CHICAGO-- A quick Google search of the phrase “convenience store” offers a stark picture of the danger c-store employees can find themselves in. In 2015, retail managers were ranked among the occupations with the highest number of deaths due to violence, following taxi drivers and chauffeurs, police officers and security guards, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Here are three strategies c-store operators are using to shake this reputation and keep their staff members safe ...
Grocery and retail chain H-E-B has invested in a communication technology called Slack that can quickly notify employees of an emergency. The AlertMedia software allows the San Antonio-based retailer to quickly send out an important message via voice, text, email, social media and the Slack system itself.
“We needed a fast, reliable way to send and receive information with partners at our stores, industrial facilities and administrative facilities,” said Justen Noakes, H-E-B director of emergency preparedness. The technology also allows the company to filter information based on locations and departments.
H-E-B, a chain of about 350 grocery stores, built its first c-store in San Antonio in 2016. It uses the Slack platform to connect with employees about product recalls, severe weather and system and power outages.
A convenience store in Canada is working with local artists to prevent crime and protect employees and guests. The Mac’s Convenience Store in Thunder Bay, Ontario, used to be a target for crime, according to local publication BayToday.ca. The c-store, part of a subsidiary of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., started Mac’s StreetArt Program with an artist and local police. The artist painted a mural, and members of the community were invited to tag a wall, reclaiming the establishment from potential criminals.
"What we saw was that we were breaking down barriers between police and the community,” Sean Sportun, manager of security and loss prevention for Circle K, told the publication. “If you have people as part of the solution, as simple as painting a mural, they're less likely to tag the mural, and they're less likely to target that store.” Harvard University now funds the project as part of a case study on youth engagement and crime prevention.
CU, a South Korean convenience-store chain, has started installing counter guards in response to a series of crimes targeting c-store workers, according to The Korea Bizwire. When employees of the 8,000-unit chain press a button, a safety barricade deploys, providing workers coverage and a chance to take a back exit to safety. Other new safety measures include a siren system and a bright light projector.
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