Theft is becoming a very large problem for many shop owners and it is something that I have been working on for some time now with any shop owners. Much of our work has been conducted in a shopping center in Charlotte of late and I like to think that as a result of the work that myself and my colleague John Bradberry Charlotte NCÂ business owners will be able to massively reduce the amount of shrink which they are having as a result of theft.
The key to reducing risk of theft is to avoid being exposed in terms of your products and if you want to to remove this threat, here are some tips on how your store can avoid the risk of theft.
Study The Data
The first step to take when you are looking to reduce theft in your store is to understand what it is that is being stolen. In order to get on top of this, you need to be carrying out regular stock counts and looking deeply into the booking in process of deliveries. It is only once you understand what kind of goods are going missing that you can actual work n reducing the theft of them.
Take Action on Your Products
Once you have identified the goods that are being taken from your store, you need to begin to move them into a more sensible location and working hard on product protection. Leaving items in blindspots in the store is a gift for thieves and you should be placing items that are popular amongst shoplifters in plain sight. Equally you could look at ramping up product protection and adding security stickers and alarms to your products or even placing them in locked cabinets.
Invest in Technology
Whilst it will cost you money in terms of the initial outlay, investing in high quality tech surveillance equipment can act both as a deterrent to thieves, and could even help you catch the people who are stealing from you. This investment will pay off in the long term and if you really want to help to reduce the level of theft in store, you shouldn’t think twice about investing in such items.
Use Service as a Weapon
The staff which you have are your best route to stopping thieves and you need to spend time training your staff members in terms of their vigilance. The most effective thing that your staff can do for you in terms of reducing theft is by offering great service to everyone who walks through the door. The last thing that someone who is looking to steal from you would want is a smiley face greeting them at the door and asking them how they can help them out. Something as simple as great service can really act as the best deterrent you have and it is your responsibility to ensure that your staff are trained in the right way.