posted in mirror.com.uk, 1 Oct 15, by Martin Frick, “Stupid shoplifter caught after complaining to police about victim’s ‘wanted poster’ featuring the thief’s face”. The gist of this story is that the shoplifter complained to police that the owner of the store put his picture on a poster from a still camera image and even blacked used Photoshop to place lines over his face. The picture made it to Facebook. The shoplifter complained to police because he stated his boss fired him from his job after seeing the post.
• From wthr.com, “WATCH: Clueless shoplifting suspects run from police and right into jail”, by WTHR.com Staff, Feb 27, 2018. “Police in Peoria, Arizona were on their way to a call of a suspicious circumstance.” Police saw the suspect’s car at a gas station and the couple saw the police and ran. “Surveillance cameras caught them running along the building before jumping a fence to break into the jail!” Oh, I forgot to mention the report stated the couple had run right to the doors which were directly under a big sign that indicated what the building was.
I have no idea if the stores were using anti-shoplifting systems but I am not convinced that even if they had it would have been enough to stop shoplifting by these kooky crooks.
Now I want to be honest with you most shoplifters aren’t this dumb. I have been involved in efforts to stop shoplifting for many years. I have dealt with the professional shoplifters, the impulse shoplifters and yes, even the dumb shoplifters. I will tell you that most are not as stupid as the aforementioned. The criminal act is dumb and the excuses they come up with may be ridiculous once caught but as a whole these are not dumb people. In fact many are downright clever and the various methods they devise to steal are incredible. Thieves also go to great lengths to avoid being caught and that includes avoiding theft of merchandise they know is tagged or labeled with anti-shoplifting devices. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) not only has the Sensormatic security systems and tags to protect against theft they offer other tools that can reduce your store shortage as a result of theft. Newsletters, blogs, videos, social media, theft investigators, risk assessment and training opportunities are all services offered by LPSI. They can even give you suggestions to deter those dumb criminals who may make the occasional stop at your store. With over 30 years of experience in retail theft prevention they are the company I would trust if I were a store owner seeking to improve my profit line.
Before concluding I will share two of my own personal dumb shoplifter stories only because I had several and I can’t choose my favorite. My first dumb shoplifter was an intoxicated golfer stealing underwear. Not necessarily dumb in itself except he had $300 cash in his wallet with which he could have purchased the underwear. The second has to take the cake for all dumb shoplifters. He was a man dressed as a woman stealing purses from our store. Nothing too unusual about that, the crook even ran from me and got away, except I grabbed his jacket and personal handbag. Once again, not too far outside the realm of what happens with a lot of shoplifters. What was dumb was this crook had his prison ID card in his purse…he was on probation! A warrant was signed and he was eventually picked up.
Anti-shoplifting devices such as Sensormatic labels are an effective means of preventing theft. There are rare instances you my get a visit from a dumb shoplifter who won’t think about what they are potentially getting themselves into if they choose to try to steal. Get great advice from a visit to LPSI website to learn how to stop shoplifting before these clods create a bit of chaos in your business.
Get more information on how to stop shoplifting, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
When you stop shoplifting and catch thieves you hear a lot of bizarre excuses for why a suspect tried to commit the crime. I think I just came across the strangest or oddest excuse I have heard yet. In a news report on whdh.com, September 12, 2018, by Frank O’Laughlin, “Police: Walmart shoplifters tried to steal clothes for upcoming court appearance”, a couple is reported to have been caught stealing clothing. The excuse they gave was that they needed the clothes for a court hearing she would be attending. Hmmm, I have a feeling she will be wearing basic orange when she makes that appearance. Sometimes you have to wonder what people are thinking. These two would-be shoplifters weren’t too bright but they aren’t the only ones to do something stupid. Take a look at these dumb shoplifters:
• Posted in mirror.com.uk, 1 Oct 15, by Martin Frick, “Stupid shoplifter caught after complaining to police about victim’s ‘wanted poster’ featuring the thief’s face”. The gist of this story is that the shoplifter complained to police that the owner of the store put his picture on a poster from a still camera image and even blacked used Photoshop to place lines over his face. The picture made it to Facebook. The shoplifter complained to police because he stated his boss fired him from his job after seeing the post.
