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Retailers Must Leverage Technology That Goes Beyond Thwarting Theft to Predicting It

Retailers Must Leverage Technology That Goes Beyond Thwarting Theft to Predicting It

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Violence remains a major concern for the retail industry. Retailers and solution providers must collaborate to develop and implement technology that goes beyond simply thwarting theft. Efforts must focus on predicting and preventing theft. By doing so will proactively reduce the risk of violence and mitigate crime.

Retailers have reported an increase in both the average number of shoplifting incidents and the amount of dollars lost due to shoplifting over the past year (National Retail Federation, The Impact of Retail Theft & Violence 2024).

Protecting store associates and customers, while reducing today’s levels of violence and retail crime, requires a whole-community approach and collaboration across all stakeholders.

SOURCE: 

Wolfe, C. New Study Shows Shoplifting Is Up 93% Since Before the COVID-19 Pandemic, Loss Prevention Magazine, 12/19/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Recruit, Retain, and Lead Your Security Team with the Best

Recruit, Retain, and Lead Your Security Team with the Best

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

When it comes to leadership, there’s one quality that most of us can recognize but few of us point to when deciphering what it truly means to be a leader.

What is it that makes us excel at what we do? There are many qualities we might identify: intelligence, experience, ambition, flexibility, and the mountain of intangibles that describe talent.

Follow These Rules When Building Your Security Team:

  • The past is something to learn from, not live in. Old habits, ideas, and routines don’t always work when taking on new roles and responsibilities. In a constantly changing world, looking back should only serve as a guide to moving forward.
  • Don’t be afraid of failure. We all strive to perform well, but it’s equally important to learn from our mistakes. If you’ve never failed, chances are you’re not reaching your full potential.
  • Don’t be afraid of success. Recognize your strengths and limitations, set realistic but challenging goals, and don’t hesitate to push yourself beyond your comfort zone.
  • Look for ways to apply new information to your everyday tasks. This helps spark innovative ideas and opens doors to new opportunities.
  • Your title doesn’t make you a leader—your people do. Be a servant leader. Trust your team and provide them with the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed on their own merits.
  • See the big picture, but focus on individual steps. Moving toward the future is important, but we must also appreciate the journey. Every small step counts.
  • Working smart is just as important as working hard. We all understand the need to work hard to achieve our goals, but hard work alone isn’t enough. It takes patience, planning, and strategy to find the most efficient path forward.

 

SOURCE: 

Brittain, J. Changing the Pace of the Game, Loss Prevention Magazine, 12/19/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Building Agile Security Strategies Adaptable to the Rapidly Changing Landscape

Building Agile Security Strategies Adaptable to the Rapidly Changing Landscape

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

The future of network security is both exciting and challenging. Organizations must stay ahead of emerging trends by building agile security strategies that are adaptable to the rapidly evolving threat landscape.

Retailers, in particular, must demonstrate daily flexibility to protect their workers, meet sales goals, and attract customers—all while maintaining safe and efficient operations. Retail is a complex web of interconnected elements.

To stay competitive, organizations need technology that is “future-proof”—capable of meeting shifting consumer demands, ensuring operational efficiency, and safeguarding against potential security threats, both internally and externally.

Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging a combination of tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), targeting multiple areas at once to breach defenses. We can expect an increase in the sophistication and evasion tactics of web-based attacks, file-based attacks, DNS-based attacks, and ransomware, making it more difficult for traditional, siloed security tools to effectively defend against modern threats.

Preventing these attacks will require multiple security services working together as part of an integrated platform to stop every attack along the cyber kill chain.

 

SOURCE: 

Davidson, B. Cutting Retail Losses, Security Today, 11/13/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Organizations Must Be Ready to Assess Potential Security Risks to Protect Everyone

Organizations Must Be Ready to Assess Potential Security Risks to Protect Everyone

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Security leaders across environments — spanning retail stores, corporate businesses, residential communities and cities — should prepare for threats that will require fast and informed action. We all have experienced major cultural moments, including the 2020 election, COVID-19 pandemic, and nationwide protests. 

It is critical for organizations to put in place security protocols to preserve employee and public safety while respecting the rights of citizens.  Creating a plan and protocols to address these incidents will help you ensure a coordinated response.

  • Establish communication protocols. Create clear communication protocols that explain how information will flow to key parties, such as store or business leadership, employees, customers, neighboring businesses and law enforcement.

  • Assess physical defense measures. How can you protect your building from damage or control the flow of traffic and people?

  • Promote de-escalation tactics. Reinforce your communication protocols during this training. Ensure that the safety of every employee and customer is the number one priority, reminding them to not get involved if physical violence occurs.

  • Implement safety technology. Cameras, alarms, motion detectors, and motion-triggered lights can all bring visibility to situations, add necessary deterrence if you make the decision to close a location, and gather evidence to help law enforcement pursue bad actors. Revisit your existing security investments to assess their capabilities, and consider whether you need new solutions to cover your gaps.   

 

SOURCE: 

Kelley, M. 3 potential security risks to stay ahead of post-election, Security Magazine, 11/20/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

soft skills

Soft Skills Pay Off for Retailers Creating Safer Workplaces

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

De-escalating volatile situations starts with communication skills, which can help in understanding and then talking down a challenging customer. The overall goal in this stage is to calm the person down and bring him or her to a more reasonable interaction.

For sales floor associates, framing a conversation around collaboration or finding a solution to appease the customer is another tactic that can de-escalate a volatile shopper into a satisfied one.

Communication skills have broad benefits, helping sales associates communicate and provide customer service to shoppers who may enter a store in an aggressive mood.

Non Confrontational engagement with customers through the sharing of knowledge and tools on mitigating volatile situations ensures everyone is able to enjoy the shopping experience. 

