Retail Loss Prevention has a technology addiction.
There, I said it.
Every year, we chase the next solution that promises to finally fix shrink, deter theft, protect associates, and give us “real-time visibility.” Better cameras. Smarter analytics. AI-powered alerts. Frictionless exits. Predictive dashboards.
And yet… here we are.
Shrink is still rising.
Stores are harder to shop.
Associates feel overwhelmed.
And LP teams are drowning in alerts, dashboards, and exceptions.
So here’s the uncomfortable question:
What if technology isn’t saving us?
What if, in some cases, it’s actually masking our failures?
Before you forward this to your favorite solution provider with a sarcastic comment, hear me out.
Tools Don’t Fix Broken Strategy
LP leaders love to say, “We just need better tools.”
But tools don’t create clarity. Strategy does.
I’ve seen retailers deploy world-class technology into stores that don’t have:
• Clear ownership of risk
• Consistent execution
• Adequate staffing
• Aligned incentives
• Basic process discipline
In those environments, technology doesn’t improve outcomes—it amplifies chaos. Alerts go unanswered. Exceptions pile up. Dashboards turn red, then get ignored.
We didn’t solve the problem.
We automated it.
If your foundation is cracked, pouring more tech on top doesn’t stabilize the building. It just gives you better data about why it’s collapsing.
More Data Hasn’t Made Us Smarter
LP has more data today than ever before. And yet, many organizations are no closer to understanding why loss happens—or how to prevent it upstream.
We confuse visibility with insight.
Knowing that theft occurred is not the same as knowing why it was easy.
Seeing patterns isn’t the same as changing behavior.
Receiving alerts isn’t the same as influencing outcomes.
At some point, “actionable intelligence” became “interesting information.” And we convinced ourselves that was progress.
Executives don’t fund dashboards.
They fund decisions that change results.
Technology Has Become a Leadership Crutch
Here’s the part no one likes to admit.
Sometimes technology becomes a substitute for leadership.
Instead of hard conversations with operations, we install controls.
Instead of simplifying broken processes, we add monitoring.
Instead of investing in training and engagement, we deploy detection.
It feels safer.
Cleaner.
Less confrontational.
But every time we choose a tool over influence, we reinforce the idea that LP exists to watch the business—not shape it.
And then we wonder why we’re brought in after decisions are made.
Friction Is a Feature… for Us
Let’s talk about locked cases, sensors, gates, and barriers.
We call them “necessary.”
Customers call them “annoying.”
We measure shrink reduction.
We rarely measure abandoned purchases, lost loyalty, or employee burnout caused by constantly managing security theater.
If technology reduces shrink but quietly destroys sales, trust, and experience… did we actually win?
Or did we just move the loss to a different column and congratulate ourselves?
What Actually Moves the Needle
Here’s the part that doesn’t sell well at conferences:
The biggest LP wins rarely come from new technology.
They come from:
• Simplified processes
• Clear accountability
• Better training
• Smarter labor models
• Cross-functional alignment
• Leaders willing to say “this design creates risk”
Technology should support those things—not replace them.
When tech is layered onto strong fundamentals, it’s powerful.
When it’s layered onto dysfunction, it’s expensive camouflage.
So… Change My Mind
If you believe the next platform, camera, or AI model is the thing that will finally turn the tide—without fixing execution, culture, and design—I’d love to hear why.
But maybe the future of LP isn’t about buying smarter tools.
Maybe it’s about becoming better leaders.
Change my mind.
David E. George, CFE, CFI, is the Managing Partner of Calibration Group, Inc., and of its subsidiary, TalkLPnews. Previously, David served as Vice President of Asset Protection for Dollar General Stores, a company with more than 20,000 stores in 48 states. While serving Dollar General, David was responsible for the Asset Protection field team, the Asset Protection corporate team, the Shrink Improvement team, and the Shrink Analytics team.
Prior to Dollar General, David held the Vice President of Asset Protection position with Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Inc., a regional chain based in Charlotte, NC. He served Harris Teeter for more than 14 years and has had previous loss prevention leadership roles with Kmart Supercenters.
For more information about Calibration Group, visit www.calibrationgroup.com.