Staff Editor — Page 280

EASy Bottle Locks Help Keep Profits

April 24, 2011 by Staff Editor

That’s right, EASy bottle locks actually help keep your profits. The liquor business can be very profitable. The right bottle security can not only protect your assets but boost your profits as well.

One of my stores, overall, had about 30% of stores sales directly related to liquor. The manager retired, and in came the new guy. He didn’t really see a need for bottle security, and figured as long as he was turning the merchandise regularly, using bottle locks was unnecessary. To him, following the company program of placing an EASy bottle lock on top of each bottle at a certain price point was fruitless. He would not see the reasoning behind the “task” of placing bottle locks and wanted to run his business based on his own decisions. Rookie mistake.

As time went on, the new manager was really driving home the sales in liquor. He was hitting every sales plan and often exceeding it. In fact, not only was he making sales, he now wanted no bottle security in the liquor department and had an employee remove the currently installed EASy bottle locks from the few bottles left.

Shortly after the manager removed the EASy bottle locks, the trouble began. What he didn’t realize was not only do EASy bottle locks work to physically protect merchandise; they are also a visual deterrent to would be thieves. On a cold rainy day, a thief entered his store and made his way to the liquor aisle. While there, the thief noticed no bottle security and selected a low priced bottle of scotch. Assuming no one was watching him, he simply walked out of the store. Realizing how easy it had been to take one bottle, he came back in 2 days late and filled up a backpack with over 10 bottles. After 3 months of this, the thief was finally caught, and confessed to over 300 bottles of liquor he stole from this store.

To the new manager who now had to make up for those lost sales, bottle security became a priority. Now, bottle locks are on all necessary bottles.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information contact us at EASy bottle or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: bottle lock, bottle locks, bottle security, easy bottle

Prevent Shoplifting Through Customer Service – Atlanta Georgia

April 24, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Can exceptional customer service prevent shoplifting in a retail operation, or at least greatly minimize it? The following items are not just useful customer service tips, but also act as a factor in retail theft prevention.

What does a shoplifter want to avoid when he comes into your store? The answer is that he does not want to be noticed or recognized in any way. The more anonymous the shoplifter can remain, the better he likes it. By offering prompt and excellent service to each of your customers, losses from shoplifting can be reduced substantially.

Have someone available to greet of acknowledge each customer as soon after she enters the store as possible. Speak to her directly and make eye contact. Create the impression that you recognize her and that you know who she is. Notice any attempt the customer might make to avoid help from an employee.

Shoplifters crave privacy so they won

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting

Clothing Security Tags Benefit the Store Team

April 23, 2011 by Staff Editor

Clothing security tags offer a sense of control not only to the store management, but the store team as well. Merchandise protection standards that include clothing security tags offer the associates a chance to productively protect, their merchandise. I say “their” because the associates should have a vested interest in protecting merchandise in the store and helping boost profits while using clothing security tags.

Allowing associates to actively participate in applying clothing security tags is a positive position to take. Placing security tags on clothes, the associates feel more part of the team, and truly take pride in their work. In the event a shoplifter enters the store and attempts to steal merchandise, the associate will provide excellent customer service, deterring the thief, because their work is being challenged.

OK, Ok, security tags on clothes ideally work to protect the merchandise on which they are placed. However, employees do like being active and feeling like part of the team. Having employees place security tags on clothes, or assigning them this task, they become vested. The take a valued interest in ensuring the merchandise is available for customer, and even more, provide better customer service.

Security tags on clothes have been around for quite awhile, and are the most recognized approach to clothing security. Retailers throughout the world rely on this form of clothing security because it is simple, straight forward technology that works. Clothing security issues arising out of the lack of security tags on clothes can easily be fixed by adding the additional tools or making more clothing security tags available to the store itself.

All in all, having a well executed clothing security program and associates that take an active role ensuring the program is functioning 100%, the outcome, profits will be positive.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store

For more information about a clothing alarm contact us at clothing security tags or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags, security tags on clothes

Another Employee Theft Case

April 23, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Another employee theft case shows the need for redundancy in job duties and the necessity of adequate supervision and follow up.

