Case Management vs. Retail Crime Intelligence: Revolutionising Retail Asset Protection
Retail Asset Protection (AP) and Loss Prevention (LP) teams can no longer rely on traditional case and incident management systems to combat highly organised retail crime (ORC) groups and prolific subjects brazenly stealing and reselling billions of pounds worth of merchandise.
The impact of shoplifting on retail profits, customer experience, and in-store safety has reached epidemic levels globally, making it one of the most lucrative types of crime. In this ever-changing and complex world, even exceptional AP/LP teams need the support of their entire organisation and industry partners to address this growing trend effectively.
Embracing Retail Crime Intelligence (RCI)
Leading retailers are adopting Retail Crime Intelligence (RCI), the world’s fastest-growing industry-wide approach to reducing retail theft and harm. AP/LP teams are tasked with reducing theft-related loss while balancing the customer experience. Traditional case management solutions record incidents rather than proactively reducing crime.
Comparing Case Management and Retail Crime Intelligence
Case Management
- Function: Case management software focuses on recording and storing incident information in a centralised location. It informs AP/LP teams about past incidents, acting as a reactive function that looks at specific individual cases.
Retail Crime Intelligence
- Function: RCI focuses on reporting intelligence on the people driving an organisation’s theft-related loss and harm, distributing it in real-time to those who need it to prevent crime. It is a proactive system that connects, generates, and shares intel on the people driving theft-related loss and harm.
Key Differences
Data Flow
- One-way (Case Management): Crime information is received from incident reports in-store, primarily used for determining where to deploy resources.
- Shared Intelligence (RCI): Frontline staff can see intel on active individuals in their store and area, significantly improving engagement and outcomes.
Incident Details
- Record-Based (Case Management): Incidents are recorded without necessarily linking them to specific individuals.
- Person-Based (RCI): Focusing on the individuals committing crimes allows for dealing with repeat offenders and organised groups more effectively.
Insights
- Search for Data (Case Management): Gathering usable data requires manual searching and summarising multiple incidents.
- Surface Intelligence (RCI): RCI delivers the information needed before it is required, streamlining decision-making processes.
Data Update
- Reactive (Historical – Case Management): Teams deal with historic incidents, often after multiple occurrences.
- Proactive (Real-Time – RCI): Incidents are communicated widely and dealt with as they happen, preventing further theft and safety incidents.
Purpose
- General Use (Case Management): Typically a general-use platform, essentially a database of unstructured information.
- Purpose Built (RCI): Designed specifically to address theft, harm, and crime in stores.
Collaboration
- AP/LP Department Exclusivity (Case Management): Sharing information requires manual effort and can involve privacy issues.
- Industry-Wide (RCI): Information is securely shared on the platform, facilitating faster and easier reactions than shoplifters can manage.
Communication
- Mass & Manual Communication (Case Management): Slow and cumbersome communication with remote teams.
- Personalised and System-Generated Notifications (RCI): Real-time, relevant push notifications generated by the system.
Law Enforcement
- No Collaboration (Case Management): Police response is often slow with other priorities.
- Law Enforcement and Industry-Wide Collaboration (RCI): Working with powerful data allows police to link incidents and build prosecutable cases more effectively.
Experience
- Task Focused (Case Management): Reporting incidents is often seen as a chore.
- User Experience (RCI): Store teams see immediate benefits from the information provided, enhancing engagement and crime prevention.
The Need for Retail Crime Intelligence
If your retail organisation is impacted by shoplifting, investing in Retail Crime Intelligence is crucial. Over 70% of retail theft is caused by just 20% of offenders, indicating that the majority of the loss is due to ORC or professional thieves. Innovative AP/LP teams using RCI have the necessary intel and systems to prevent and resolve cases against these bad actors within six criminal events on average.
How Retail Crime Intelligence Stops Shoplifters Faster
Identifies the People Driving the Harm: RCI empowers AP/LP and store teams to report actionable intel on those driving theft and harm, identifying the key offenders within 30 days of deployment.
Connects People and Cases: By using incident, people, vehicle, and product descriptors, RCI connects multiple events to build comprehensive profiles on each shoplifter.
Disperses Timely Intel to Prevent Crime: Real-time information sharing helps prevent over 90% of identified offenders from returning within the next six months.
Resolves Cases Faster: Systematic connections of incidents build comprehensive profiles, enabling quicker resolution of cases and improved collaboration with law enforcement.
Conclusion
Retail Crime Intelligence represents a significant advancement over traditional case management systems. By focusing on real-time, proactive measures and fostering collaboration across the industry, RCI helps retailers significantly reduce theft, enhance safety, and improve the overall customer experience. Investing in RCI is a strategic move that addresses the evolving challenges of retail crime, providing a robust framework for safeguarding assets and ensuring sustainable business
At New World Norm (NWN), we understand the complexities and challenges posed by emerging threats. Our team of highly experienced risk management consultants in London, Birmingham, Manchester, and across the UK are here to help you navigate these risks with confidence. From operational risk management consulting to loss prevention and business continuity solutions, we offer comprehensive services tailored to your needs.
Contact us today to learn how we can help protect your business and personal security from the evolving threat landscape. Let’s work together to ensure a secure and resilient future.
