Tony Gallo specializes in security and loss prevention for higher risk businesses. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the security, audit, safety and emergency management field. Tony has a Bachelor of Security degree in Criminal Justice from New Jersey City University. He is a licensed security consultant and a published author. In this interview, Tony shares tips on protecting yourself and your assets.
[01:16] Tony has been in the pawn industry for over 20 years. He started working with a company called EZCORP (a pawn shop trade), where he was Director of Risk Management, Security, Audit and Emergency Procedures.
[03:46] Many pawnbrokers think that their security will not be compromised.
[04:17] “My goal is to prevent a robbery from happening.”
[05:34] “Sometimes, the cost of being proactive is way less than having to be reactive.”
[06:41] There are proven procedures that can reduce your exposure to shoplifters.
[10:21] It is recommended to put peepholes in the back door of your pawn store to have a wide view of the area without having to open the door.
[12:29] “The biggest mistake that pawn brokers make is called misplaced trust. You are putting trust into employees in your store and there’s no checks and balances.”
[14:06] Lack of good customer service is a loophole for a shoplifter. This breakdown is a catalyst for robbers to approach your business.
[15:23] Not sending the proper message can encourage shoplifting.
[18:00] “How do you communicate to your employees? What is expected of your employees?”
[18:36] Put written procedures in place that protect both you and your employees.
[19:15] Pawnbrokers are exposed to all the assets and are not sensitized about how to properly guard their property. Day-to-day operations can cause you to forget that people are watching your every move.
[22:02] You must be diligent with your security when running your business, as the level of violence has drastically increased.
[22:46] Reduce the level of violence by preventing it from occurring, instead of waiting to address it as it occurs.
[24:48] “At the end of the day, my goal is for you to go home and have dinner with your family.”
[25:29] You have to think of the advantage of letting a ‘transaction go’ in order to protect your life.
[27:07] There are online training courses available that teach employees how to act during a robbery situation.
[29:15] ”We want you to stay in business, we want you to grow. We want you to be profitable and we want you to go home.”
[29:25] Check out www.sapphirerisk.com for more information and feel free to call 214-845-6838. There is also a contact on the webpage as well. Send questions and you will get a response.
