Publisher's Letter
Tuesday, 12 March 2013 11:18
Take Advantage of User Conferences…Even if You Have to Go to Puerto Rico
Written by Jack Trlica
INNOVISION 2013, a user conference sponsored by i3 International, took place February 11 – 13 at the Gran Melia Resort outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The gathering included 28 retailers, 32 integrators, and 12 representatives of i3 (wearing black shirts above). Those of us associated with the magazine are lucky to be offered the opportunity to participate in a variety of meetings hosted by retailers, associations, as well as solutions providers. We don't always have the availability to attend, but when we can we like to participate primarily as an interested observer. Speaking specifically about user…
In the last few months I've attended two conferences I rarely attend. The first was ASIS International's annual mammoth exhibition of all things security held each September. Most recently I visited the NRF's Big Show held in New York City each January. Following are some thoughts on these shows from a retail loss prevention perspective. ASIS If you've never been to ASIS, imagine row after row of literally thousands of exhibitors spread over multiple floors with everything from high-tech surveillance vans to drug-sniffing dogs to razor wire. Some LP solutions providers, such as Tyco and Axis, exhibit at ASIS because…
Part of the role of a magazine that aspires to be "the voice of loss prevention" is to provide thought-provoking information that may run counter to the prevailing views of our industry. There are a couple of articles in this issue that meet that criteria and will hopefully stimulate not only introspection on your part, but discussion inside your organization and among your peers. Myth vs. Reality The idea in the corporate world that we can continue to squeeze more and more productivity from fewer and fewer resources is the topic of Walter Palmer's cover article, "Doing More with Less?"…
We often are asked by both retailers and vendors about the procedure for submitting articles. There are several answers to the question. Because we want articles from a wide range of professionals and organizations, I thought it made sense to review the process here. Editorial Policy When we launched the magazine eleven years ago, we wanted to differentiate ourselves with the editorial we published. In discussions with the executives on our editorial board, the decision was made that we wanted in-depth articles written from the retail LP perspective focused on best practices and solutions LP professionals have implemented in their…
Because loss prevention professionals deal in so many areas of expertise and touch so many other parts of the retail organization, we continually look for a wide range of topics to feature in the magazine. You are not single focused or one dimensional, so we try not to be. This issue is a good indication of a wide range of article topics. Are Retailers to Blame? The cover story addresses a topic within the ORC discussion that was recently proposed by the loss prevention executive at Harris Teeter, David George. Are retailers exacerbating the ORC problem by purchasing stolen merchandise?…
Wednesday, 13 June 2012 14:30
Aspect User Conference Mixes Education and Entertainment
Written by Jack Trlica
Over a hundred LP professionals representing forty-six retailers gathered in Minneapolis May 14 – 17 for the 8th Annual InterACTTM User Group of Aspect Loss Prevention. The three-day conference focused on education and information-sharing for Aspect software users with a good measure of fun and entertainment mixed in. "Once again, we are so grateful for the incredible way in which the Aspect user community works together to help each other succeed," said Cheryl Blake, vice president of corporate development for Aspect. "We truly believe that the level of sharing, respect, and knowledge exhibited during the three-day InterACT conference is unmatched…
One of the most satisfying aspects of publishing a magazine is when readers offer their comments about articles. It's important to us because we want to engage with our readers and stimulate a dialogue within the industry. While we don't have a formal letters-to-the-editor column in the print magazine, we do have mechanisms for you to respond to articles and columns on our website (LPportal.com) as well as forums on Facebook (LP Voices), Twitter (@LPmag), and LinkedIn (LP Central). Following are a few excerpts from readers' comments to some recent articles. Note that I am not including the person's name…
This is the beginning of trade show season for the LP industry. Rhett Asher and the FMI team kicked off the year with their asset protection conference in early March in New Orleans. If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time an LP industry event has returned to New Orleans post-Katrina since the March 2005 RILA LP conference. One of the interesting aspects of the FMI event was it took place at the Hyatt Regency hotel complex that had only just reopened in October...six years after Hurricane Katrina. Given that risk management is part of the FMI agenda, hosting…
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 13:10
ORC Conference Draws Large Crowds in Los Angeles
Written by Jack Trlica
ORC Conference Draws Large Crowd in Los Angeles Nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers and retail loss prevention professionals gathered at the Los Angeles Convention Center February 16 for an education and networking conference sponsored by the Los Angeles Area Organized Retail Crime Association (LAAORCA). Setting the Stage Opening remarks by Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley included both good and bad news. “The good news is our crime rate is at a sixty-year low,” he said. However, because of recent legislation know as AB 109 realignment that requires certain state-held prisoners to serve at local facilities, he…
Last year was our tenth anniversary and was a terrific year. You would think that after such a great year, I would experience a letdown. Not so. I'm really looking forward to 2012 just as much. Maybe it's the good sales season retail experienced. It's great to see consumer confidence getting somewhat back to normal. Maybe it's the word on the street that I hear both retailers and solutions providers talking about capital spending and purchasing rebounding. Maybe it's our association partners talking about all the positive developments on the legislative and conference front, not to mention two trips to…
