Download (DOCX, 120KB)

The post May 2013 Newsletter appeared first on .

This article is based on a review of the Martek International 21012-13 Retail Fraud Survey. Based on the results of a survey involving the UKs leading 100 retailers it gives a top level view of the key issues and concerns that these retailers have and the key actions they are taking to combat retail theft and loss.

The 100 UK retailers surveyed by Martek account for;

• 42% of the UK retail market
• have £141bn of sales
• operate > 50,000 stores

Top 3 Issues around retail security and loss prevention

• Creation of a Loss Prevention Culture
• Internal/Staff Fraud
• Shoplifting

For the retailers surveyed the number one issue around retail fraud and loss prevention was the need to create a “loss prevention culture” within their business. 19% of the retailers had this as top priority.

Internal and staff fraud was joint second at 18% along with coping with increased volumes of shoplifting.

A couple of other issues made it to the 5% level – these were Online Fraud at 7% and Staff Abuse at 5%.

Top 3 areas of Loss in the business

• Shoplifting/Theft
• Inventory Theft
• Administrative/Bookkeeping errors

Of the top three areas of loss 33% of the retailers reported that Shoplifting and theft was their top issue.

Second in the list was Inventory theft due to employees. This scored 22%. Martek believe that in reality this figure might be somewhat under reported as there is a natural reluctance to admit to internal issues as opposed to external or public related issues.

In third place came administration and bookkeeping errors at 12%. This has become more of an issue this year as opposed to 2011. Administrative and bookkeeping errors just beat Internal Cash Theft at 11%

Average shrinkage as a % of Sales has gone up!

This is an important KPI (key performance indicator) for all retailers and the survey showed that losses had actually increased in 2012 up from 0.9% to 1.0% when measured across all retailers. Although if compared with other countries this figure is ‘reasonable’ it still represents a disappointing trend.

The survey found that some retail sectors were doing better vs. this average; Food & Drug, Large format specialty (i.e. out of town superstores) and Home shopping were all at 0.7%

Retail security and Loss Prevention Spend as a % of Sales

It was interesting and quite revealing to learn that as the average shrinkage as a % of Sales figure went up, so the Store Fraud Prevention Spend as a % of Sales had gone down. Based on last year’s figure (2011) of 0.8% of sales this year (2012) the spend was 0.7% of sales. From this it would be easy to say that the consequence of the reduced spending on loss prevention has resulted in an increase in losses.

Average Sales per Loss Prevention Staffing

This is an interesting statistic which shows just how the spending reductions in loss prevention affected loss prevention staffing. The average across all retailers surveyed was 1 full time Loss Prevention staff member for every £113m of sales. Compare this to the 2011 figure which was £106m. So the retailers have been trying to do more (or at least the same) with fewer resources. Clearly however this has not worked because losses have increased.

We should point out that these are average ratios across the whole retail sector. If we were to look at individual sectors we would see differences. For example the Food & Drug and Large Format Specialties are operating on a lower ratio of staff to sales while sectors such as Hospitality & Leisure, Home Shopping, Department Stores and Small Format Specialties have much higher ratios up around £88m per full time loss prevention employee.

Where are these Retail Security & Loss Prevention Staff Located?

• 51% in stores
• 49% in Head Office

This is the average across the whole industry. And it is interesting to note that since the 2011-12 survey there has been a shift away from in-store based staff and an increase in HQ based staff.

This could be explained by a greater need to focus on on-line retail fraud as the retailers increasingly grow their online revenues.

The sectors with the highest proportion of retail security staff in store are the Department Stores and the Mass Merchant retailers which are typically more challenging premises to manage. However these have seen a significant drop in percentage terms, down from 81% in 2011-12 to 70% in this 2012-13 survey.

So what can we conclude from all of this:

The picture presented by this survey seems to show that the retailers are still confronting a significant challenge in managing their loss prevention strategies effectively. They are looking to develop a culture of loss prevention within the business but they are facing a continued assault on their profit margins from fraud and theft both inside and outside of the business. They are also struggling with internal administrative and bookkeeping errors that are costing significant amounts.

The pressure on saving costs resulted in a reduction in spending on retail security & loss prevention. However this has not proved to be cost effective because the actual losses grew by more than the savings that were made. It was a false economy.

If you would like to know more about the retail security and loss prevention services that
Advantage One can provide please contact us via e-mail on this link; retail security or simply call us on 0800 328 1386. We would be delighted to hear from you.

If you would like to view a video presentation of these survey results being presented please click on the link UK Retail Security Survey 2012 -13

The post UK Retail Security and Fraud Survey 2012 -13 appeared first on .