• From wthr.com, “WATCH: Clueless shoplifting suspects run from police and right into jail”, by WTHR.com Staff, Feb 27, 2018. “Police in Peoria, Arizona were on their way to a call of a suspicious circumstance.” Police saw the suspect’s car at a gas station and the couple saw the police and ran. “Surveillance cameras caught them running along the building before jumping a fence to break into the jail!” Oh, I forgot to mention the report stated the couple had run right to the doors which were directly under a big sign that indicated what the building was.
I have no idea if the stores were using anti-shoplifting systems but I am not convinced that even if they had it would have been enough to stop shoplifting by these kooky crooks.
Now I want to be honest with you most shoplifters aren’t this dumb. I have been involved in efforts to stop shoplifting for many years. I have dealt with the professional shoplifters, the impulse shoplifters and yes, even the dumb shoplifters. I will tell you that most are not as stupid as the aforementioned. The criminal act is dumb and the excuses they come up with may be ridiculous once caught but as a whole these are not dumb people. In fact many are downright clever and the various methods they devise to steal are incredible. Thieves also go to great lengths to avoid being caught and that includes avoiding theft of merchandise they know is tagged or labeled with anti-shoplifting devices. Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. (LPSI) not only has the Sensormatic security systems and tags to protect against theft they offer other tools that can reduce your store shortage as a result of theft. Newsletters, blogs, videos, social media, theft investigators, risk assessment and training opportunities are all services offered by LPSI. They can even give you suggestions to deter those dumb criminals who may make the occasional stop at your store. With over 30 years of experience in retail theft prevention they are the company I would trust if I were a store owner seeking to improve my profit line.
Before concluding I will share two of my own personal dumb shoplifter stories only because I had several and I can’t choose my favorite. My first dumb shoplifter was an intoxicated golfer stealing underwear. Not necessarily dumb in itself except he had $300 cash in his wallet with which he could have purchased the underwear. The second has to take the cake for all dumb shoplifters. He was a man dressed as a woman stealing purses from our store. Nothing too unusual about that, the crook even ran from me and got away, except I grabbed his jacket and personal handbag. Once again, not too far outside the realm of what happens with a lot of shoplifters. What was dumb was this crook had his prison ID card in his purse…he was on probation! A warrant was signed and he was eventually picked up.
Anti-shoplifting devices such as Sensormatic labels are an effective means of preventing theft. There are rare instances you my get a visit from a dumb shoplifter who won’t think about what they are potentially getting themselves into if they choose to try to steal. Get great advice from a visit to LPSI website to learn how to stop shoplifting before these clods create a bit of chaos in your business.
Get more information on how to stop shoplifting, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
Electronic Article Surveillance – 4 WC Blog 702
Sensormatic Labels -3
Failing To Deactivate Sensormatic Labels: An LP Manager’s Faux Pas
I recently wrote an article about problems electronic article surveillance labels can cause when stores go to an online order and pick-up system. Wouldn’t you know it? I end up being guilty of what I warned readers about. I don’t know if I should feel vindicated or just silly. Here is what happened; I was working at my retail job and a customer came in to pick up her online order, ink jet cartridges. The cartridges had been processed and were in a bag in the pick-up area. I retrieved the bag and rang up the order and since it was paid online the paperwork is just a formality to ensure the right person is getting the merchandise. I processed her paperwork and at the same time was getting other calls to assist customers on the salesfloor. I thanked her for making the purchase and hurried to ring the next customer so I could get to the patron needing my assistance on the floor as it was that kind of day. The next thing I knew the Sensormatic tower was alarming and it was the customer with the online order, I forgot to deactivate the concealed Sensormatic labels inside the box containing the ink cartridges that had already been bagged up. I had to sheepishly apologize as she stood there looking rather annoyed at me.
