Retailers are currently in the midst of a tumultuous holiday season. While sales are expected to rebound from 2020, persisting challenges from the pandemic are keeping executives incredibly busy.
With the 2021 season presenting unique hurdles, stores need to be hyper-vigilant to potential risks. To maximize profitability and retention this holiday season, here are a few security blind spots your retail team should consider.
Employee Wellness
Every retailer’s first and foremost priority is the wellness and safety of their employees and customers — even if that means layering in additional security measures. Plagued with staffing shortages, some retailers may feel tempted to take shortcuts in hiring and training, which can create safety and liability concerns.
Putting your people first doesn’t just benefit their own safety and mental wellness, it’s ultimately an investment in brand protection. Well-trained and supported employees improve asset protection and minimize harm and security incidents. Giving teams the tools they need to succeed is key in getting through the holiday season.
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Asset Protection
Continuing to operate in the midst of a global pandemic, this year is the perfect storm for retail loss prevention and asset protection. With staffing shortages in the service industry sector, whether retail or uniformed guarding services, the lack of presence will have a residual effect on loss prevention. Organized retail crime groups, shoplifters and disgruntled employees will see this as an opportunity to commit theft and fraud.
Supply chain shortages also put high demand items such as electronics and household goods in short supply, creating an increased reward for bad actors to gain by boosting or stealing these items. As always, closing the door on refund and return fraud will be essential to minimize losses as well. Working collectively, it will be important for asset protection teams to have an emphasized focus on awareness, analytics, intelligence and store partnerships to identify theft and scams quickly so swift action can be taken.
Theft Response Times
Staffing shortages aren’t just affecting retail — law enforcement, first responders and even prosecutors are experiencing the same challenges. This depletes resources that many retailers depend on to support a safe and secure working and shopping environment. Retail crime syndicates are aware of this situation and take full advantage exploiting these gaps.
On the legislative side, many regions have significantly elevated the threshold for arresting and prosecuting theft — where the minimum used to be low, the felony threshold is much higher, up to $2,500 in some states. Criminals in these areas know exactly how much they can steal to avoid being apprehended, going to jail or being prosecuted.
Customer Expectations
Managing customer expectations during the holiday season is key to staying proactive. Placing signage throughout the store that informs shoppers their patience is appreciated, some items may be limited in quantity and lines will be long will help guide their behavior to minimize frustration. Friendly associates greeting customers upon entering, on the salesfloor and in checkout lines can go a long way in de-escalating situations.
Security Staffing
Staffing shortages have also created challenges for store asset protection teams this year. Partnering with a third-party security service — whether it’s ramping up presence in parking lots or points of entry — will help protect assets and reduce liability
If hiring in-house security and asset protection team members, it is critical they receive complete and proper training. With increased violent crime spilling over into retail in major cities throughout the country, well-trained security teams need to know how to respond to various threats and incidents — and that’s where leveraging trusted security partners can help.
Retailers that take adequate steps to have a plan, utilize resources and increase awareness to address these security blind spots will be better positioned for success this holiday season.
Melissa Mack is a Director at Pinkerton. She has 20 years’ experience protecting assets and educating business leaders about safety, security and risk. She has worked as a global and regional security manager, designed threat management programs for multiple organizations and is a security management and criminal justice adjunct instructor. She has managed organizational security programs ensuring compliance with corporate, client and regulatory requirements. Mack has developed and led workplace violence prevention programs responsible for threat management and training as well as participated in global, regional and local incident management teams. Mack has also held various roles with several retailers developing and managing asset protection programs including compliance, policy and procedure development, and training, to investigations, fraud and data analytics. She has a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Leadership and Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, both from Sam Houston State University.