We will provide the appropriate security personnel as required by you to manage your event safely and successfully.
At Advantage One we work closely with our customers to understand their security challenges and requirements to ensure that they get a bespoke event security service – paying only for what they need. In this way we always provide a highly competitive price but without any compromises on quality of service.
Contact us to discuss your forthcoming event. We would be happy to discuss with you how we could provide a security service tailored to your requirements. We are able to provide a full security service for indoor or outdoor events involving up 1,000 people.

Trust Our Event Security Experience and Expertise

Outsourcing all of the event security to us allows you to focus on the other key aspects necessary to deliver a successful project.
We have the experience and the associated expertise to handle your event calmly and professionally. You can rest assured that all of our security personnel are fully trained and certified according to SIA requirements whether we are providing;

• Door Supervisors
• Safety Stewards
• Security Guards
• Concierge Services
• Reception / Gatehouse Officers

Ensuring Your Event Runs Smoothly

We know that proper planning, conscientiously addressed in a timely manner is a critical factor in delivering a safe and successful event.
We have extensive policies and procedures – continuously refined and updated – which are implemented by experienced, dedicated managers who will liaise with you and your staff as necessary. In this way we are always fully prepared and ready to manage your event professionally and to the highest standards of customer care.
You can never predict how any event is going to unfold uncontrollable factors like the weather or equipment/failures and unforeseen delays can throw up ‘interesting challenges’ when it comes to managing any event. However you can be assured that our staff are experienced and well trained enough to be able to deal with any changing circumstances and situations. To find out more about how we can help your event to run smoothly and safely please call us0800 328 1386 or e-mail us at Event Security. We would be delighted to hear from you.

The post Event Security Services appeared first on .

Earlier this month (March 2013) at Cardiff Crown Court, a director of Secure Serve Facilities Management Services Limited and a consultant to the same company were found guilty of falsely claiming to be part of the SIA Approved Contractors Scheme.

Dean Campisi and Stephen Bosher had sent false documents to their client – the high street supermarket company – Lidl, purporting to show that Secure Serve had successfully passed the SIA assessments and was an approved member of the SIA’s ACS scheme.

They committed this fraudulent act in order to retain a security services contract with Lidl worth £800,000. Lidl would not have engaged Secure Serve had they not been part of the Approved Contractors scheme.

The fraud came to light when Lidl referred to the SIA’s website and saw that Secure Serve Facilities Management Services Limited was not listed as an approved contractor. Initially Campsi and Bosher blamed admin. problems as the reason why their company was not listed, but after Lidl made further checks with the SIA it became evident that they were not approved contractors. At that point Lidl terminated the contract and Secure Serve Facilities Management Services Limited is now no longer trading.

At the time of writing Bosher and Campisi were due to be sentenced in July.

Good News / Bad News

For us here at Advantage One, this is a good news / bad news story.

It is clearly good news that these fraudsters have been caught and will be punished. It is pleasing to know that the Approved Contractors listed on the SIA site are all genuinely approved after rigorous assessments and that any companies not on the list have not met the standards required by the SIA.

However it is disappointing to be reminded again that bad apples do exist in the retail security and manned guarding services industry and it makes us wonder how many other companies are operating contracts and providing security services without the approval of the Security Industry Authority.

Highest Level of SIA Approval

At Advantage One we work extremely hard to ensure that we achieve the highest possible levels of SIA accreditation and approval in respect to their Approved Contractor Scheme.  Indeed: not only have just been awarded Gold level status with the National Security Inspectorate, something which very few Security Contractors have achieved but we have also earned a scoring level with the ACS which places Advantage One Security Ltd. into the top 5% of all security companies in the UK.

We would urge any businesses looking to take on a security company to provide retail security, static guarding, manned guarding or any other security related services, to check the SIA website to make sure that the company they are thinking of working with is on the approved Contractors list.

If you would like more information about what is involved in gaining SIA approvals or if you have retail security or manned guarding or any other security service requirements that you think we could help you with, please just ask.  Call us on 0800 328 1386 or simply e-mail us. We would be delighted to hear from you.

The post Is your Security Contractor really SIA Approved? appeared first on .

In 2012 the SIA awarded Advantage One Security with a scoring level for its Approved Contractor Scheme, placing Advantage One in the Top 5% of all Security Companies in the UK, but we didn’t stop there….. the hard work and dedication from the Quality Manager Michelle Boyle and the Advantage One team is now also reflected in our latest medal: NSI Gold.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have achieved this award; our team are committed to delivering quality standards across EVERY contract, EVERY person and EVERY task; our passion and dedication give our Customers confidence that we will always be the best that we can be”.

