Daily dos and don’ts

Insurance coverage, effective inventory record keeping, business continuity plans, and staff drills are all management decisions that safeguard and secure the business. Yet, don’t overlook the daily habits you can encourage among your sales team to discourage crime. Here are a few dos and don’ts.

Do: Schedule at least two employees to open and close the store. One should watch from a safe distance as the other opens the door and inspects the premise.

Do: Relock the door as soon as you enter the business and keep back and side entrances locked at all times.

Do: Greet every customer as they enter the store and make eye contact. Legitimate customers will appreciate the service. Would-be thieves, however, may be discouraged from perpetrating a grab-and-run or distraction theft.

Don’t: Do not group high-value merchandise in one area of the store or near entrances. Instead, distribute these items throughout the store in easy-to-monitor locations away from exits.

Don’t: Do not show more than one item at a time, especially high-value items. Having multiple items out of the case makes a grab-and-run theft easier for criminals.

Don’t: Do not leave display cases unlocked at any time, even as you show one item and then the next. Make a habit of carrying keys on wrist holders and locking the case every time you open or close it.

Now is the time

The time to consider your company’s vulnerabilities and to develop more secure habits in your business is now. Don’t wait until disaster strikes. Invest the time and energy in protecting your employees, your business, and your way of life before it’s too late.

David J. Sexton, CPCU, is vice-president of loss prevention at Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co., in the United States. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Sexton serves on the Underwriters’ Laboratories’ (UL) Security Systems Council, where he is a corporate member of the insurance category. He also sits on the board of directors for Jewellers Vigilance Canada (JVC), and worked on the Central Station Alarm Association’s (CSAA’s) Insurance Liaison Committee that assisted in the development of the UL burglar alarm modular certificate program and revised UL standard. Comments and questions can be sent to lossprevention@jminsure.com.

For training resources regarding safety and security when carrying or working with jewellery, visit JM University at JewelersMutual.com. Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company is the only company specializing exclusively in jewellery insurance in the United States and Canada. It is licensed in all 50 U.S. states and Canada.