BUSINESS
Congratulations! You've been accepted into every one of the shows you applied for. Now all you have to do is produce sufficient inventory, get your display in order, mail publicity notices to your clients, make travel arrangements, decide where to stay, and - perhaps most importantly of all - figure out how to keep yourself, your belongings, and your work safe and secure during the whole experience. Show security comes down to just a few considerations: vigilance, preparedness, vigilance, common sense, and vigilance. And did I mention vigilance? In general, the two areas of concern are safety while traveling to and from a show, and security once you're there. Since I'm a jeweler, I will naturally be exploring these matters from that point of view, but the principles, if not the particulars, are the same for other disciplines. ON THE ROAD. Let's start with travel considerations. First of all, never use a professional jeweler's carrying case to hold your work; it's an advertisement of the wrong kind. Instead, carry your jewelry in a nondescript, generic container - for example, a gym bag, which, unlike a suitcase, won't give the impression that you're a tourist. When flying to a show, however, I prefer standard carry-on luggage with wheels, which can hold both my jewelry and credit card terminal. Ready for some common sense? Don't check your jewelry and other valuables - keep them with you! Last year, an airline employee told me that, since the plane was full, I'd have to check one of my two bags (the second held my purse). I told him I was carrying valuable items and that I would check them only if he or his airline would guarantee their safe arrival in writing. He wasn't happy, but I boarded the plane with both my bags. As for vigilance, never let the bag containing your jewelry out of your sight and/or touch. I know one jeweler who set his case down by his side at a hotel check-in desk; when he reached for it, it was gone. If you have to set your case down, put it between your legs. If it's a standard carry-on bag, extend the handle and hold on to it. Some jewelers I know carry their work in a backpack. Not a bad idea when you're moving, but way too easy to reach into when you're stationary. It's also possible for a sharp knife to slash the bottom of a backpack (or the strap of a shoulder bag) in seconds. If this is your preferred mode, however, rig the flap of your backpack so it can be secured with a lock or other mechanism and flip it around to the front when you're in crowds. One of the most common rip-off methods is for a thief to shove up against you in a crowded area; you're so busy being distracted and annoyed, you never feel your bag being opened. When you're going through airport X-ray machines, don't put your bag on the conveyor belt until the way is clear for you yourself to pass under the security arch. Be sure nothing on your person will set off the alarm, stranding you on one side of the counter and your bag on the other. Also, it's a good idea to keep one of your business cards in hand. This way, if the X-ray official questions the contents of your bag, you can avoid having to announce to everyone within earshot that you're carrying jewelry. Hand the official your card and request a private bag check. Do not open your case in public. If you're traveling with another person, it's even easier. Send your companion through first, then the bags, and finally yourself. Both of you should have business cards ready in case they're needed. A traveling companion gives you another advantage - you can divide the jewelry instead of keeping it all in one place. This principle applies if you're on your own as well: You may be able to carry certain items - such as loose stones that won't set off a metal detector - in your pocket instead of with your finished jewelry. Also, avoid talking about business (the show, your jewelry, etc.) in public; you never know who might be listening. In general, be low-key and inconspicuous. This is not a time when you want to be memorable. No matter how you choose to travel - by plane, train, bus, van, car, or foot - you should always carry a cell phone on your person. If you keep it in your purse or jewelry bag and that gets ripped off, the phone is useless. Even worse - and this did happen to a jewelry salesman recently - you could be locked in a car trunk, unable to call for help. Invest in one of the tiny, lightweight versions now on the market and keep it in a pocket. If you're driving to a venue instead of flying, never leave your jewelry in an unattended vehicle. When you stop at a restaurant, take the jewelry with you and, again, don't let it out of your sight and/or touch. If you must leave your work in a motel or hotel room, make it hard to recognize and locate. Lock it in a small case and then lock that case in your biggest bag, for instance. Also, turn the TV and lights on so your room looks occupied. Opinions are divided on whether or not to place your jewelry in the safe deposit boxes available at some better hotels. One insurance company's literature says never do so; another insists that you take advantage of the service if it's offered. There are variables in every such situation and all you can do is use your best judgment. THE MOST VULNERABLE TIME is departing the venue after the show. Here are two common scenarios: 1) You're packing your car. The trunk, with your jewelry in it, is open. You're approached by a woman who's carrying a map and asking for directions. She draws you away from your vehicle and spreads the map out, blocking your view of the trunk. While you're distracted, her accomplice steals the bag containing your jewelry. 