Trained and Protected: Ways Retailers Can Step Up Loss Prevention Training for Associates

Theft, vandalism, and workplace violence towards associates — ranging from verbal abuse to threats and physical aggression — are all too common in retail, driving stress and burnout among store associates. So much so that a staffer may not want to report the incident or commit to training, instead removing themselves from the situation.

It can be a delicate task to train associates on how to properly handle these situations. Retailers need intuitive training procedures that support retail associates with the right tools to prevent shrink, but they also need to make employees feel valued. Because of the wide range of incidents, store managers can leverage retail analytics and artificial intelligence-powered training tools to enhance loss prevention strategies and create personalized training for their associates.

4 Core Elements of Loss Prevention Training

Coaching, training and preparing retail associates for many types of retail loss obviously helps retailers safeguard profits, but the human component can’t be missed. Retailers need to keep employees first in mind during training and can leverage tools to tailor training for each one. Here are four strategies for an effective loss prevention training program:

1. Be creative when coaching.

Scheduling one-on-one training sessions with every team member can be challenging, so loss prevention teams need to get creative. Creating pre-filmed videos and tutorials that are engaging, personal, and available on-demand are convenient tools to access whenever a manager isn’t nearby, reinforcing a positive tone with the training.

2. Tailor training to job specifics.

Clarifying what tasks are specific to each staff member’s job is important when training, as it helps define the reality of the role for the employee. For instance, a cashier might use the “No Sale” function on the point of sale to access the drawer for legitimate reasons, such as giving a shopper change or to access receipts. However, if a warehouse team member frequently activates the “No Sale” function, it may flag suspicious behavior.

3. Collect approaches to training.

Curating and keeping on file a variety of ways that managers work with associates on training is a nice way to support managers, specifically noting which methods drove better employee retention rates or helped associates provide better customer service. Retail associates and team members are all unique, and some methods might work better for certain personalities or demographics.

4. Lean on data.

Leveraging impactful data can efficiently impact training. AI, retail analytics, and automated solutions can help monitor a cashier’s handling of cash or a retail associate’s managing of a returned item. In both cases, AI solutions flag where employees can improve to prevent a fraudulent return or avoid errors with the cash drawer. Retailers have powerful data platforms, and having solutions that use them for training makes good business sense.

Incident Reporting Done Easy

The other side of loss prevention training is assisting employees with smoother incident reporting. Adaptive incident management solutions within a retailer’s loss prevention strategy can provide staff with a low-stakes way to report incidents, easing some of the stress they may feel.

Retailers should provide associates with a standard way of reporting information for each incident, such as creating a name for the incident; detailing the time, date and location; describing the incident, including witness statements; and more. Then, with that information, generative AI applications help loss prevention teams build more comprehensive cases that identify and link organized retail crime incidents and facilitate open collaboration among team members and law enforcement.

Employee Training Never Ends

By implementing modern training solutions and methodologies, retailers can maintain the health of their businesses and employees. However, store managers and loss prevention teams need to maintain constant training to stay on top of issues.

Retailers feel the impacts of shrink in different ways: shoplifting, administrative errors, employee theft, and more. Training associates to keep an eye out for these incidents can be a tough task. Store managers and loss prevention teams that have access to AI and retail analytics can develop more personal, effective training tools and reduce shrink.

Stephanie Musseau is a project manager with Appriss Retail, a loss prevention and profit protection company.