Retail loss prevention professionals understand what it takes to battle theft and loss in brick-and-mortar stores. A great deal of effort is focused on preventing theft and loss before it occurs. That prevention begins as far out as the parking lot of the store, because effective deterrence begins the moment the would-be, thief, vandal or vagrant arrives on your property.
Perimeter security systems provide an effective way to deter unwanted behavior, stop loss-causing activity before it starts, and escalate responses through an automated system without having to invest in live security guards. Consider five of the most significant cost savings associated with proactive deterrence at the perimeter.
- Reduced theft – According to the Jack L. Hayes International report, the average value of a retail theft is $392.06. This is the value of the property stolen and does not include property damage and other expenses associated with the actual breaking and entering event. Perimeter security can deter would-be thieves with security messaging, attention-grabbing lights and loud alarms, strongly encouraging them to go elsewhere. This reduces theft at your store and the negative public relations that come with it.
- Reduced property damage – In many cases, repairing damage to the property will cost more than the actual theft of items. Beyond the repair fees, these incidents also disrupt operations, scare away customers and divert valuable resources away from customer service. By using perimeter security solutions, retailers can reduce property damage by sending escalating messages warning that local authorities have been contacted.
- Avoidance of false alarm fees – At significant costs per dispatch, fees associated with the police coming on site and then finding no crime can reach thousands of dollars very quickly. By deterring criminals in the parking lot, escalating to law enforcement only after the threat continues with the option of video verification, retailers can avoid fees associated with dispatching law enforcement.
- Organized Retail Crime (ORC)– Shoplifting/external theft (including ORC) is responsible for the largest portion of shrink (35.7%), exceeding losses from employee/internal theft, administrative errors or vendor fraud.[i] ORC is a significant and growing problem for retailers. Professional thieves take time and carefully research retail locations, understanding security measures and pinpointing optimal opportunities for action. Professional thieves must be stopped before they enter the building. With scheduled escalating responses, the Hyperion solution makes it easy to change responses regularly so that thieves might believe there is a security guard monitoring the area and delivering live voice messages. The ability to offer alternative responses makes the environment less predictable and as a result, less appealing to professional thieves.
- Reduced labor expense – This sophisticated, automated solution allows for escalating, customized responses, simulating those that might occur if there were a live security guard on duty. Automated solutions can deliver effective deterrence without the expense of hiring security guards to work overnight.
We invite you to explore the Hyperion Perimeter Security solution and how it can help secure the perimeter of your grounds, improve the customer experience, and reduce loss and expense. Download our white paper, Secure Your Perimeter To Reduce Losses, Increase Safety & Improve Customer Experience: A How-To Guide for Retailers, for more information.
[i] National Retail Federation, “2018 National Retail Security Survey,” 2018.
To explore ways to protect your perimeter, connect with us today.