Introducing Alpha Zone
Checkpoint’s Alpha High-Theft Solution’s new product locationing system Alpha® Zone offers zonal protection of display or high value products without having to secure the products to store fixtures. This allows consumers to handle the products without the need for tethering or locking down products. Alpha Zone protects products in real time, 24/7; it is simple to use and highly effective.
The Challenge at Blain’s Farm and Fleet
Dan Boutelle, Physical Security and Loss Prevention Technology Manager at Blain’s Farm and Fleet, and his team were met with “massive thefts” of their power tools, specifically the display power tools. Boutelle stated that this issue “started in 2020 during the pandemic and we were one of the few retailers that were “locked open” (with displays) and with that came many challenges. It got to the point where we couldn’t keep them (display tools) on the shelves, so we had to remove all power tool display units. When you do that, it cuts into the sales for the legitimate customer. Good customers were suffering.”
After several months of this approach, store operations, buyers, and merchandisers noticed the hit to their power tool sales. They came back to Boutelle and his team with their feedback; this approach wasn’t working. They needed to have the display units back on display. Boutelle and his team got to work finding a new solution.
Several options were explored, many of them involving tethers that are attached to the product and display. Boutelle wasn’t sold on these solutions. “I did not like that look. The wires were messy, tangled up, and stretched out. It was not a good presentation in my mind. This was also a concern with the merchandisers and the buying staff, as well as the store operations folks. I needed to come up with something better,” Boutelle says.
Eric Servais, National Account Manager for Alpha, who had been working with Boutelle to find a solution, presented the Alpha Zone. After explaining how the Alpha Zone worked, Boutelle knew it would be a good fit, saying, “I immediately thought - this makes sense! I was excited about it and once I saw the collateral materials- it was a no brainer.”
Alpha Zone in Action at Blain’s Farm and Fleet
That spring, Blain’s put Alpha Zone to the test for 90 days. They removed all their current product protection and installed the Alpha Zone system with the Alpha Zone Cableloks® security devices for the store’s power tool display. When the test was complete, Blain’s reported zero losses and that the system deterred two possible suspects.
As far as issues with the system were concerned, Boutelle stated, “I was really expecting phantom alarms and I got nothing! I was very pleased.”
While the test proved successful, Boutelle still needed to make sure that the store teams would be able to implement and maintain the solution. He stated, “After the test, I spoke with the store team regarding the Alpha Zone solution and its ease-of-use. The store team found the solution very easy to use. I made a joke with the store team that now that the test was over, I would be removing the Alpha Zone equipment. There was resounding NO! They wanted to keep it! Our sales associates are very loyal, and they take theft seriously. They saw the Alpha Zone as a great positive for them.”
To this day, Blain’s has not had a single display power tool stolen. According to Boutelle, Blain’s is now looking to expand this solution to other locations. He says, “I’m 100% for Alpha Zone. It works! It’s a great solution and it looks good. It does not take away from the customer experience. It allows the customer to actually handle the tool, to look at it, and to examine it even with a tag on it they are not restricted, and we do not worry about loss. It is a sound solution, and I would like to see us proposing the Alpha Zone as a working group project on the LPRC. If it works for me, it will work it will for other people. ”
Do you want to learn more about Alpha Zone? Click here to visit our Alpha Zone product page.