2) You're all packed up and back on the road, looking forward to being home again. Suddenly you realize you have a flat tire and you pull off the road to change it. While you're crouched down behind the vehicle, the open trunk or van is looted. In both cases, you're dealing with experienced bad guys who have cased out the show in advance. If you're the target of the scoundrels in the first scenario, the solution is relatively simple: Don't let yourself be distracted, keep your jewelry in sight and, if you want to give directions, close your trunk first. The solution to the second scenario is not so simple. These thieves not only cased out your work at the show, but followed you to your vehicle one evening so they knew whose tire to pierce on closing night. In this situation, the best advice is to continue driving until you can get to a police or fire station, even though you will wreck your wheel rim. You can also use your cell phone to call for help. In either case, keep moving. Once you stop, you're vulnerable to violence, even if you stay inside and lock all the doors. One jeweler, a victim of this swindle, now checks his tires before setting out, but also makes sure he's among the last to leave the venue. He figures the thieves may get tired of waiting around and give up or pick on someone else! It's also true that, if you're among the last to leave a show, there are fewer cars around and it's easier to check to see if you're being followed. Keep an eye on the rearview mirror as you take off and, if you suspect this is the case, make some evasive turns. Then, if necessary, proceed directly to the closest police or fire station. Likewise, as you near your destination, check again for suspicious vehicles and follow the same procedures. Also, make sure when you pull into the garage, either your own or a public garage, that you have good visibility of the surrounding area before stopping. Another jeweler friend was held up at gunpoint by robbers hidden behind stacked boxes inside her own garage. On the unpleasant subject of violent theft, police and insurance experts all agree that, when faced with the threat of physical violence, it's best to shut up and do what you're told. While stories are occasionally circulated about jewelers who fought back and triumphed, those folks are in a lucky but minuscule minority. No possession is worth more than your life. At some out-of-town shows, I take a cab back to my hotel. When I'm carrying my jewelry, I always find someone (preferably large and male) to wait with me until I'm safely on my way. At other shows, I may hoof it, but never alone. There is greater safety in numbers. Once I asked a show security guard to watch me while I walked uphill to reach my lodgings, and he was happy to oblige. AT THE SHOW. Now, let's back up to the show itself. Many promoters describe on-site security procedures in the show prospectus, but you can always call in advance to find out what security measures to expect. Some shows provide a jeweler's lock-up service, for which you pay $20-$60 for the convenience of having your jewelry under armed guard during set-up and tear-down and after show hours. I highly recommend using this service, even if you live nearby; it really reduces those occasions when you're vulnerable. If there is no lock-up service and you must carry your jewelry back to your car or hotel each night, fall back on the same principles of vigilance described above. During show hours, there will be times when you have to leave your booth. You can always buy food in advance, but I've not yet discovered a way to avoid bathroom breaks! The best defense against theft is to have locking display cases. If you're on your own, you may also want to hire a full-time helper or a temporary booth sitter, available at some shows. Often a show security guard or a nearby exhibitor's assistant or spouse will watch your booth. In the latter case, be sure to ask permission of the exhibitor first and be prepared to return the favor. The least secure solution is to ask the craftsperson across from you, who is also alone, to watch your booth. Where shoplifting is concerned, nothing substitutes for vigilance, but here are some additional tips. Always look like you're alert. An exhibitor with his or her nose in a magazine or chatting on a cell phone is a very attractive victim. If you're alone and can afford it, hire a helper. Not only will your customers be better served, but four eyes can cover a lot more territory than two. Whenever possible, bring only one piece out of your display case per customer. Say regretfully, “I'm so sorry, but my insurance company doesn't allow me to show more than one item at a time.” Even if you're bluffing, you have avoided offending the customer and have taken the onus off yourself as well. When showing earrings, hand the customer just one and keep the other in or behind the display case. Put whatever object you're showing on a velvet pad or similar display piece; not only does this create a nicer impression, but it makes the object easier to see, especially if it's resting on top of transparent glass or plexi with jewelry below. Experienced shoplifters work in teams. While one elegant and well-dressed woman is keeping you busy in a corner of your booth, a second is ripping you off where you can't see her. The best defense against this scam is to keep your eyes moving. Just as good drivers continually check to the right, left, and behind their vehicles, do the same in your booth and don't let yourself be unduly distracted. Obviously, jewelry kept in locked cases is the most secure, but some exhibitors find their work sells better when displayed where customers can easily handle it. You may, for instance, prefer to show your lower-end earrings on racks. If so, take the unfortunate fact that you will lose some percentage to shoplifters into account when pricing your work. To minimize loss, keep your racks neat and with a specific number of pieces in each row - then you can tell