NSI vigorously assess, over two full days, in hundreds of different areas of the business. This assessment includes not only internal Quality Systems, but also includes interviewing Contractual Customers and Employees, ensuring that everything we do transpires throughout the business and out performs other Security Companies.

“Quality standards for any business should form an important part of what they do, but our natural desire to be the best that we can be shows, when we get awarded with standards such as NSI Gold. This should give our Customers confidence that the service that they receive is second to none, genuinely rivalling that of the big boys!” James Haigh, Operations Director

Through UKAS accredited assessments, the performance and quality of a business can strike gold and Advantage One Security certainly have dug out this precious award, with our motto; ‘Standards of a National Company, Service of a Local One’ shining proudly with the accreditation logos we are displaying after this fantastic achievement.

The post We've struck GOLD – NSI GOLD that is! appeared first on .

Download (DOCX, 149KB)

The post April 2013 Newsletter appeared first on .

For Companies concerned about Retail Shrinkage, (stock loss caused by crime, waste and error), the Global Retail Theft Barometer 2011 makes very poor reading. Suggesting that shrinkage has risen by $119 billion in 2011; this is up 6.6% on 2010.

In a year in which 24% of retailers suffered higher employee theft and 35.9% reported that actual and attempted shoplifting rose last year, the costs of retail crime plus loss prevention were $128 billion in 2011.

In a survey of major retailers in all business sectors across 43 countries with combined sales of $984 billion the results make alarming reading.

Dishonest employees were thought to cause $41.7 billion of shrinkage while customer theft, (including shoplifting and organised retail crime) cost retailers $51.5 (equal to 43.2% of total shrinkage and a year-on-year increase of 13.4%).

Retail Security Officers, Uniformed Security and Store Detectives were highlighted as some of the most effective ways to counteract Shrinkage and protect companies from growing losses.

Looking at the 2011 figures for global shrinkage by company it can be seen that the UK’s percentage is medium to high, rating it as one of the country’s most in need of the services provided by retail security companies such as Advantage One.

The 2011 Figures for the UK show that Retail Shrinkage climbed back up to its 2009 level at 1.37% of sales thus making loss prevention an essential component of any businesses development strategy.

Loss Prevention Spending 2011

Even Charity shops are experiencing an alarming rise in thefts – those with expensive donated designer clothes being prime targets for shoplifters – due to their perception as “soft targets”. With few having uniformed security guards or store detectives to safeguard them they have very little in the way of strategies towards loss prevention. “Charities accept there is a problem, but feel it is a ‘dirty secret’ that they do not want to talk about, as it may affect people’s willingness to donate”, said Professor Joshua Bamfield, author of Shopping and Crime and Director of the Centre for Retail Research in Nottingham who conducted the study. “Charities are very heavily run by volunteers, and there is a feeling they may be crossing the line if they expect volunteers to confront shoplifters”.

“It is getting worse – because of the state of the economy people are becoming more desperate,” says Emma Ashby of the South Kensington charity shop Fara, we have even had a £500 Moschino dress stolen”. She said

Charities are trying to make it harder for thieves. One volunteer at Oxfam’s store in Jesmond, Newcastle, said: “We lock items for £40 upwards in glass cabinets, or keep them next to us.” But Sarah Thomas at the Octavia Foundation, said: “Shoplifting is a problem. But we have to keep focused on making money for the charity – we can’t spend significant amounts on CCTV and tagging systems.”

The above report shows that store detectives, or uniformed guards are an effective deterrent and when used as a part of a wider retail security strategy they can reduce retail losses substantially.

With customer theft coming out as by far the greatest cause of shrinkage in the UK 2011 figures, the use of an approved retail security company such as Advantage One can be seen to have real benefits for a retailers bottom line and that could prove essential in these times of economic crisis.

(Sources: Global Retail Theft Barometer 2011) and supplementary research & The Centre for Retail Research which visited 150 charity shops nationwide, and received Information from 50 charities.)

The post RETAIL SECURITY NEEDS EMPHASISED BY LATEST GLOBAL RETAIL THEFT REPORT appeared first on .

Comprehensive Approved Contractor Scheme Audit Puts Advantage One Security in top 5% of Security Guard Companies in UK

Advantage One Security has recently been assessed by the SIA – the governing body overseeing Security Guard companies in the UK – and was rated in the top 5% of best performing security companies under its ACS Scheme. 

Clearly that is great news for Advantage One but what does it mean for our clients?

