EVIDENCE-BASED by Read Hayes, Ph.D., CPP
ImpactX Conference: LP on the Move
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ou just never know. Toys‘R’Us Vice President of Asset Protection Chris Gillen and his Impact planning team spent four months carefully planning conference content that would inform and inspire the traditional 100 participating executives. Meanwhile, LPRC staffers Jessi Dudley, Kyle Grottini, Mike Giblin, and Carrie Hayes diligently worked the intricate conference logistics. As it turns out, the LPRC actually had to halt new conference registration at 190 to prevent overloading planned food, work space, and other critical issues. Key LP decision-makers from almost forty retail chains interacted with expert panels of top retail LP professionals, LP solutions providers, and even active criminal offenders from across the experience and methods spectrum. Solution partner sponsors were creatively integrated right into the conference flow—and even the main work space. The conference planning team then rolled out even more unique and informative interactive content for participants. Retail experts like Lowe’s John Doggette, Toys‘R’Us Steve Mick, and Walmart’s Mike Lamb provided insight into how they used the LPRC-touted SARA problem-solving method to systematically discover, describe, and precisely address a significant crime or loss problem. LPRC research scientists also discussed some of the twenty-five 2014 research project findings and implications with the attendees. The conference content flow culminated in the eleven LPRC working groups breaking out for detailed discussions and planning for 2015 actions and deliverables (see below). The Impact conference has never been designed by retailers to compete with any other conference, but rather to do just what this conference appeared to do—help move the mission-critical LP discipline to a much more evidence-based process as well as provide a forum to discuss real-world LP research. All in order to better support the retail selling mission. Gillen and the conference planning team have already started planning an even more impactful 2015 version. And I again would like to personally invite you to consider participating in 2015 Impact conference. But as we learned, plan and engage early before we fill up. Please email us at operations@lpresearch.org for more conference information.
Working Groups and Action Teams
The LPRC makes things happen via its working groups. Retailers form and lead these teams facilitated by LPRC staff. The idea is for group members to set their mission statement, objectives, and specific needs, and then researchers
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Dr. Hayes is director of the Loss Prevention Research Council and coordinator of the Loss Prevention Research Team at the University of Florida. He can be reached at 321-303-6193 or via email at rhayes@lpresearch.org. © 2014 Loss Prevention Research Council
go find out and report what they find for the groups. Benchmarking, sharing, and brainstorming are encouraged, but should always lead to research and development and extensive testing. Hence, evidence-based practice is used. Following is a brief synopsis of the LPRC working group’s and action team’s 2015 goals. Data Analytics Working Group ■ Data analytics workbook—Limit to fewer variables, presenting data in an even more understandable and usable way. ■ Predictive analytics—Expanding the scope from shrink and stock loss to other common variables such as back-door loss. ■ Statistical tools—Understanding and sharing statistical tools and their best usage. Future LP Working Group ■ Evolution of LP professionals—Create pseudo job descriptions; understand what future skill sets will be needed; what training and resources are needed; what is available and what isn’t? ■ Omni-channel fulfillment—Buy online and ship to store; what is the effect on shrink when making a store a ship-to center? ORC Working Group ■ Offender interview—Finish “top 5 questions to ask suspected booster” project. ■ NRF ORC survey—Help the National Retail Federation with their ORC survey, maintain continuity of language and phrasing. ■ Law Enforcement—Work with local law enforcement to help identify possible ORC situations. ■ Fence interaction—study their economy, their motivation, their relationship with boosters. ■ Credit card and gift card fraud—How much is it hurting the retail community? ■ Predictive analytics—Find best strategies to prevent crew-type commercial burglaries; why do offenders choose a place over and over? Product Protection Working Group ■ Enhance protection—Focus on increasing sales and guest experience. ■ Benefit denial—Continue multi-retailer benefit denial proof-of-concept project. ■ Communications—Continue webinar series. ■ Develop symbol—Work on developing a benefit denial packaging symbol that is universally recognized and owned by LPRC.
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2014
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