Shrink and cameras

[Nauticus]

Sorry to bring up and old topic, but how do stats prove that cameras do not deter theft? How does one gather statistical information on something that doesn't occur?

[Curtis Baillie]

Good question. I think the only way would be to evaluate stats before and after cameras. Throughout the years I have consistantly seen where people conceal merchandise where they think cameras are not covering an area. One of the recommendations I make to retailers is - move the cameras around, cover the blind spots that are hard for your sales people to see. Better yet - open up the blind spots. Eliminate the areas where the thieves feel safe enough to conceal your merchandise and train you employees on good old customer service.

[Bill Warnock]

Good question. I think the only way would be to evaluate stats before and after cameras. Throughout the years I have consistantly seen where people conceal merchandise where they think cameras are not covering an area. One of the recommendations I make to retailers is - move the cameras around, cover the blind spots that are hard for your sales people to see. Better yet - open up the blind spots. Eliminate the areas where the thieves feel safe enough to conceal your merchandise and train you employees on good old customer service.

Curtis this is an outstanding posting. As I have told so many people, electronic security devices are force multipliers and they have to be viewed as such. Your emphasis on interface between camera placement and employee education strikes at the heart of the matter. All responsible security personnel should carefully read what you have written and then take positive action.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[SecTrainer]

Good question. I think the only way would be to evaluate stats before and after cameras. Throughout the years I have consistantly seen where people conceal merchandise where they think cameras are not covering an area. One of the recommendations I make to retailers is - move the cameras around, cover the blind spots that are hard for your sales people to see. Better yet - open up the blind spots. Eliminate the areas where the thieves feel safe enough to conceal your merchandise and train you employees on good old customer service.

Active, attentive customer service is the "magic triple whammy" resulting in increased sales, higher customer satisfaction and lower losses. Shoplifters do not like to frequent stores where the personnel are actively engaged with customers. Such stores, frankly, are quite rare - and thus the shoplifter has plenty of much better alternatives to choose from, and that's where he'll go (sometimes displacement of crime is all that's available to us). These are stores where he can roam around for hours without a single employee ever so much as glancing at him. Most stores fall into this category, and most retail employees have no idea what their role is in preventing loss, merely by doing exactly what they were presumably hired to do - help the customer!

Store layout is obviously important - not from the standpoint of camera locations or angles, but from the standpoint of employee visibility, using as reference points the register area, the fitting areas, and the stock room.

And, improving the visibility of customers to employees also automatically improves the visibility of employees to other employees, including management!! There must be a jillion industrial engineering studies showing that employee performance improves with increasing visibility.

I know of one hardware/camping gear type retailer who had the unusual idea of putting a big window in the wall between the retail area and stock area - which is usually hidden away from view, of course. Funny things happened when the stock area became visible:

1. The stock area started to be maintained in a much more orderly manner.

2. Employees no longer went to the stock area to "hide out" and loaf.

3. Employees could watch the retail area now from the back of the store (stock room) as well as the front.

4. Internal theft dropped and the owner is convinced this is because of the visibility of the stock area.

Very interesting. This wouldn't be appropriate in all situations, of course, and in some cases it might need to be modified by using a one-way window - but you'd lose half the benefit. However, it's an example of what happens when visual surveillance - whether of or by employees - is increased rather than decreased. Not camera surveillance, but human surveillance. Improve human surveillance first, and THEN add cameras to the blind spots.

[Nauticus]

Fantastic post. I'm actually going to extend these ideas to some of the 'harder-hit' stores I'm contracted to. Citing the ideas as yours, of course

[NRM_Oz]

Sec Trainer covered it well in his post. We all hate pushy or nosey sales staff who hover around us waiting to jump in for a sale. Ever wished to buy and come across something you like on to see "Slick Willy in his hawaiian shirt watching your every move with the best deal on the strip for you ?"

One of the best approaches for sales staff is to follow their "Good morning, may I help you ?" routine and if they deny service wait, observe and then have someone else offer service. These people need to know they are being watched and I have myself offered them service or even served my LP crew if they believe they are being spotted.

