National Clothesline

For a very minimum amount of dollars, you can achieve higher production, safety, eliminate theft, pilferage, and in general achieve a sensible, secure peace of mind. If you have a multiple store operation, it’salmost a necessary function

How?

We can talk about being watched by an “eye in the sky,” but there is nothing disturbing or intrusive about a moving camera that is constantly scanning a cash drawer, or an operator handling a bank deposit, looking over the back entrance, checking a production aisle, watching a store room, etc.

No manager or boss can be everywhere, and there is nothing wrong with knowing who is constantly coming in late, or making their own breaks and setting hours to their own convenience! If the boss can’t be watching his investment and business, who then has the right?

It’s all silent, and the only time it becomes an object of attention is when someone puts in a phony claim that can’t be documented or makes a false claim of injury.

Those are the unusual cases. I'm more concerned about workers who constantly are trained in a proven method of production and quality, but who refuse, and simply continue to do it their own faulty way.

Most of the time this sneaks by management and only appears when it ends up in customer dissatisfaction — an irate customer complaint returning, resulting in the loss of reputation and business.

Can it be corrected? Or at least can it be detected silently, before a bad practice becomes an unbreakable poor habit?

Invest in a video surveillance camera! It’s silent, unobtrusive and no worker could object to something that can offer security for all concerned. It’s the common practice for all ATM bank units and for all money handling operations. It prevents accidents and acts of vandalism, and, most important, it’s done silently!

If you’re not sure you want to invest in a “state of the art” video surveillance camera, consider, a false one that looks totally authentic and can fool the unsuspecting thief. Just don’t tell anyone it’s a phony!

You can buy such a unit for under $10. It’s a false camera with simple installation. Powered by a simple battery, it moves back and forth. To the unsuspecting worker or observer, it looks like the real thing!

With today’s technology, the real surveillance video cameras can be wired and accessed from almost any location — all with hidden, instant communication. For a multiple location operation, these are almost a necessity.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know exactly what’s going on in the store without putting your foot in the door?

How about the problem of missing funds, pilferage, and poor workmanship that could be detected and, more important, documented and conclusively proven on film.

There are not many investments that can pay for themselves with the first installation and repeatedly thereafter, and yet not be needed by their continued presence. It’s much like having a trained policeman on duty 24/7 but without a salary. It is hard to put a price on safety or theft prevention, but the cost and losses sometimes can never be recouped once they occur.

Let’s not be too complacent and, like the ostrich “keep our heads in the sand,” and be the one to say “It can’t happen here!