You can’t put a price on security– or so they say in addition to the obvious safety issues security brings peace of mind which is why when choosing a security company to protect your buildings, staff, precious goods, V.I.Ps or members of the general public it is important to know that you have fully accredited and responsible security staff. In short you want to be sure that you have the best people in the industry working on your behalf. That is where the new SIA Approved Contractor Scheme comes in.

The SIA Approved Contractor Scheme, what is it?

The recently formed SIA (Security Industry Authority) is an independent organization that was set up by the government under the terms of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 to regulate the private security industry. It was created to give you confidence when you choose a security supplier such as Advantage One, who is SIA approved.

The SIA accreditation guarantees that the service level you will receive will be amongst the best. The schemes quality assurance delivers an independent, extensive and rigorous assessment of the supplier company and can simplify the selection process for the user helping them to find the security firm that can best meet their specific needs.

The SIA has created the Approved Contractor Scheme or ACS as it is known. ACS gives security service buyers confidence when contracting firms by giving successful security firms a recognised hallmark of quality based on a criteria of standards with which supplier members must comply. Now any organisation that needs skilled security contractors operating to a high level of professionalism can be assured of the quality of the members in this scheme.

How do we know that the SIA is impartial?

The SIA is committed to the Regulators’ Compliance Code, a statutory code of practice for regulators that promotes risk-based, proportionate and targeted approach ensuring that they are effective, fair and efficient regulators.

The SIA’s quality accreditation is government backed and to achieve it, security suppliers must demonstrate proficiency in an extensive range of business operations and perform them to the highest standards.   In order to be accredited there are eighty nine different performance indicators all based upon commonly accepted business improvement models which Security Companies must meet. These include industry standards such as the ISO9001:2000 and the European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model. Drawing from Investors in People and including relevant British Standards the ACS stands head and shoulders above schemes for its comprehensive good practice criteria.

How can choosing an SIA approved contractor benefit your business?

An SIA approved contractor allows you to receive the best value and meet your security obligations in many ways. SIA contractors will be able to offer the following key benefits;

• Delivery of best practice around security processes  and a focus on a quality service
• Use of high quality employment practices to reduce staff turnover ( a real issue in the security industry) these employment practices include;
  • screening* (proof of the right to work in the UK and social security legislation
  • benefits systems,
  • staff training,
  • good working conditions,
• Security companies in the SIA ACS Scheme are subject to continuous monitoring
• ACS Security Guard Companies typically provide greater flexibility and operational effectiveness

A Standard that promotes Service Customisation

The ACS Standard adds value by promoting service customisation, meaning that services can be tailored to the precise requirements of the user and Advantage One have taken this to the next level with our select customisation system. (Contact us for more details on this please).

In addition to this, it is illegal for non-approved contractors to deploy staff who are waiting for their SIA license application to be processed whereas SIA approved contractors have a special dispensation to do so. This adds more resources to their business giving them greater operability.

In Summary the ACS offers the potential for more harmonious working relationships and joint initiatives between business, community and law enforcement agencies.

With eighty four performance requirements and standards for SIA regulated firms to meet, all firms are continually assessed by the SIA to ensure that they meet and maintain these criteria throughout their membership period. This ensures that you, the customer, will be guaranteed a professional and valuable service.

Here are just a few examples of what is expected UK Security Companies as members of the SIA scheme;

• Proof that it has sufficient resources, processes and practices available to manage service delivery.
• Process in place to manage and monitor service levels satisfying both contracting firms and end consumers of the service.
• Show that it has provided training to its staff adding value, developed its employees ensuring customer satisfaction and providing an overall service to an agreed standard.
• Show that they are committed to continually improving the organisation itself through the development of an effective management system and show evidence of its implementation and effect on end performance through measures, checks and balances.
• Show that a s a company it supports the community and the environment in which it operates as well as improves performance against key customer indicators.

And finally, here are some comments received by the SIA online.

All remarks were posted online by customers in response to an on-line survey commissioned by the SIA in 2009.

“I generally feel that approved contractors are more organised and have more experience in what the client needs.

“The ACS Contractor is fully compliant to the standards that are set out in our tender, meeting all insurance, health & safety, financial requirements”

“The quality systems in place and service delivery standards are way in advance of non-approved contractors “

If you are looking for a security guard company in the UK you can rest assured that Advantage One will provide you with an excellent service. Please call us today – we would be delighted to discuss your security requirements and show how we can help you secure your objectives.

The post Security Guard Company Rated in Top 5%. appeared first on .

Martin recieved a £25  Mothercare gift voucher and a certificate from Matthew Kirby, Area Manager.

The post Officer of the Month – July appeared first on .

The post The Gloucester Deaf Association Youth Zone appeared first on .