“If you’ve always done it that way it’s probably wrong” – Charles Kettering
One can only imagine the number of failures it took before Kettering had enough successes to create his famous quote. To be as successful as Kettering, one would truly have to believe there is a better way to do everything even if the current method, device, program or policy seems to be working just fine. The most successful Loss Prevention/Asset Protection (LP/AP) executives embrace this concept, which is why they are constantly searching for innovative solutions providers with whom to partner.
The Evolution of LP/AP
Is there a better way to address shoplifting? The evolution of LP/AP is fascinating. Gone are the days when shoplifters were hauled into backrooms by store managers and roughed-up a bit. The modern retail LP/AP landscape has become too violent and litigious to deal with criminals in that fashion. Today, shoplifter violence is so prevalent that LP/AP executives are considering not apprehending shoplifters at all. This seems like a frightening prospect, but with an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries to employees, this option will become a reality sooner rather than later.
The Innovation Equation
As LP/AP executives toy with the idea of banning the apprehension of shoplifters, they quickly run into a behemoth obstacle: stopping shoplifting without apprehending shoplifters. This is no easy feat.
The belief that banning shoplifter apprehensions will increase shoplifting is a popular one – even if that belief may be untrue. Many premier solutions providers have been trying to help LP/AP executives solve this dilemma, but only a select few have created comprehensive solutions that actively prevent stolen merchandise from leaving stores without the need for employees to confront dangerous shoplifters.
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