Loss is a problem that all stores have to face. It can happen in many places, just as often taking place in the stock room as it does in other places, and fraud can be a real concern, too. However, for many stores, the largest risk is when it happens right off the store shelves. If you’re worried about losing money thanks to some sticky fingers, here are some tips that you can take to prevent it.
Train your staff to handle shoplifting
Investing in anti-shoplifting training for your staff can help them be more diligent and better keep an eye on those who might be inclined to steal from the business. It can teach them about common shoplifting tactics such as hiding products on their person, as well as working in pairs to distract the staff while the other does the lifting. It’s important to teach them how they can and cannot handle theft, too, with an emphasis put on the fact that they need to maintain their own safety.
Find the right tags for your products
Although it might seem a little imposing, door security systems that can sense tags and set off alarms are some of the most common sights in the average store, nowadays. As such, you should take a look at the kinds of security tags that you might be able to purchase for your store. The large, bulky clothing tags are far from the only kind, now. There are slim metallic tags that stick to the side of products that can be more discreet and easier to use on smaller products, too.
Protect items in transit, too
It’s not just on the shelves where your products might be vulnerable. In fact, if you use security measures to protect those shelves then people are more likely to find other weak points, instead. This can include the carts or equipment that you use to transport your goods. One way you can protect them is with a security roll pallet that simply doesn’t let people reach those products without the right key. Otherwise, you need to train your staff to make sure that the stock never leaves their sight, which puts more of the responsibility on them.
Keep an eye in the sky
If you want to cut down on theft, then optimising the layout of the store, knowing where theft is happening, and adapting to the tactics of shoplifters is going to be key. Installing a CTTV set up in your business can help you not only monitor the store in real time, but you can better look at the footage to see how theft is happening and inform your staff or re-work your store layout to make sure that it doesn’t happen as often. Be sure you know your CCTV blind spots as well to make them harder to steal in.
It can very difficult to keep loss due to theft to an absolute zero. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t keep trying to reach it. The security of your business is always worth making a top priority.