An accounts payable clerk for a Pennsylvania security company was recently arrested and charged with the theft of over $880,000 from the company. [Read the full story here at lancasteronline.com.]

The woman, an employee since 2003, stole the money over a period of six years. She would endorse checks to herself and deposit them in her own account in amounts ranging from $1000 to $3500.

The employee theft was discovered, as many often are, while the employee was away from work for a while, and another employee had to look at the bank statements.

Upon her return, her employment was terminated and the owners continue to investigate the case. Initially, the thefts were thought to be around $17,000 and the investigation was handed over to the police department, who discovered the rest of the missing funds.

According to the owners, the former employee was allowed to handle all financial transactions for the company. The detective assigned to the case was quoted as saying, “Businesses put people in these positions because they feel they can be trusted – then those people take advantage of that trust.”

This business is fortunate that the police department was able to fully investigate this incident. Frequently, police agencies have their hands full with violent crimes and other types of theft to adequately devote the manpower to white collar crime, unless it involves, as this case does, large amounts of money.

To prevent employee theft, companies write procedures and job descriptions that delegate responsibilities for cash handling to several employees so that the duties are separated. This greatly reduces the opportunity for embezzlement.

At the first suspicion of internal theft of any kind, a business should contact an expert, a qualified loss prevention agent, to investigate and solve any improprieties. A loss prevention agent with a background in business understands the concerns of the business from the standpoint of recovery and prevention and is able to assist the business owner in avoiding instances of internal theft in the future.

A business oriented loss prevention agent can help prevent and correct employee theft.

Call 770-426-0547 to speak with a loss prevention agent or click here if you have suspicions or concerns about employee theft for more information.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: employee theft, internal theft, white collar crime

Whether they want to steal one bottle or 20 – protect your liquor with bottle security

April 22, 2011 by Staff Editor

I read about two ladies who stole 15 bottles of vodka from a business. The next day, they stole four more bottles from a different business, concealing the bottles in their purses. Later they came back to that same business and attempted a walkout of another large stash of vodka, hiding bottles under their purses. Security guards attempted to stop them but they ran, leaving behind the vodka and their purses. Later police stopped them in their vehicle, and they had a car load of vodka…and a retail theft citation from that same day from being caught at yet another store.

Shoplifters are sometimes slow learners, and this is evident in this case of liquor thefts. Even though they were caught shoplifting that same day, they were stealing liquor again. Apparently they felt nothing could stop their crime spree.

There are options available for stores that sell liquor to protect their merchandise. Bottle security, such as the EASy bottle cap from Alpha Security, fit nicely on the top of your high end wines and liquors and makes them nearly impossible to open by an unauthorized person. The bottle lock is only removed when the bottle is purchased, and can be reused on other bottles displayed on your sales floor.

Bottle locks are a deterrent to thieves like the ladies mentioned above. Shoplifters do not want to risk setting off alarms when they steal your merchandise, and they especially do not want to have to fight to remove a bottle lock from the liquor bottle that they are attempting to steal.

With liquor bottle security, you can display your products openly so that they are displayed for your paying customers. Shoplifters like these ladies can move on to the next unsecured business for their crime spree and leave your business, the one with bottle security, alone.

Visit the Retail Loss Prevention Store to see Alpha Security , easy bottle and the latest liquor bottle security available.

For more information about Alpha security or bottle security or bottle locks or EASy bottle or liquor bottle security or contact us at bottle lock or call 1.770.426.0547.

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: Alpha Security, bottle lock, bottle locks, bottle security, easy bottle, liquor bottle security

Assessing Your Effort to Prevent Shoplifting

April 22, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

How much effort does a retail store manager or owner need to devote in order to prevent shoplifting?

From the human capital side, personnel have to be specially trained in what to watch for in customers that might reveal a shoplifter, how to react when a customer is suspected, learn who to call, when to confront, how to deter, in general how to protect merchandise from thieves in addition to their regular duties. This training has to be reinforced regularly in order to remain effective, and the people have to be managed. There are also staffs dedicated to shrink control such as store detectives and fitting room attendants in some retail operations.

