Businesses lose more than $61.7 billion a year in thefts, also known as retail shrink.
There are a variety of security options that can help companies manage and reduce these losses. One that's often overlooked, yet incredibly easy to implement, is a door chime.
A business door chime is a great resource for managing both customers and employees alike as they enter and exit your store. But they're good for more than just protecting your business from losses.
If you're on the fence about installing a business door chime, keep reading to learn a few reasons why it might be a great choice for your company.
1. Security
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of business door chimes is increased security.
Having a chime acts as an alarm for your business.
If your employees are busy helping other customers, the chime will alert them that someone has entered. When criminals try to sneak inside during busy times, an alarm makes it impossible for them to go unnoticed.
The chime also alerts you to customers leaving your store. For instance, an employee might know that a customer is carrying around products. If the alarm goes off, alerting that the customer has left, and the items weren't paid for, your employee can take action right away.
Adding complex security systems like cameras is both time-consuming and expensive. But adding door chimes is a simple, affordable way to increase security in your business.
2. Track Customer Counts
Besides reducing thefts, knowing when people are going in and out of your business is useful for other reasons as well.
Having a record of how many people enter your business can also help you better adjust your sales approach, prices, or products.
For instance, say that you know from your receipts that you average about 25 customers per day. If your door chime lets you know that you actually have 75 people entering your business each day, you might decide to investigate why two-thirds of your customers aren't making a purchase.
Along the same lines, if you launch a new product, and notice that a higher percentage of customers are making purchases, you'll know that it is a product you should continue to offer.
3. Welcome Customers Inside
Think about a time when you've entered a store with a door chime.
Perhaps because of a trend of small-town stores utilizing old-school bells, or the cheery sound, hearing that sound is like a friendly welcome into a store.
While it may not be a primary reason for investing in a door alarm, the welcoming feeling your customers will enjoy is definitely a benefit.
4. Improve Customer Service
One of the biggest benefits of door chimes for businesses is the chance to improve their customer service.
Besides the welcoming sound, the door chime also alerts employees that someone new is in the store. Whether they're busy grabbing inventory from the back or helping the customer, the chime is a quick alert that tells them that they are needed.
Customers who enter a store and have trouble getting help or feel ignored by employees are unlikely to have a positive experience in that store. But when an employee is there right away to say hello, let them know about any specials, and offer their assistance, the customer is instnalty starting out on the right foot.
From there, your employees can continue to keep the cstuomer experience a positive one, in an effort to not just land a sale, but also to create happy, loyal repeat customers.
5. Increase Productivity During Downtime
If your employees have multiple responsibilities, figuring out when is a good time to do thing like restock shelves, clean, or inventory products while also helping customers can be a challenge.
Employees may be wary of going to the back to grab products because they're worried they might miss a customer.
A door alarm solves this problem.
Because they'll instantly know when someone enters your store, your employees can stay active and busy when no one is inside. This means more productivity from your employees, which can also translate to a cleaner, better-stocked store.
6. Reducing Employee Thefts
Door chimes for businesses can help lower the number of thefts by outsiders. But it may also help to reduce thefts by employees.
Around one-third of thefts in retail environments are by employees. While a door alarm won't stop employees from tucking items in bags or slipping them into their pockets, it can help alert you to employees entering or exiting the store when they shouldn't be.
Whether the employee is entering after hours or after their shift should have ended, having an alarm will allow you to check-in and potentially catch a theft in progress.
While most businesses think to put door alarms on front doors, where customers are likely to enter, they are a good choice on back doors as well.
7. Let You Know When Deliveries Arrive
Installing door alarms on back entrances to your business will also help you to know when deliveries arrive.
Whether you need to help unload a delivery or sign for them, knowing when a delivery driver has arrived is a great resource for busy store owners and managers.
Choosing the Right Business Door Chime
Adding a business door chime is a great way to increase security, measure your success, increase productivity of employees during downtime, and more.
If you're ready to find the right alarm for your business, check out our selection today.