Case Study
an in-store movie premiere-style
OFFICE GOSSIP
launch, complete with popcorn to
keep it fun, but the future is ‘watch
this space’.
“We are looking to move toward
How the world’s biggest office products retailer is
blogging and interactive social
networking or even Staples TV with
engaging staff to deliver messages on shrink reduction people being able to upload video
at low cost to the business. Our first
U
K store theft losses are From ‘post it’ three minute film is called Store
running at £4 billion a year notes to Trek, but it’s all work in progress at
which is why it is easy for poster the moment. Twitter, Facebook and
an ‘us and them’ culture to campaigns – all these new communication tools
develop in the Petri dish of Staples gets are for the future. We constantly
constant suspicion between the its messages monitor how people are talking to
retailer and customer or the retailer across each other and adapt our message
and their staff. and medium accordingly. In essence
In many retailers, a form of the message is about deterring, not
unofficial ‘gripe’ vine can develop catching criminals. We want to stop
internally which can further feed it happening in the first place,”
this culture where staff feel under- adds Ross.
valued and actually begin to steal Other initiatives include messages
because of a perceived breach of the in pay slips as part of the broader
‘psychological contract’ between communication toolkit as well as an
them and their employer. internal Shrink School for all
“I’m entitled to steal as they don’t Managers.
care about me” is often the twisted Mark Applin, director of
logic spouted by disenfranchised staff. usual shopping bags etc – with a Intermedia Solutions adds: “Staples
However some retail organisations Jack Frost type character carrying a is working with the grain in
have listened and learned lessons swag bag - and it snowballed from communicating the shrink message
using internal communication to there,” he said. with staff. Terry and his team have
help tackle this mistrust and Working with Intermedia Solutions, 3,000 staff to reach and they know
misunderstanding early on. the snowball has gathered pace. they cannot rely on a middle
Staples, the world’s largest office “We soon realised that the poster management grape vine or assume
products company, have turned this was good, but it was not enough on that front line staff will change
problem on its head in the fight its own, so with Intermedia we have behaviour based upon top down
against shrink in the UK. With $23 launched ‘Shrink Link’ a gossipy staff communication.”
billion in sales, serving consumers magazine that comes out twice a “Staples has developed a sound
and businesses of all sizes in 27 year and is in the style of Heat shrink strategy that incorporates
countries, Staples invented the Magazine. It’s an eight to twelve some tactical quick wins and
office superstore concept in 1986, page communication vehicle that ambitious long term goals. Best of
and continues to innovate in the concentrates on shrink. Its style now all it has board buy-in. Everyone is
retail sector as demonstrated by its is far from dry and corporate. It is now involved in the process through
shrink engagement strategy. really engaging and more this broader engagement strategy.”
Talking to staff directly and importantly gets people talking and “Around 60 percent of all
indirectly through a variety of media thinking about shrink, risk and management problems are caused
including poster campaigns, has health and safety issues. It’s an by poor communication so
helped frontline associates engage interactive and light read,” says Ross. organisations like Staples are trying
with loss issues. When the campaign Now Ross is working closely with to work more closely with staff and
began in the UK, losses were above Mark Applin of Intermedia to plan ensure that the content of the
the national average. Staples figure the ideas and communications message and the tone of voice of
has now been more than halved and strategy up to 2012. For example, delivery are right.”
is class leading. they have together learned that The proof that the strategy is
“We wanted to inform, engage competitions are proving a popular working can be seen in the statistics.
and build a loss prevention culture way of ‘checking the temperature’ But more than that, associates on
to help the message on shrink be or the mood and attitude towards the frontline are beginning to live
constantly ‘front of mind’” said Terry loss prevention, rather than surveys. and breathe the shrink message. As
Ross, head of Risk Management for Ross receives between one and one said “When we used to hear
Staples UK. three percent responses to surveys, about shrink, it always seemed like it
“We started with a Christmas but 25 percent in terms of was somebody else’s problem. Now
poster campaign which told staff competition entries. our team is much more involved in
what to look out for – larger than “We have also filmed a DVD with making a difference day-to-day.” RF
28 • RETAIL FRAUD
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