We’ve all heard of flash mobs. It’s a whimsical phenomenon, when people suddenly show up in the middle of a town square, store or other public space and do something—say Michael Jackon’s famous Thriller dance—and then melt away. It’s a nuisance for businesses, yes, but pretty innocuous.
Not so with “flash robs,” the term for a new and frightening phenomenon striking retailers across the nation. The National Retail Foundation’s Big Blog has an illuminating report on what, exactly flash robs are, and how businesses can fight back.
To start with, we should probably define a flash rob. Picture the organized chaos of a flash mob, but instead of dancing, these huge groups of people are harassing, distracting or even attacking store employees while they steal from the shelves. Stores can be all but emptied by these mobs, and it’s not a particularly great time for the employees.
I don’t mean to make this sound like an epidemic, but in a recent NRF poll, about three-quarters of businesses reported they were the victim of some kind of multiple offender crime. But it is a trend, one that has real ramifications for those businesses it affects. I’ve never believed sticking your head in the sand when something likes this comes along is a reasonable or wise decision.
How can you fight back? Don’t literally fight back, for one thing. In essence, your best bet is to improve your employee safety and communication, and to know how to get the police or security on the horn immediately in the event of a flash mob. Also, in case it does happen to you, have an effective plan for getting word out to the media. Coverage can help warn other businesses in your area and potentially lead to tips that get the flash rob mobs in hot water.
Beyond that, it’s very difficult to plan against a large group of people spontaneously attacking a store. Just do the best you can and remember that employee and customer safety is always the priority.
Check out the guidelines and let us know how or if you plan to protect yourself against flash robs.
Photo credit to remington at http://www.sxc.hu/photo/243684
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