At the 2009 RILA Loss Prevention, Auditing, Safety, and Security Conference held May 5^th at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, LossPrevention’s executive editor Jim Lee and I moderated a general session to review the results of a pre-conference RILA survey and then hold an open discussion regarding what retail LP executives could be doing to respond to our current situation.

Following are some of the concrete suggestions that were debated by the participants in a lively exchange.
- Institute cross-training of LP staff with sales associates and managers, to include combining LP with operations at the district manager level. 
- Utilize Loss Prevention Foundation LPQualified training for both sales associates and store management. 
- Increase the visibility of CCTV and increase signage regarding use of new LP technologies. 
- Train and authorize store managers and district managers to conduct employee theft interviews. 
- Implement and encourage a “culture of honesty” program in all stores.
- Implement an automated returns management system that is rules based.
- Enlist shoppers to report acts of shoplifting or employee theft in real time by using their cell phones.
- Enlist the help of apprehended shoplifters to consult on effective deterrence ideas.
- Rehire employees who have been caught in small scale dishonest employee incidents. This idea is based upon the old adage, “The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know.”

What are your suggestions or comments?

To read Dr. Hollinger's column on this subject, click here.