shai's -Retail management-Unit 3

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MODULE-3

STORE SECURITY ASPECTS

•Whether you’re a big box retailer or a family-run shop, security concerns in theretail market include detecting

shoplifting

, stopping inventory shrink and theft to parking lot surveillance. Retail system installations also must address the

safetyof employees and customers

, providing convenience that doesn’t adverselyimpact the customer service experience.•

TWO TYPES OF SECURITY:-

•Personal security and•Merchandise security

PERSONAL SECURITY

Many shoppers and employees feel less safe at retail establishments than did before, with these results: some people are unwilling to shop at night. some people age 60 and older no longer go out at all during the night. Almost one-half of shoppers believe malls are not as safe as they once were. Parking is a source of anxiety for people who worry about walking through a dimly lit parking lot. Asone industry observer noted, “Retailers must be proactive. They should take precautions to be better prepared and make the shopping experience as safe andenjoyable as possible.” These are among the practices retailers are utilizing toaddress this issue:•

Uniformed security guards

provide a visible presence that

reassures customersand employees

, and it is a warning to potential thieves and muggers. Some mallseven have

horse-mounted guards

. This is a big change: “Mall managementwants us to be less ambassadors of goodwill and is asking us to take a moreaggressive approach. They are asking us to not watch and wait too long if we spot suspicious behaviour. Thats lost package that we would have delicately brought to lost andfound, we wont do that this year. From a customer’s point of view, that lost package is really lost.•

Undercover personnel

are used to complement uniformed guards. These guardsoften work in teams.•

Brighter lighting

is used in parking lots, which are also patrolled more frequently by guards. These guards more often work in teams.•

TV cameras

and other devices scan the areas frequented by shoppers andemployees.7-Eleven has an in –store cable TV and alarm monitoring system,complete with audio.•Some shopping areas have

curfews for teenagers

. This is a controvesial tactic.•

Access to store backroom

facilities (such as storage rooms) has been

tightened

.•Bank deposits are made more frequently-often by

armed security guards.

MERCHANDISE SECURITY-

•Merchandise security is provided through the various ways-•Closed-circuit TV.•Electronic Article Surveillance Systems.•Convex Mirrors•Alarms•Point of Sale Machines.•Freezers•Employee Screening And Training•

Closed-circuit television

(

)

is the use of video camerasto transmit a signalto a specific, limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast televisionin thatthe signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point wirelesslinks. CCTV is often used for surveillancein areas which need security, such as banks,casinos, andairportsor military installations. Increasing use of CCTV in public places has caused debate over publicsecurityversus privacy. In industrial plants, CCTV equipment may be used to observe parts of a process that areremote from a control room, or where the environment is not comfortable for humans. CCTV systems may operate continuously or only as required to monitor a particular event.•

Electronic article surveillance

is a technological method for preventingshopliftingfrom retail stores or

pilferage of books from libraries

. Special tagsare fixed to merchandise or books. These tags are removed or deactivated by theclerks when the item is properly bought or checked out. At the exits of the store,

adetection system sounds an alarm or otherwise alerts the staff when it sensesactive tags.

For high-value goods that are to be manipulated by the patrons, wiredalarm clips may also be used; these, being less common and technologically lessmysterious, are not covered by this article.•

Point of Sale Machines:-

Point of sale machines or ‘pos’ as they are normally called, are primarilyused for the purpose of billing at retail stores. These machines usually consist of a built-in CPU cabinet, a small monitor, a compact keyboard and a small in-built printer, all as one unit.This is crucial as most of these machines have proprietary equipment in them,which are not repairable or replaceable from the open market.•

Freezers:-

Freezers are used only for storing highly perishable food products andtheir frequent breakdown could lead to enormous losses in terms of damaged products. Thus good and robust freezers are essential to withstand the outlet’scontinuous 24-hour operation since the freezers would have to remain workingeven when the store is closed at night.

•

Employee Screening And Training:-

After a series of bad experiences, most retailers in the west now have a

compulsory screening

policy in which they undertake extensive pre-employmentreference checks for every prospective employee. Compulsory drug tests are alsofrequent with international retailers. Apart from this, all employers try their best to createa family type culture within their stores to encourage honesty and integrity. An honest,good ,agile employees is , in fact, the single most effective deterrent to shoplifting.

STORE SECURITY

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