What You Don't Know About Shoplifting

Shoplifting is a crime that happens all too often. For those who own small businesses, just a few shoplifters per month can put a serious dent in the amount of profits they take home. It’s important to brush up on your knowledge of shoplifting so you can better prevent it.

1. Eyes on the Prize - Every store should have a dedicated loss prevention employee and a set of security cameras. The person in question for shoplifting must be seen by this employee for them to be stopped. Even if someone else tips off the employee about the shoplifter, nothing can be done until they are seen stealing by this employee.
2. Bathroom/Fitting Room - A common shoplifting practice is to take items into the bathroom or fitting rooms and conceal them there. Unfortunately, an employee can not stop this person because they did not see them steal with their own eyes. You can guess that they have the items on their person, but there is no visual proof.
3. Do Not Chase - Let’s say you watch a shoplifter conceal an item and walk past the point of purchase to the outside of the store -- now what? Yes, you can confront them, but do not chase the suspect if they decide to run. If any harm is done to the shoplifter it is possible for them to sue and for the store to be liable for any harm done to them. Watch how they leave, where they go, and then call the police.
4. Underage/Overage - A store should not stop any shoplifter that is younger than 5 and older than 70. A kid under the age of 5 has no responsibility for their actions and should not be embarrassed. On the other end of the spectrum, a person over 70 should not be stopped due to liability reasons. The last thing a business needs is for an elder person to have some type of health episode while in the store.
5. Taking a Risk - There are a lot of rules that loss prevention employees must follow. However, a lot of them will take risks in order to prevent shoplifting from occurring. Have these employees know which rules are guidelines and which are laws that should not be broken. A few pieces of stolen merchandise is not worth the hassle of a lawsuit.

Shoplifting is a crime that many businesses are trying to prevent from happening too often. A good way to cut down on shoplifting and potential lawsuits is to install security cameras throughout your place of business. To learn more, or to schedule a free estimate, contact the pros at Reliable Voice & Data Systems by calling (877) 385-6657.

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5 Rules for Traveling With Employees

Traveling with employees on business trips is extremely common in certain industries. These trips allow the company to keep expanding as well as allowing the employees to bond for a better work experience. When you travel with employees, a few rules should be followed.

Established Law

Having a game plan before the trip starts is extremely important. Assign roles for each person, like who is in charge of booking the transportation, arranging the lodging, and who is presenting what during meetings. Knowing who has what responsibilities will allow for a smooth trip with no speed bumps.

Pave the Way

Younger employees might not know the rules of business trips. As the senior person on the trip you should be leading by example. Set the tone by doing the things you want your employees to mimic. If you want them to work on the plane, bust out your laptop and start crunching those numbers!

Don’t Be Too Literal

The company will cover expenses such as transportation, lodging, and meals. Rather than telling each person what their limits are, tell them to be smart with their spending. Studies show employees will spend a lot less if they don’t know what their actual limit is to avoid any trouble.

Work Comes First

Yes, you and your employees are far away from home, but you’re still at work representing the company. It’s okay to grab some food and drinks with your fellow coworkers, but in moderation. There’s no need to have one too many drinks and cause a scene; this can make for an awkward work relationship.

Ask For Advice

Business trips, while still are considered work, are a break away from the office and allows you to bond with employees. Managers and higher ups should use this relaxed setting to ask employees for advice and suggestions. You’re more likely to get honest answers over dinner after a meeting than you are in a boardroom.

Traveling with employees can be a smooth or rough experience, it all depends on if you follow these rules or not. When traveling make sure you are always connected to your business and clients by having your mobile device linked to your VoIP service. Looking to set up a VoIP telephone system for your business? Contact Reliable Voice & Data Systems for a free estimate by calling (877) 385-6657.

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5 Rules to Follow to Prevent Shoplifting

When you own a business, especially a retail store, shoplifting is something you constantly have to worry about. To protect your investment you should hire or take on the role of a loss prevention officer. This employee should follow five specific rules to help cut down on store theft.

Rule #1: Eyes on the Prize

When you or an employee suspects that a person is stealing, you should not stop them unless you see them put an item in their bag. This person must clearly be seen taking an item off of the rack and hiding it on their person. Be careful not to confuse this with someone trying to compare a previously purchased shirt to something in your store.

Rule #2: Item in Hiding

The person in question needs to be seen hiding an item on their person. Whether they stuff the item in a bag or underneath their clothing, it needs to be seen. An employee at the store has to be able to say “the woman has placed a dress shirt from the rack into her bag.”

Rule #3: Never Lose Sight

Shoplifters can oftentimes get nervous about their stealing habits and may remove any stolen merchandise from their person. If you observe someone stealing and then wait for them by the exit, you might not find anything on them by the time they leave. This can get you in serious trouble so make sure to keep a constant eye on the subject.

Rule #4: The Point of No Return

Never stop a suspected shoplifter until they are past the point of purchase. Any shoplifter can easily say that they’re not done shopping yet when confronted. Make sure this person is beyond the cash registers and is making their way towards the exit.

Rule #5: Keep It Outside

When you confront a shoplifter, make sure to do it outside of the store away from other customers. These confrontations can turn ugly quick and you do not want to expose your customers to this type of situation. When speaking with the shoplifter, have another employee contact the police so they can be properly apprehended.

Preventing shoplifting is necessary in order to protect your investment and make the most amount of money possible. In order to watch your shoppers more carefully, make sure you have an up to date surveillance system. To learn more about security cameras, or to schedule a free estimate with Reliable Voice & Data Systems, give us a call at (877) 385-6657.

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What You Should Pack for a Business Trip

Head home because it’s time to pack for your upcoming business trip. Wait, you’re telling us that you’ve never been on a business trip before? Don’t panic -- you’ve come to the right blog! We know exactly what you should pack for your first business trip.

Luggage

Before you can pack you need to know what type of luggage to bring. The longer the trip, the larger the suitcase should be. Opt for one with rollers as this will make navigation through the airport a breeze. A standard 22-inch suitcase is perfect for a trip that will only last a few days. If this trip is only for one night, you can get away with a smaller tote or duffel bag.

Clothing

Suit jackets tend to take up a lot of space in your suitcase. To save space, wear one of your jackets as a blazer when you travel. If you’re worried about wrinkles, your hotel will have an iron that you can use to steam them out. Try to pack a few different dress shirts, preferably wrinkle-free to make packing and getting dressed less of a hassle. Don’t forget to bring extra clothes for the gym, a casual night out, and to sleep in!

Business Items

Since this is a business trip, don’t forget to bring a shoulder bag that can carry important work items. You will need your laptop, phone, tablet, and any important work documents in arms reach at all times since you will be away from the office. Having your cell phone and its charger on hand is the most important, especially if your work VoIP phone is forwarding calls to you.

Business trips are sometimes a necessary part of business and it’s best to be properly prepared and packed for them. If your business needs a VoIP phone system to forward calls to employees out of the office, contact Reliable Voice & Data Systems. To learn more about VoIP, or to schedule a free estimate, give us a call at (877) 385-6657.

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