Effective theft deterrence requires a multi-dimensional approach.  Information from various sources such as cash drawers, point-of-sale transactions, and video surveillance must be analyzed and compared to information from similar shifts, similar employees, and similar conditions.  This analysis must include behavior patterns, ordering profiles, and other analytics.  As an example, a bartender’s ratio of draft beer to bottled beer must be compared to his own ratio for the same day of the week and shift last year, to his moving historical average, and to the ratio of similar employees for the same shift and day.

To Do It Right

In order to get a complete profile of behavior profiles, a large number of data must be collected from multiple sources.  Data necessary to be collected and analyzed include cash drawer opening sequences, both by key and electronic openings by the point-of-sale system.  All discounts, coupons, gift certificates, open or miscellaneous food and liquor sales, credit card tips must be analyzed.  Voids and no-sales, both before and after being finalized, are compared.  Ratios of bottled beer to draft beer, wine by the glass to wine by the bottle, well liquor to call or premium liquor and even mixed drinks to well drinks must also be compared to other employees performing similar tasks at similar times on similar days of the week during similar seasons or holidays.

to his moving historical average, and to the ratio of similar employees for the same shift and day.

All employees develop patterns and habits - for better or worse.  Some employees follow procedures, while others don't.  New computer-based tools are available which are designed to separate the good employee profiles from the poor or dishonest ones. 

Brian McMillan is Director of Product Development of In Sight Commander System, Inc.  a software development company specializing in restaurants and video surveillance systems.  He can be reached at (714) 940-9800 or http://www.insightcommander.com/