What helps to prevent shoplifting from the hardware equipment side? There is special packaging that is next to impossible to remove from the merchandise makes life difficult for potential shoplifters. There are lockable cabinets, specialty displays that attach the merchandise to the rack, and alternating hangers. There are convex mirrors hung strategically in hard to see areas and one-way mirrors for surveillance.

From the psychological perspective, there are retailers that post signs warning that shoplifters will be prosecuted and “ghost calls” made periodically over the public address to a non-existent security staff for the benefit of the potential shoplifter.

There are a couple of electronic options to help prevent shoplifting.

One is CCTV, or the use of closed circuit television including a dvr to record any incidents. A great instrument to prove a shoplifting case, and a deterrent to the unsophisticated shoplifter but requires someone to physically watch the monitor in order to actually catch someone shoplifting. This is of great use in defending bogus slip and fall lawsuits and in detecting and solving employee theft, because the recorded media can be reviewed at a convenient time.

Another popular electronic means of retail theft prevention is the use of an EAS device such as those from Checkpoint Security Systems. With a Checkpoint Security System, attaching Checkpoint tags to them or placing Checkpoint labels on them protects selected merchandise. The Checkpoint tags and Checkpoint labels can only be removed or deactivated by an employee at the point of sale. If this is not done, an alarm sounds as the merchandise passes through the antennas, and the situation is then addressed. The use of Checkpoint Security Systems in retail serves as a deterrent and as a detection device, and is one of the most operationally efficient ways to prevent shoplifting.

Call 770-426-0547 to learn more ways to prevent shoplifting, about Checkpoint Security Systems, Checkpoint labels, and Checkpoint tags, or click here for more information.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting

Clothing Security…The birds and the bees

April 21, 2011 by Staff Editor

Clothing security is a vital tool used by retailers across the world to reduce the negative effects of shoplifting. The use of a clothing alarm system can dramatically reduce your company’s loss. Most shoplifters will avoid or at least think twice before attempting to steal from a store that has a clothing alarm system. A clothing alarm system consists of three major features.

The first feature is an invisible RF (radio frequency) field that is located at exit doors and sometimes at entrances to restrooms or other locations that a store decides they want merchandise that has not been purchased to go. This clothing security system will alarm if “live” clothing security tags is pass through the field.

The second feature is the use of clothing security tags. Clothing security tags are placed on your merchandise and will alarm your clothing alarm system if someone tries to steal the item. These usually come in two forms, what is called a “hard tag” and a “soft tag.” The difference between the two is that a hard tag is reusable and is detached at the point of sale. A soft tag is designed to be permanently deactivated at the point of sale and leave the store still attached to the merchandise.

The third feature is the detacher/deactivation unit that is located at the point of sale. When a client brings the merchandise to the counter for purchase the clothing security tags are detached or deactivated. Now when the items that were properly purchased leave the store they will not alarm your clothing security system.

While a clothing alarm system will not guarantee that you will never have a shoplifter it is a very important tool that can be used to greatly reduce the risk of a shoplifter reducing your bottom line.

For more information on clothing security, clothing alarms or how clothing security tags can help you with you business, contact us at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: clothing alarm, Clothing Security, clothing security tags

Identifying Internal Theft – Atlanta Georgia

April 21, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

Personally, I believe that people who commit internal theft should be forced to wear a brand or a scarlet letter on their chests for the rest of their days. However, I’m aware that my brand of puritanical justice has little or no place in today’s society so it appears we’ll have to do it the hard way. Unfortunately, dishonest employees and shoplifters are the same in the respect that they come in all shapes, sizes, races, ages and sexes. There are no identifying marks or tell-tale signs. However, a loss prevention professional can make a reasonable assessment based on an individual’s conduct, integrity and judgment.

