It’s a sad fact of life that the Holidays bring out the worst in some people. And no. We’re not talking about bad behavior at the family feasting table (although it’s usually on the menu). We’re talking about safeguarding your store and shoppers from the thieves who view the Season as an opportunity for ill-gotten gain.
As the season approaches, retailers and commercial centers like malls hire additional security. But we should all be more vigilant at this time of year. With Christmas gifts piled high in the hall closet, or tucked away in the spare bedroom, your home can be a target too.
Check your perimeters.
While retailers should be prepared with ample security measures throughout the year, the Holidays highlight the need for increased security. Now’s the time to check your security perimeter for vulnerabilities.
Also take care about your security lighting, to ensure that it’s ready to go and all outlets are fully operational. If you use motion detection as part of your security measures, ensure it’s working properly.
Protecting your customers.
All your floor staff should already have been trained to spot potential problems. They should be aware of what to look for and how to behave in the presence of a threat.
Your customers are as vulnerable as your merchandise. Last year, a woman in Georgia was shot while walking to her car from a mall. The shooter was after her purse and the gifts she was taking to her car. A similar shooting occurred in 2013 here in New Jersey, at the same time of year.
Ensure that customers in your store are safe, by talking to your employees about heightened awareness during the Holiday Season.
Protecting your merchandise.
Security tags should be part of what you do in your store, but if they’re not, your floor staff is again your best line of defense.
They should be trained to take note of people whose behavior indicates an intention to shoplift. Taking care not to alarm other shoppers, your staff should know how to deal with incidents of potential shoplifting and to see them coming.
Online retailers, too.
Online retailers face entirely different threats, in the form of cyberattacks. Data breaches have been occurring with increasing regularity in the last several years, making web security an imperative for online retailers.
And if you’re a traditional retailer using the omnichannel approach, your website needs to be secured from potential attack. Don’t put your security patching on hold. Now’s the moment to apply that patch.
If you’ve got a hole in the bow, you’re vulnerable to fraudsters, looking for data they can use to rip off your customers.
Clip Strip Corp.
Clip Strip Corp. is a leading manufacturer of high quality retail POP supports. We create consistency of messaging and merchandising professionalism in your store.
We wanted to remind you of the need for increased security over the Holiday shopping season, to ensure an incident free sales period. Contact us for more information and enjoy a safe Holiday Season.