What was particularly frustrating for me in this case is I am a former Loss Prevention Manager and I know about source tagged merchandise. Sensormatic labels can be applied to merchandise in one of two methods. They can be placed inside of packaging by the manufacturer, built into Manufacture hang tags or into a store UPC code. They may also be placed on merchandise by store personnel. In most instances if the store is placing the electronic article surveillance labels on products the label will be in a visible location. There are two schools of thought on the placement of labels. One line of thinking is that visible labels are more of a deterrent because shoplifters will see the anti-theft device and leave the product alone. The other thought is that if labels are concealed it puts a question mark on every item in a store for a crook. Personally I see advantages to both. The biggest advantage of source tagging is that it removes that task from the store so payroll can be focused elsewhere. Whichever method of protecting merchandise a store manager chooses it is important to remember that every label or tag going through a point of sale must be deactivated or removed.
As illustrated in my story, failing to deactivate Sensormatic labels or remove hard tags can create a poor shopping experience for paying customers. They may have had a great time shopping and employees may have offered up exceptional service but if that patron walks out the door and that alarm sounds all of the positive experiences may be wiped out. This is true no matter how quickly an employee responds to the alarm or how profusely apologetic a manager may be for the error. If it happens too frequently to that customer they may stop visiting for a while or make negative comments to friends and family. That can impact sales on the store down the road.
Failure to regularly deactivate or remove electronic article surveillance labels can also cause cashiers and supervisors to become lackadaisical in responding to alarms. With alarms sounding all of the time due to cashier error or faulty equipment I have seen employees stop responding to towers as they signal alerts that a tag is going out the door. It is also noticed by shoplifters who decide that the store really doesn’t care about whether a person sets off the alarm. They believe (and are probably right more often than not) that they will get away with their criminal activity.
Don’t let the specter of false alarms keep you from tagging merchandise or worse, not invest in an electronic article surveillance system at all. Sensormatic security systems will reduce theft. When the equipment is tested regularly and your employees are properly trained on deactivating and removing labels and tags you will save money and chase away criminal elements. When a system is used properly the occasional error by a former Loss Prevention Manager isn’t going to harm your business, just don’t let him cashier too often.
Electronic Article Surveillance is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
I recently wrote an article about problems electronic article surveillance labels can cause when stores go to an online order and pick-up system. Wouldn’t you know it? I end up being guilty of what I warned readers about. I don’t know if I should feel vindicated or just silly. Here is what happened; I was working at my retail job and a customer came in to pick up her online order, ink jet cartridges. The cartridges had been processed and were in a bag in the pick-up area. I retrieved the bag and rang up the order and since it was paid online the paperwork is just a formality to ensure the right person is getting the merchandise. I processed her paperwork and at the same time was getting other calls to assist customers on the salesfloor. I thanked her for making the purchase and hurried to ring the next customer so I could get to the patron needing my assistance on the floor as it was that kind of day. The next thing I knew the Sensormatic tower was alarming and it was the customer with the online order, I forgot to deactivate the concealed Sensormatic labels inside the box containing the ink cartridges that had already been bagged up. I had to sheepishly apologize as she stood there looking rather annoyed at me.
What was particularly frustrating for me in this case is I am a former Loss Prevention Manager and I know about source tagged merchandise. Sensormatic labels can be applied to merchandise in one of two methods. They can be placed inside of packaging by the manufacturer, built into Manufacture hang tags or into a store UPC code. They may also be placed on merchandise by store personnel. In most instances if the store is placing the electronic article surveillance labels on products the label will be in a visible location. There are two schools of thought on the placement of labels. One line of thinking is that visible labels are more of a deterrent because shoplifters will see the anti-theft device and leave the product alone. The other thought is that if labels are concealed it puts a question mark on every item in a store for a crook. Personally I see advantages to both. The biggest advantage of source tagging is that it removes that task from the store so payroll can be focused elsewhere. Whichever method of protecting merchandise a store manager chooses it is important to remember that every label or tag going through a point of sale must be deactivated or removed.
As illustrated in my story, failing to deactivate Sensormatic labels or remove hard tags can create a poor shopping experience for paying customers. They may have had a great time shopping and employees may have offered up exceptional service but if that patron walks out the door and that alarm sounds all of the positive experiences may be wiped out. This is true no matter how quickly an employee responds to the alarm or how profusely apologetic a manager may be for the error. If it happens too frequently to that customer they may stop visiting for a while or make negative comments to friends and family. That can impact sales on the store down the road.
