Effective retail theft prevention is comprised of two parts the human connection and the bells and whistles. For a store to really be protected, both parts need to be in tiptop working order, but they also need to work in tandem with each other- picking up where the other leaves off.
The bells and whistles are the literal alarms, tools and anti theft devices used in a retail setting. EAS devices, CCTV, and alarm pedestals are all effective shoplifting counter measures, in their own right. The inherent flaw to all of these tools is that they alone cannot stop or prevent shoplifting.
EAS devices cannot magically affix themselves onto garments or wrap themselves around boxes. An employee must physically complete the task. The same goes for an activated alarm tower. The tower does not transform itself into some shoplifting cage, catching the thief in the act. An employee needs to respond to the alarm, specifically the person who set the alarm off. Without the interaction, the shoplifter gets away free and clear.
The flip side is that an employee can’t be everywhere at once. Having EAS tags deters shoplifters from stealing clothing in a fitting room. Public view cameras can catch and record a facial image of a shoplifter entering a store, which can be used later on as evidence in a court.
So the question is, how do you get both sides working together like a well-oiled machine?
The answer comes down to training- specifically loss prevention training. Hosting or hiring out for loss prevention seminars is the best way to ensure your employees are getting a thorough education. It is an opportunity for your employees to understand not only what they are supposed to be doing, but also understanding why they are doing it.
Employees who are entrusted with more information, such as how and why a process or policy works, will be more likely to complete such tasks with a greater accuracy of completion and compliance.
Loss prevention seminars are therefore an ideal way to help answer those questions. It is one thing to tell an employee that all denim over $50 dollars needs an EAS tag on the bottom left pant leg.
It is a completely different outcome when you explain to this same employee that denim over $50 dollars is one on the highest shrink items in the store. Shoplifter’s who target these items tend to sell them for a profit, so they don’t care about which size they steal. That means a shoplifter will search an entire table for jeans that do not have the tags on them.
Placing the tag in the same spot makes it easier for our cashiers to find the tag to remove them for our actual shoppers, providing better customer service (and increased sales). It is also an obvious spot that we would notice if someone tried to wear a pair of our denim out the door without paying for it.
This more detailed approach is easy to obtain through loss prevention seminars. The outcome will make a very significant impact for your theft reduction processes.
For more information on Loss Prevention Seminars, Loss Prevention Training, or Loss Prevention Workshop contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Systems website for more information on Retail Employee Theft and Retail Shoplifting problems and view the Retail Loss Prevention Seminars, Retail Loss Prevention Training and Retail Loss Prevention Workshop we offer to help with your Employee Theft and Shoplifting problems.