The team at LP Magazine wants to provide you with the best possible resources to help support both industry needs and professional development. To be the best, we have to seek critical input and accept that feedback with an open mind. We must welcome different opinions with reverence and respect. We have to embrace change and explore new ways to serve your needs. All of the different things that we advocate as part of professional development for those in the loss prevention industry must also apply to our team and our professional resources. That will always be a part of our commitment to you as our readers and our colleagues.
That also compels each of us to continue to pursue new and different ways to share that product with you. This demands introspection, but action as well. It will require new approaches, new columns, and fresh perspectives. But to be most successful, it also requires your participation. The voice of loss prevention is something that we share—not something that we are. It is a collective voice that is only meaningful when it is genuine.|
This column is intended to keep you up to speed with what’s going on, what we can expect, and what’s being said by and about retail loss prevention and our collective interests across digital channels. We actively seek both input and feedback, encouraging an interactive resource that meets your needs and expectations.
We would like to review with you a few of the changes that we have made thus far in 2015 and that will continue to evolve as part of our commitment to you. In the event that you haven’t viewed our digital content, this will also give you a better feel for what is available to you. Our goal is to keep you aware and informed, but also to encourage you to participate in our growth as your loss prevention resource.
Expanding Resources
Our two weekly e-newsletters have now expanded to a Monday-Wednesday-Friday format called LP Magazine Online. The expansion of our digital offerings has provided us with a greater opportunity to share important news and information that is most relevant to the retail loss prevention community. When we look at the expanding roles and responsibilities of our profession coupled with the vigorous evolution of the entire retail industry, we feel that it’s important to have a resource that can help keep all of us informed, educated, and up-to-date with today’s most important topics. There is a purposeful flow to these offerings intended to help provide what is most important to you as a professional.
By the same respect, we recognize the precious value of your time and attention. As we’ve promised since our first conversations with Digital Dialogue, this also means that we have a responsibility to share that content in a way that is respectful of that critical aspect of your day-to-day agenda.
Every news story is notable. Every incident holds value in some way, and we never want to miss reporting on what’s most important to you. But do you really have time to sift through 60-plus stories every workday? How many will you actually read? Having choices is great, but there has to be a balance rather than a bucket. We will remain diligent in our commitment to bringing you the top stories and the top news. We have the LP Magazine app to offer you a broader spectrum of ongoing loss prevention stories and events. But the newsletters will remain focused on the news and information that you feel is most important. That doesn’t mean that we can’t stretch our perspective, explore different topics, and have a little fun. But it does mean that we will continue to bring you the best possible product and respond to your thoughts, ideas, and input as we move forward. Your contribution is what makes LP Magazine the voice of loss prevention, and we would love to hear more of your ideas and opinions.
Carrying a Stronger Voice
What do you think about the top issues facing loss prevention professionals? Where do you think the industry should be focusing the most attention? If you could ask top leadership a question, what would it be? What is the best way to get results? What should we be talking about, and what do you have to say about it?
What we want to know is how can you make a difference? We are always looking for ways to expand your voice. In response, we have added “Instant Polls” to give you a bigger stage to ask questions, express your opinions, and share your ideas.
LP Magazine Online will be conducting regular polls to provide a greater opportunity to actively interact with your peers, industry leadership, and the entire LP community. Each week we will be asking you to answer questions and express your opinions on topics that you want to discuss. This won’t be a complicated or time-consuming process. We will simply pose one or two questions each week, asking you to provide an answer from a multiple-choice format that you feel best represents your views on the topic at hand. If you so choose, you can contact us directly to share a different or more in-depth perspective on the subject. Participation is confidential, encouraging candid and sincere responses. Once we receive your feedback from the polls, we will then provide an article that offers a summary of the results, along with any comments or observations gathered as a result of the poll.
The polls that we have conducted thus far have shown strong participation and strong opinions covering a broad spectrum of response options. While some feedback has followed conventional trends, others have provided more volatile outcomes. This has been very encouraging, as it echoes your true views on the matter at hand. However, it also requires active participation in order to project more viable results. When more of us participate, the outcomes present a better and more accurate perspective of our collective opinions.
This concept is very open to your thoughts and suggestions. We want the polls to be thought-provoking, informative, and educational, but we want to have some fun with it as well. If you have a question that you would like to pose or a subject that you would like us to explore further, we welcome your input.
LP101
Earlier this year, LP Magazine in partnership with the Loss Prevention Foundation, introduced a new feature as part of our online offerings called “LP101.” These weekly articles are designed for both new loss prevention professionals as well as seasoned veterans who may need to “brush up” on some of their skills. Subjects cover a wide spectrum of industry-related content and industry best practices based upon the collective experiences, resources, and expertise shared by industry leaders and subject-matter experts in collaboration with the Loss Prevention Foundation.
We are also attempting to bring you subjects that are both relevant and timely with attention to current events and industry calendars. For example, we provided multiple articles on the assessment process during typical employee review cycles. We reviewed networking and related subjects prior to industry conferences. We’ve discussed diversity, leadership principles, data protection, and other topics that you’ve told us are most important to you. Each article is intended to provide focused attention on the specific topic to maximize value and relevance.
Thus far the feedback has been very positive, with regular discussions taking place on multiple platforms reviewing the weekly content and proving feedback on the topic at hand. It’s also very encouraging to see the content lead to additional discussions with industry colleagues offering opinions, experiences, and advice to each other with meaningful outcomes. We welcome your feedback regarding potential topics, and encourage your participation in the discussion groups as content is presented.
These are just a few of the changes that have taken place thus far this year, and you can expect more to follow. We have high expectations—and so should you. Just remember that we’re listening. If you have feedback or an idea that you would like to share, please reach out to us.