Failure to regularly deactivate or remove electronic article surveillance labels can also cause cashiers and supervisors to become lackadaisical in responding to alarms. With alarms sounding all of the time due to cashier error or faulty equipment I have seen employees stop responding to towers as they signal alerts that a tag is going out the door. It is also noticed by shoplifters who decide that the store really doesn’t care about whether a person sets off the alarm. They believe (and are probably right more often than not) that they will get away with their criminal activity.
Don’t let the specter of false alarms keep you from tagging merchandise or worse, not invest in an electronic article surveillance system at all. Sensormatic security systems will reduce theft. When the equipment is tested regularly and your employees are properly trained on deactivating and removing labels and tags you will save money and chase away criminal elements. When a system is used properly the occasional error by a former Loss Prevention Manager isn’t going to harm your business, just don’t let him cashier too often.
Electronic Article Surveillance is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Does the way you manage your employees have an effect on how much they try to stop shoplifting in your store or how they perform their jobs for that matter? Do poor work habits ever carry over from a previous employer they had that don’t work in your store? Sometimes we recruit and hire a new worker based on the experience they bring from working for another retailer. It seems like a good idea, they won’t need a lot of training and if the other employer didn’t fire them they must be a good worker. I was talking with one of my sons the other day about his work and he was relating about issues they are having with a co-worker. This employee came from a big box retail store that sells groceries among everything else a customer may need. It seems some of the “tricks of the trade” grocery stockers used there are showing up in my son’s grocery store, tricks that they do not permit in this company. Cases of canned goods are left in the boxes and placed on the shelf. If there is overstock merchandise rather than sending it to the stockroom it is being shoved on top of other merchandise or facings are adjusted to accommodate them. My son says that the department manager has talked to the new employee about this and my son has tried to point out what he is doing wrong but he is not improving. Managers, do you have “talks” with your employees or do you spend time training them and coaching? How about your anti-theft procedures? Are you taking time to actually train your employees on how to respond to a Sensormatic security system alarm? Do you show them how to tag merchandise with security labels or hard tags to prevent theft? Talk is cheap so the saying goes. Training and coaching is not, it is time-consuming and it can be tedious but if done correctly the rewards are tremendous.
Can training relate to theft prevention and store operations? Absolutely it can, just as shortage, store operations and profits are all directly tied to each other. Try running a store where shortage related to theft, operational errors and vendor mistakes is left unchecked. Store shelves go empty, replenishment of products is slow and inconsistent if it happens at all and sales dry up as shoppers leave for lack of products or variety of products. Training of new employees must not be a quick 10 minute lesson on the cash register or salesfloor. It has to be a detailed, comprehensive list of job responsibilities that someone has to spend time on demonstrating and then letting the worker go hands on. AFTER a training checklist has been completed supervisors then have to monitor performance and provide feedback as the employee begins to do the job solo. Is merchandise being placed on shelves or hung up according to YOUR expectations? Do you want clothes hung up and sized? Do you have a height level you are allowing canned goods to be stacked? Do you want Sensormatic security system tags placed on a uniform location on clothing? All of these things are important to how the store operates.
Stacking cans too high or “making space” on the shelf for overstock can impact how much other product is placed on the shelf or impede a customer’s ability to take a can from a shelf. Clothing not sized or grouped properly may throw off your ability to order more of a certain size of product. It could also bleed over to sloppy habits and racks becoming unshoppable or sloppy. Customers may be turned off or frustrated having to search through fixtures and choose to leave rather than buy a new item. Inconsistent placement of security tags can lead to a reduction in theft deterrence (crooks tend to leave merchandise alone when they see tags) and an increase in false electronic article surveillance alarms. If cashiers don’t know where tags are or don’t see them they may forget to remove them or deactivate them. Too many false alarms and employees get complacent with alarm responses and the alarms no longer stop shoplifting.
When time is taken to properly train and teach, employees are more confident in what they are doing and it makes them happier. Happier employees take pride in their work they understand the impact of what they are doing and take a real interest in how to stop shoplifting and how the Sensormatic security system works. They care about product placement and appearance. While they own much of their success you and your management are responsible for it too. Do it right and watch your store grow and keep turnover low.
Need information on Sensormatic security systems? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 today.
