Retail Safety Awareness Theft And Violence!

Safety Awareness Programme For Retail Personnel!

I would always advise my retail members and their staff to always think safety first.

Theft and violence are rising daily with assaults and weapons being used more frequently than ever before.

It is important to remember that when approaching a suspected shoplifter to always make sure staff keep more than an arms length away from the suspect at all times as they may lash out at any time or could even have a weapon. Keeping a safe distance will give them time to react and assess the situation quickly.

Create an escape plan and a set of safe procedures for staff to follow if they have to approach a suspected shoplifter.

It is good practice to create a plan of action and procedures regarding different actions that should be taken by retail staff as they are assessing any live incident.

A basic training in this area would create a safer working environment also forming theft detection and prevention as a valuable part of a retailers job description.

It is important for staff to have the ability to observe and assess any incident as it is unfolding, observing the suspects body language and mannerisms, including the tone in their voice can give big clues to the suspects character and their possible intentions. Staff knowing this will help to defuse any situation quickly, this will also promt the staff on their next course of action by following the procedure correctly that has been set out by the management or owner of the business.

All retail personnel should be trained in this area as it can make all the difference between an employee being attacked or injured and retrieving the goods safely.

This may sound a bit strange but implementing the method below can make all the difference between a retailer getting their goods back and defusing any situation quickly and safely.

Try to be as diplomatic and polite as you possibly can with the suspect, you can say something like, "excuse me, I have noticed that you have put an item in your jacket, would you like me to take it to the till for you whilst you continue with the rest of your shopping". This method has already been successfully used in some corporate retail settings. The way staff communicate with a suspect is just as important on the way the suspect communicates with the retailer.

If a suspect shoplifter starts to show signs of agitation or you believe that they may become aggressive, reminding them that they are being recorded on CCTV can often help defuse a situation quickly, you could say something like, "You are being recorded live on CCTV, the footage is going to the cloud and the Police are on their way". Once this realisation sets in they become more conscious of their actions which can defuse a situation quickly and safely.

Always have a mobile phone at hand so you can easily dial 999 if an emergency arises, knowing the difference between when to call 999 or 101 is important, If a suspect makes you feel threatened in any way verbally or physical always dial 999 and ask for the police. The Police have a duty to attend if you feel for your safety or the safety of others via the threat of violence with or without them having a weapon.

It is good practice to run regular mock exercises with your staff regarding your safety policies, this will create incentive and keep you staff engaged with with the set procedure and your safety policy. You can also create incentives such as recognition with an award for staff who have followed your safety policy correctly and achieved results in the recovery of the goods.

I don't want to give too much away but if you would like to know more about our tailored training programmes designed for your retail staff to minimise the risk of harm or injury feel free to contact me anytime.

Knowing and not knowing what to do in a potentially dangerous situation can make all the difference to the end result

All programmes will be delivered by myself and my partners.