Even as the pandemic continues to affect the lives of people across the country, retailers should make sure they secure their merchandise to reduce losses while maintaining safety in their shops. With the holiday season a few months away, they can focus on preparing the shops for people who may come in to buy gifts for their loved ones.
Retailers may feel overwhelmed if a throng of shoppers will enter their stores to look for something interesting to buy. While it may have been a welcome sight before the pandemic happened, these days retailers should work on preventing the spread of the virus in their shops.
They should also implement measures to prevent losses due to theft, which has a considerable effect on their bottom line. Here are the things that retailers can do to maintain security and safety in their shops when holiday shopping starts.
Limit the Number of People Inside the Store
The first thing that they should enforce is limiting the number of people who can go inside the store at the same time. When the store has a limited number of people inside, shop employees and security personnel can monitor everyone in the store. This prevents instances of shoplifting, which increased when the pandemic started.
Security guards can keep track of the number of people who went inside using a click counter. The shop manager can also signal the guard when they feel that the store has reached its full capacity. The security guards can also act as frontline ambassadors of the shop and welcome clients as they enter the store.
Limiting the number of people also allows people in the store to observe social distancing and prevent the spread of the virus. With the threat of more virus variants around the corner, retailers should make sure to protect the health of both their employees and customers.
Plan Displays with Security in Mind
Retailers should also plan their store displays properly. They should make sure they display items with security in mind. With this, the checkout staff and security guards should see and monitor the items on display.
Retailers should reduce instances where theft or shoplifting is possible. They should also avoid putting expensive products or items in areas where an exit is close. This prevents instances of grab-and-run thefts in the shop. Shop owners can also put these items in a shatterproof glass case for added security.
Check the Security Cameras
Security cameras are common sights in many shops across the country. They can deter would-be thieves from carrying out their criminal acts once they spot these cameras since it makes them easy to identify. While mask-wearing during the pandemic may have made it harder to identify people, cameras still allow store personnel to monitor people inside the shop.
With this, retailers should check if the security camera is working. They should make sure the camera covers a lot of areas in the store. Shop owners may even position cameras at the entrance and the back door of the shop.
Retailers should also check if the security cameras can rotate from left to right. If it encounters issues, the shop owner may have to see if they need to repair or replace the stepper motor on the camera. If necessary, they should replace it before the holiday season shopping starts.
Deploy Security Guards Before Store Opening
The shop should deploy security guards at the entrance a couple of hours before it opens. This is particularly true during major sale events, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The guards can control the crowd and enforce social distancing measures to prevent super spreader events.
The guards can also take care of unruly people in the crowd and can intervene in disputes while shoppers wait for the store to open. They can make sure any dispute will not escalate, which can be dangerous for the other people waiting in line.
Secure the Storeroom
With everyone in the shop focused on the people in front, they may end up overlooking security in the storeroom. Due to this, retailers should secure the storeroom of the shop to prevent shoplifters from sneaking into them, especially if customers can access the storeroom from the main area of the shop.
Retailers can install a beeping alarm that is loud enough for staff to hear. This allows them to know if someone went into the storeroom. They can also make sure it’s locked, especially if the staff leave their property, including wallets and purses, in this area.
The holiday shopping season is a few months away but retailers should start preparing for it to protect the shop from theft once the season arrives.