We just lost a long term store here in my town. The reason? Theft. It started off slow and subtle; by the end, people were bold ass walking right out the front door with stolen full shopping carts. In all the time this was going on, n o b o d y actively tried to stop it. So.
You like keeping your place of work? Getting pay checks? Be a part of preserving that. It's very simple. You see someone suspicious, do what we call 'aggressive hospitality': 'Hi! How are ya? Finding everything ok? I'm just gonna follow you around all over the store for a while making sure you're needs are being met!' Works like a charm.
If you like it, support it. If you don't, it won't be there.
Its time we hire actual security, NOT just for "key items" being stolen. (I.e. ciggs, formula, meds, liquor etc) AND they TAKE DOWN PHYSICALLY if necessary, bringing the thieves kicking and screaming back into the store. If the thieves get hurt in the scuffle...so what?
Its time we STOP them and not "be a little b*tch" afraid of them suing us.
Its time we hire actual security, NOT just for "key items" being stolen. (I.e. ciggs, formula, meds, liquor etc) AND they TAKE DOWN PHYSICALLY if necessary, bringing the thieves kicking and screaming back into the store. If the thieves get hurt in the scuffle...so what?
Its time we STOP them and not "be a little b*tch" afraid of them suing us.
AT LAST you've said something that I 100% agree with! (Bells ringing, big booby blondes running up with prizes )
As long as we associates can NOT DO anything to stop a thief, why even bother. I know, let them know that you are watching by offering them assistance. Only, that doesn't work. Why? Because after that they are allowed to walk out the door.
I see people openly eating product in the store, taking a fistful of candy from dispensers, fruit, salad bar,... you name it. They see me looking at them, and they continue. Because they know. Until the rules change, they will keep stealing.
I'm pretty sure honest customers don't like seeing this either. So we should really crack down on thieves. So what if we lose them as a customer? Good for us.
There need to be consequences for theft. Until then, nothing will change.
As long as we associates can NOT DO anything to stop a thief, why even bother. I know, let them know that you are watching by offering them assistance. Only, that doesn't work. Why? Because after that they are allowed to walk out the door.
I see people openly eating product in the store, taking a fistful of candy from dispensers, fruit, salad bar,... you name it. They see me looking at them, and they continue. Because they know. Until the rules change, they will keep stealing.
I'm pretty sure honest customers don't like seeing this either. So we should really crack down on thieves. So what if we lose them as a customer? Good for us.
There need to be consequences for theft. Until then, nothing will change.
There's lots of alternative actions I could point out to you that would at least be a deterant, help off set the losses, get the idea out to the community that your store WILL NOT tolerate theft. But, like you said, why bother? If you don't care enough to be pro active it about saving your store and your job....why should I?
You can make excuses or you can make money. But you can't make both.
kroger employees can not do anythig about theift but customer service. Legally we just have to let them have it. We could get fired for intervining. Employee safety first. Kroger needs to hite some security guards to actually enforce it.
As long as we associates can NOT DO anything to stop a thief, why even bother. I know, let them know that you are watching by offering them assistance. Only, that doesn't work. Why? Because after that they are allowed to walk out the door.
I see people openly eating product in the store, taking a fistful of candy from dispensers, fruit, salad bar,... you name it. They see me looking at them, and they continue. Because they know. Until the rules change, they will keep stealing.
I'm pretty sure honest customers don't like seeing this either. So we should really crack down on thieves. So what if we lose them as a customer? Good for us.
There need to be consequences for theft. Until then, nothing will change.
There's lots of alternative actions I could point out to you that would at least be a deterant, help off set the losses, get the idea out to the community that your store WILL NOT tolerate theft. But, like you said, why bother? If you don't care enough to be pro active it about saving your store and your job....why should I?
You can make excuses or you can make money. But you can't make both.
Please read my post again. I do care. But it's futile to get upset over thieves, because associates can't do anything about it. As others have said, we can get fired over even questioning a customer if he paid, or telling him to stop being a nasty thief.
And customers know it. So I can be shadowing him under pretense of assisting him, all the way to the friggin door, while he loads up on stuff and walks out. And i can't do nothing. So yeah, please, do tell me the alternatives.
It's the company that doesn't care, not the associates.