with one glance when something is missing and, if you're lucky and quick, you may prevent the transfer of a wayward item from a hand to a pocket. Similarly, if you choose to keep rings in a slotted display piece on top of the counter, immediately replace each ring you sell with another from your reserve stock. If you should run out of extra inventory, insert something into the empty slot - a penny, or an unobtrusive tag that reads “sold.” This way you will know instantly when something is missing. CAUGHT IN THE ACT. What if, despite all of your precautions, you see someone put one of your pendants in his or her pocket or purse? What can you do? Not much, unfortunately, but you do have a few options. Try the direct approach, saying, “I'm so glad you like that pendant. How would you like to pay for it?” This may work with a casual shoplifter but it won't deter a habitual offender. Accusations and anger usually backfire, and you can't just grab someone without yourself being subject to assault charges. Besides, you could be mistaken. For nine years, I've been part of a team that produces a small, local gem show where shoplifting is a persistent headache. In frustration, we called the police and asked how we could safely apprehend these offenders. We were told that we shouldn't and in most cases couldn't. As long as the suspects are on the premises, they haven't technically committed a crime; and once they exit the building, it isn't safe to accost them yourself. The best advice is to follow the probable thief, call the police, and hope they arrive in time to take action. Sometimes, if you just keep the shoplifters under conspicuous surveillance, it can be enough to discourage them. Obviously, as an exhibitor, you can't follow anyone around at a show, but if you spot a suspected shoplifter, inform a security guard and/or the promoter as soon as possible. Then they can take action and also warn other exhibitors of the danger. The best type of warning signal - which only works when there's a P.A. system - is an announcement requesting the promoter to return to his booth. Since the promoter, of course, doesn't have a booth, you understand that the announcement is a coded message meaning, “Heads up! There's a shoplifter on the premises.” If you exhibit at a show that could, but doesn't, have a warning system, suggest it to the promoter. Your jewelry, incidentally, is not all you have to worry about. There's your money, checks, credit card receipts, credit card terminal, personal credit cards, calculator, purse, wallet, etc. Don't use a cash box - it's too easy to grab. Carry portable valuables, such as money and checks on your person, either in a pocket or something like a fanny pack but worn in front (they should call it a tummy pack!). It's also a good idea to split it up; if you're forced to surrender your wallet, at least you still have the money you secreted in your shoe or tucked into your belt. How far you want to take this is up to you. Treat electronic equipment and other bulky valuables as you do your jewelry. Lock them up or take them with you. During show hours, don't leave your purse under a table, even if it's at the rear of the booth. Unless your booth is against a wall, you're just as vulnerable from the back as the front. Actually, you should do as I say, not as I do, and avoid carrying a purse altogether. But if you are a creature of habit like me, here's a suggestion. First, take everything out of your purse that you might need during the day so you don't have to expose it. Then put it inside a larger, less accessible container. I keep mine inside a big, zippered suitcase concealed under a cloth-covered table. Another exhibitor I know hides things inside a hollow pedestal she uses for display. Five or 10 minutes before the show's close, take a bathroom break so you can avoid abandoning your booth during tear-down. Now all you have to do is pack up and go home. You're tired, distracted, and surrounded by noise and chaotic activity. What a great opportunity for a thief. Pack up your jewelry first and secure it before dealing with your display. Don't stow it in your untended car. If you can, put the jewelry in lock-up. Otherwise, keep it within sight whenever possible and make sure that's most of the time. If you must exit your booth area, take the jewelry with you or leave it in the care of your helper or, as a last resort, a nearby exhibitor. Just remember that other exhibitors will be busy packing up too, and can't be expected to watch your bag every moment. You could also place your jewelry under something bulky and hard to move: another bag, perhaps, or a crate or display piece. Remember, the show's not really over until you're safely at home. From time to time, I've mentioned insurance. Regarding insurance: if you can possibly afford it, get it. There are companies that specialize in writing policies for jewelers, even for small operations like mine. Just remember that having insurance does not absolve you of responsibility for vigilance. If you're like me, financial compensation could never sufficiently repay you for the loss of your work - but it's a good start! If I've managed to scare you, I apologize . . . but not very strenuously. Sometimes a little fear will help prevent a disaster. At least you can be better prepared to keep your possessions and person safe and secure. Now it's up to you to use your common sense and, at all times, be vigilant! Beth Rosengard is a jewelry designer and metalsmith based in Los Angeles. |
Let The Business Side advise you on issues important to your jewelry, bead, gem, or related business. Please send questions or comments to The Business Side, Lapidary Journal, 300 Chesterfield Parkway, Suite 100, Malvern, PA 19355; fax (610) 232-5756; e-mail our editors.
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