 

SOURCE: 

Mosqueda, S. Soft Skills Pay Off for Retailers Creating Safer Workplaces, Security Management, 2/12/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

Security Firm Agents Identify Threats That AI Simply Cannot

Security Firm Agents Identify Threats That Artificial Intelligence (AI) Simply Cannot

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become deeply integrated into both our personal and professional lives. From dynamic pricing to healthcare diagnostics, businesses across sectors leverage AI to improve efficiency and outcomes.

AI can efficiently sift through thousands of résumés, highlighting candidates with the right keywords for specific roles.  Human recruiters excel at evaluating soft skills, emotional intelligence, and adaptability—traits that are crucial to success in almost any role. These insights come through interviews, personal interactions, and even informal conversations that AI simply cannot replicate.

Combining AI’s strengths with human intuition, organizations can build diverse, talented teams that support long-term success.

SOURCE: 

Ruiz, V. Background Checks for Security Businesses, Security Info Watch Magazine, 11/7/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Background Checks Can Spot Red Flags On Applications

Background Checks Can Spot Red Flags On Applications

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

For security integrators and consultants, background checks play an obviously vital role, as many employees are placed in a position of high trust for customers.   

During the hiring process, a company may conduct a background check to ensure that a candidate does not have a criminal background that could create a danger in the workplace or is being truthful about their employment history. 

Background checks verify a wealth of information about prospective candidates:

 

Identity: 

Background checks can help verify a person’s identity. Checking against records like social security numbers and fingerprint databases ensures that a person is actually who they say they are and has no malicious intentions.

 

Credit: 

Depending on who conducts a background check, it may include a detailed or abbreviated credit history report. Credit history is a crucial determinant of whether a lender will approve a loan to someone, while employers can check a prospective employee’s credit history to gauge how responsible they might be.

 

Criminal history: 

Background check providers will compare a person against several criminal databases on a state, national, and international level to ensure any relevant criminal charges in an applicant’s past are brought to light. Knowing this information is especially important for employers, especially for jobs in the security industry.

 

Employment, academic, and licensure verification: 

Background checks can also verify essential qualifications such as employment history, academic credentials, and licenses. Since these qualifications are often legally required for jobs, verifying them with a background check ensures that new hires meet all legal requirements.

 

SOURCE: 

Coats, K. Background Checks for Security Businesses, Security Info Watch Magazine, 11/19/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Acquire the necessary skills to survive an active shooter incident.

Acquire the necessary skills to survive an active shooter incident.

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

The A.L.I.V.E. Active Shooter Survival Training Program is a comprehensive training program designed to provide individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to survive an active shooter incident. Its emphasis on situational awareness and decision-making makes it a practical and effective approach to active shooter situations. By empowering individuals to take proactive measures to protect themselves and others, the program can help prevent tragedies and save lives.

A.L.I.V.E. stands for Assess, Leave, Impede, Violence, and Expose. These are the steps that anyone can take to more effectively respond should you ever be confronted with an active shooter situation, terrorist attack, violent attacker in the workplace, and other potentially deadly events.

 

SOURCE: 

Lasky, S. Staying A.L.I.V.E. During Active Shooter Incidents with Michael Julian, Security Info Watch Magazine, 112/27/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Conduct Vulnerability Assessments to Mitigate Violent Threats

Conduct Threat & Vulnerability Assessments to Mitigate Violent Acts

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot Wednesday morning in what authorities described as a ‘deliberate and targeted attack’ outside a Manhattan hotel hosting the health insurer’s investor conference.

The rise in violent incidents within the healthcare industry can often be traced back to personal frustrations with healthcare decisions, such as claim denials or unsuccessful procedures. These experiences can trigger strong emotional reactions, leading some individuals to express their anger through violent behavior. 

To mitigate these risks, healthcare organizations should conduct regular threat and vulnerability assessments using data-driven tools to identify exposures. Implementing layered security measures, such as access control systems, surveillance and secure office environments, can significantly enhance safety.

 

SOURCE: 

Bosch, R. Targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO raises executive protection questions, Security Info Watch Magazine, 12/4/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats

 

Mitigate the Risks Associated with Seasonal Hiring

Mitigate the Risks Associated with Seasonal Hiring

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Frank Costa, President Nexgen Protection Services – 

Businesses increasingly rely on temporary employees to meet fluctuating demands, particularly during peak seasons. However, the pressures of economic instability and reduced organizational resources make this workforce particularly vulnerable to unethical behaviors, such as theft and fraud, which can have significant financial and reputational repercussions for businesses.

Seasonal hires are particularly prone to engaging in employee crime or counterproductive behaviors due to several factors, including a lack of commitment to the organization, insufficient training, and limited supervision. 

To mitigate these risks, retailers can implement several strategies:

  • Ensure that background checks are completed even during rapid hiring phases to identify individuals with a history of criminal activity or connections to ORC.
  • Pre-employment screening assessments that measure job‑related integrity, nonviolent attitudes, safety orientations, drug-avoidance tendencies, service orientations, and tendencies to avoid collusion with ORC organizations can be instilled.
  • Provide all employees, including seasonal workers, with robust training on loss prevention and the consequences of ORC to raise awareness and deter participation in illegal activities.
  • Enhance supervision and monitoring of seasonal workers, particularly in high-risk areas, to help detect and prevent potential collusion with ORC groups.

 

SOURCE: 

Jones, J. W. Safeguarding Seasonal Success: Psychology-Informed Loss Prevention with Temporary Employees, Loss Prevention Magazine, 11/25/2024.
#protectionservices #securitystandards #publicsaftey  #mobilesecurity #securitythreats