Employee theft is a growing problem. For every theft prevention device that retail stores come up with there is a thief waiting to find a way around it. In retail there are three major areas that managers need to pay attention to when dealing with employee theft. The first area is the point of sale, the second is refunds and the third is the sales floor. By targeting these areas managers will be better suited to deter any employees from stealing things. .
The point of sale refers to the cash registers. It can be quite easy to steal money from the registers. To prevent employees from stealing money from the registers there are a few things managers should look for. The first thing to look for is loose change, match sticks, or bits of paper with markings on them around the cash register. These are often used by cashiers to help them remember the amount of extra money in the draw that is to be pocketed later. For example, a nickel means five dollars, a penny is a dollar, and so on. Second, managers should be extra suspicious of cashiers who keep a small calculator close to the register. These can be used to keep a running total of the amount of extra money in the draw. Third, managers should make sure that the customer can actually see the amount rung up on the register. If the display is turned away from their view or is covered, this could mean the cashier is under-ringing purchases in order to pocket the money later. Fourth, managers need to be on the look out for an excessive number of "NO SALES" or "VOIDS". The no sales can be used as a way of opening the drawer when there is no one around to take out the money and pocket it. The voids could mean the cashier is canceling sales that actually occurred in order to pocket that amount of money. .
Offering refunds is one way to increase customer satisfaction. However, refunds also provide dishonest people with opportunities to take advantage of the retailer by claiming refunds under fraudulent circumstances.