A person’s past can tell a lot about their future. There are a small percentage of people who would never steal, no matter what. We love these people dearly, by the way. There are a much larger percentage of people who will steal only if they believe they can safely get away without being identified. Then there is another small percentage (about the same size as the first) that will invariably steal from you at their first opportunity and continue to do so every chance they get. These people will have probably stolen before. Perform background checks on all new hires. Sure, people can change, but do you really want your business to be the proving ground for a so-called reformed criminal?

Internal theft is so rampant in the retail industry because you are forced to trust people to handle your money and merchandise every minute of every day. Most people want to be seen as honest and trustworthy. Most people in the retail business don’t make a great deal of money, even though they may be called upon to handle tens of thousands every day. This is where temptation comes in. Ensure that you treat your employees with respect. Make them feel that they have a vested interest in the company’s success, and you’ll find that your incidents of internal theft will decrease dramatically.

For more information about corporate fraud investigation or corporate fraud investigator or employee theft or employee theft investigation contact us at Internal Theft or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: corporate fraud investigation, corporate fraud investigator, employee theft, employee theft investigation, internal theft

The Alpha Bravo Charlie’s of bottle locks

April 20, 2011 by Staff Editor

Do you have a theft problem? Are they stealing wine, spirits or other high dollar items that are kept in bottles? Alpha security has come up with some very aesthetically pleasing and unique types of bottle locks.

Bottle security has become increasingly more important due to advancing techniques of shoplifters. With the new Alpha security bottle locks, bottle security has become a snap, literally. These bottle locks incorporate both the effectiveness of a Checkpoint security tag and a physical bottle top lock.

Once the Alpha security lock has been placed on the top of a bottle, someone would have to break the neck of the bottle of to use what is inside. Because of this innovation shoplifters will avoid bottles that have these attached to them. It makes stealing that item pointless because all they would have is a broken bottle with the contents ruined.

To attach an Alpha security bottle lock, you place the lock on top of the bottle and compress the top to the bottom locking mechanism. Once the lock is secure on the bottle it can only be removed using an Alpha security key that you would keep at your cash register. Using this unique key, you would place it on top of the bottle and with a simple twist the lock will come lose and you can remove it from the bottle.

Alpha security bottle locks are an easy cost effective way to reduce loss and increase your bottom line. A couple simple steps and can save you money and equally as important, some piece of mind. Between the use of these locks and an attentive eye, you are well on your way to putting a quick stop to your theft problem.

For more information on Alpha security, bottle locks or bottle security contact Loss Prevention Systems, Inc.

Filed Under: Security Tagged With: Alpha Security, bottle lock, bottle locks, bottle security

Another Reason to Prevent Shoplifting – Atlanta Georgia

April 20, 2011 by Staff Editor Leave a Comment

As if there weren’t enough reasons to prevent shoplifting, how is the return/refund rate at your business?

A recent survey points out that annual merchandise returns amount to over $219 billion a year of which almost $12 billion is fraudulent. This category of retail loss is significant.

Why has this category of retail loss continued to increase?

From the standpoint of the thief, receiving full value of the goods is much better than fencing merchandise for pennies on the dollar, or trying to sell it on the brown market for less than retail, and there are so many creative ways to return stolen merchandise to a store: using duplicate or phony receipts; actual receipts accompanying stolen merchandise; and buying merchandise from a discount retailer and returning to a full service store, among others.

Stolen merchandise result from the actions by shoplifters, internal theft, or sweethearting, collusion between an employee and a customer or vendor. The ability to prevent shoplifting will reduce this area of loss considerably.

It is twice as painful for a retailer to pay full retail for his own merchandise that he can get wholesale from his vendor.

To become a harder target in this area of retail loss while maintaining excellent customer relations is a delicate balancing act faced by retailers every day. Not taking merchandise back, or refusing to make refunds is a quick way to alienate legitimate customers.

For assistance in reducing vulnerability to return fraud and to prevent shoplifting in Atlanta Georgia, call the experts at Loss Prevention Systems, Inc. at 1-770-426-0547 or click here for more information.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Prevent Shoplifting