[Bill Warnock]

Fantastic post. I'm actually going to extend these ideas to some of the 'harder-hit' stores I'm contracted to. Citing the ideas as yours, of course

Nauticus, reference your earlier post #31. Don't feel that way about bringing up something that may have been hashed out before. Perhaps the topic needs to be rehashed again that bring out new ideas. That is what is so neat about this forum, new ideas or new perspectives on no so new ideas. You done good!
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[Curtis Baillie]

Active, attentive customer service is the "magic triple whammy" resulting in increased sales, higher customer satisfaction and lower losses. Shoplifters do not like to frequent stores where the personnel are actively engaged with customers. Such stores, frankly, are quite rare - and thus the shoplifter has plenty of much better alternatives to choose from, and that's where he'll go (sometimes displacement of crime is all that's available to us). These are stores where he can roam around for hours without a single employee ever so much as glancing at him. Most stores fall into this category, and most retail employees have no idea what their role is in preventing loss, merely by doing exactly what they were presumably hired to do - help the customer!

Store layout is obviously important - not from the standpoint of camera locations or angles, but from the standpoint of employee visibility, using as reference points the register area, the fitting areas, and the stock room.

And, improving the visibility of customers to employees also automatically improves the visibility of employees to other employees, including management!! There must be a jillion industrial engineering studies showing that employee performance improves with increasing visibility.

I know of one hardware/camping gear type retailer who had the unusual idea of putting a big window in the wall between the retail area and stock area - which is usually hidden away from view, of course. Funny things happened when the stock area became visible:

1. The stock area started to be maintained in a much more orderly manner.

2. Employees no longer went to the stock area to "hide out" and loaf.

3. Employees could watch the retail area now from the back of the store (stock room) as well as the front.

4. Internal theft dropped and the owner is convinced this is because of the visibility of the stock area.

Very interesting. This wouldn't be appropriate in all situations, of course, and in some cases it might need to be modified by using a one-way window - but you'd lose half the benefit. However, it's an example of what happens when visual surveillance - whether of or by employees - is increased rather than decreased. Not camera surveillance, but human surveillance. Improve human surveillance first, and THEN add cameras to the blind spots.

I'm currently working with a retailer who is designing their stores with this in mind. The stores are designed like a wheel with the registers in the center. The aisles are the spokes and are visible from the registers which face out in four directions. No shelving is taller that 5'5".

[SecTrainer]

I'm currently working with a retailer who is designing their stores with this in mind. The stores are designed like a wheel with the registers in the center. The aisles are the spokes and are visible from the registers which face out in four directions. No shelving is taller that 5'5".

I'd thought of that sort of design too, but wondered whether it might encourage "snatch & run" thefts from the aisles radiating out toward the doors?

[Nauticus]

Nauticus, reference your earlier post #31. Don't feel that way about bringing up something that may have been hashed out before. Perhaps the topic needs to be rehashed again that bring out new ideas. That is what is so neat about this forum, new ideas or new perspectives on no so new ideas. You done good!
Enjoy the day,
Bill

Thanks for the clarification! I'm really enjoying this forum so far. At least everyone's easy to get along with

[NRM_Oz]

I guess we can leave the kids games to other sites.

Yes I agree layout and design is important for not only sales and staff management but also for visual appeal and for theft management too. I have high theft items such as blank dvd media to a different shelf and watched the sales increase as the theft decline.

But I will go down to the basics and say - customer service is key to reducing the risk and #2 is actually be seen to be pro-active whilst you are dreaming of your weekend off in your head.

[Curtis Baillie]

I once had a department store who showed some terrible inventory results in men's leather goods. When I went to the store to look at the inventory issues the leather goods were in the middle of the department and employees were not paying attention.

I had the store move the belts, wallets and such near the wrapdesk, in plain view of employees. Store management tried to fight me on this saying that the move would not conform to planogram. The hell with planogram - you just lost 35K on wallets and belts - move the product. Next inventory, problem solved. My advice, don't be a slave to your planogram.

[N. A. Corbier]

What the hell IS it with people an planograms, anyway? They change every 3 months, and the store can override them at whim.

[Curtis Baillie]

I've worked for shortsighted companies where the planogram was King and you better not mess with it.

[SecTrainer]

I've worked for shortsighted companies where the planogram was King and you better not mess with it.

Planograms, being aimed at putting the most desirable items into people's hands, are successful in doing just that. Unfortunately, planograms have no interest whatsoever in whether the people PAY for the items once they are in their possession. Just get <whatever> in the cart!

In that sense, planogram marketing concepts probably run somewhat contrary to LP concepts. If so, this would suggest that smart management will find a way to strike a balance between POG objectives and LP objectives. It's no good boosting sales if people are "boosting" your profits!!