As an owner of a retail store or a business, theft is one of the most worrisome concerns you must be dealing with frequently. According to the Australian and New Zealand Retail Crime Survey, around 50% of revenue is lost due to internal and external unlawful activities including thefts and shoplifting. To prevent such illegal acts which result in major losses for retail stores’ owners, Loss Prevention Officers (LPOs) are appointed.
Let’s dive deep into the profession of LPOs and understand their need for better functioning of a business.
Who is a Loss Prevention Officer?
Loss Prevention Officers are trained security professionals who keep an eye on all the activities happening inside and in the vicinity of the retail stores. Unlike a security guard, they don’t just guard the exits. Instead, they manage all the internal activities of customers & staff along with the entry, exit, and emergency gates. While most of the time Loss Prevention Officers are physically present in the store, they also keep a check by regularly monitoring CCTV surveillance systems.
- Loss Prevention Officers generally remain unnoticed if they are keeping a check on all the activities by being physically present in the store because they are seldom dressed up in uniform.
- With these characteristics, they are determined and confident to serve you properly and maintain the decorum of the retail stores.
What are the Roles and Responsibilities of a Loss Prevention Officer? Now that you are familiar with who Loss Prevention Officers are, let us understand what are some of their core responsibilities while being on-duty.
- Monitoring every phase
According to the Loss Prevention Research Council, 44% of patrons confirmed that the theft could be easily detected if the staff monitored them properly at the time of theft.
Loss Prevention Officers keep a check on everything including the cash counters to eliminate the possibilities of in-store thefts, burglary, and money fraud. They also manage the alarm systems and other security tools from time to time as a prevention measure.
- Training the in-store staff
Loss Prevention Officers also offer to train retail store staff along with managing security systems. From teaching basic techniques of preventing illegal acts to managing the security systems, they are skilled in everything. A knowledgeable Loss Prevention Officer is a valuable asset. Nevertheless, the officer doesn’t remain inattentive and lenient for anyone including the staff members of the stores. Employee theft is a major criminal act taking place in most of the retail stores irrespective of it being a local or international brand. 70 % of frauds and thefts are done by employees, mentions a report from the Australian Federal Police.
- Physical Inspections and security check-ups
Loss Prevention Officers also make sure that there are no hazardous and lethal objects present in the retail stores. To ensure this, they physically inspect every corner of retail stores including the storerooms where all the products are stockpiled thus eliminating any future mishaps. Also, they conduct regular security check-ups of every member of the retail store including the security guards.
By conducting everything fairly and with full dedication, these Loss Prevention Officers take complete responsibility for everything that is directly or indirectly related to security. They are well trained to remain completely active and spy on people in a mysterious way such that not even a single person can cast doubt on him/her.
Why should you hire them for your business?
Appointing a Loss Prevention Officer is an advantage as they are much more than regular security personnels. They are known to manage everything efficiently keeping a strict eye on everything. In simple words, you can call them spy-cum-security officers.
- Loss Prevention Officers have extraordinary observational skills. They can easily detect suspicious activities among the customers and in-store members without them having the slightest of the idea.
- Careless employees often cause more losses than hideous shoplifters particularly because they don’t tend to keep good care of the merchandise or other products. According to the National Retail Federation report, retailers lose 1.33% of overall sales due to dishonest and careless employees.
- Loss Prevention Officers are physically fit and healthy. Once they get their hands on someone, the chances of the person escaping are almost negligible.
Conclusion
Thus, hiring a plain-clothed Loss Prevention Officer is a win-win deal. To maintain all the security standards and meet the requisite expectations, getting them is a complete advantage.
We at Baaz Security provide well-trained and professional Loss Prevention Officers that meet all the required standards. Our skilled officers are at your service 24X7 with complete commitment. Each officer undergoes a comprehensive selection process including the police checks to offer you uninterrupted and extraordinary services. For more information, visit our website.
