loss prevention officer

loss prevention director

OBrien and Associates

Life as a Loss Prevention Officer at O'Brien and Associates is fairly simple at the beginning. You show up, catch bad guys, go home.

Once you get past the early stages of working in this company, several things start to become apparent. First of all, this is a family owned company, and the ownership level of management will only ever show loyalty to each other. In their minds, all employees within the company are replaceable, regardless of position, history of work, and time with the company. I have seen many instances where quality employees and managers were demoted or pushed out the door, largely due to an unwillingness to work with them and instead opting to just start over with someone new.

Managers are promoted based solely off of the number of "stops" and are given next to zero training in how to effectively do their jobs. This results in 20+ regional managers all doing things differently, with little-to-no standardization of policies and procedures. I was lucky when I first was hired on, as I had one of the better managers, that shielded us from a lot of the upper management level. Over the years, I met many of the other management level employees, and I can safely say that many are not qualified for their roles, due to lack of training, discipline, and/or integrity.

At the end of my time with O'Brien and Associates, my direct supervisor was at the main office. I was rarely able to reach this supervisor for anything, regardless of how important it was. When I was able to make contact, I usually was either berated or talked down to, and only given mere moments to pass on all of the information I needed to. Policies and rules are made up on a whim, and never communicated. (Example: several years ago, a quarterly performance review was instituted. At the beginning of this, the requirement was to have your region staffed to a specified level. Multiple times over the years, this level of staffing percentage was changed and increased, without anyone actually being notified).

When the ownership level of management decides that they "no longer like you", they will happily go out of their way to work against you, gossip about you, and/or straight up slander your name. 

In my time at O'Brien and Associates, I have seen the following situations occur:
A harassment complaint was filed against a manager for using a derogatory slur, which was promptly ignored because the office was too busy.
An employee's paperwork had hire paperwork altered to prevent them from qualifying for a raise.
An employee's request for a transfer from one region to another was ignored for no reason, until she ended up quitting.

I cannot ever recommend working for this company to anyone.

Easiest Job ever. Just show up in your uniform, do your job, and go home. No really crazy super ambitious quotas to hit everyday (depending on your position and who's your boss) to give your boss that sweet bonus. Expectations are pretty realistic for the most part. It's not perfect but no job or company is.

Based on my own personal experience, I'm giving the company combined with the job 2 stars. However, it'll probably hover at around 3 stars in general and/or at a 4 or higher if you're a favorite. Those stars are for the job itself btw. The stars for the company will most likely still stay at a 2 even for the favorites.

Day usually consists of being stationed at your post until something happens and you need to help out. Job is basically deter and catch people that steal stuff. Or assist superiors on catching thieves.

That being said, don't expect to get any raises that anyone said you'd be getting unless you kept bothering management or corporate about it. Even then, you'd probably won't even get it anyway. 

If you're looking to make a career out of this job then this probably isn't the company. There's quite a bit of favoritism and you really have no control over if you actually advance within the company or not no matter how long or how hard you work, which is pretty much the case with most if not every company unfortunately. 

You'll also be taking orders from some superiors that have never done your job and are not able to actually even do your job either. 

Now to my own personal problems with the company. They completely screwed me over after everything I've done for them.
- I trained almost everyone at my location on their job even when it wasn't my job and before it became my job.
- Came in when no one else wanted to show up to work. 
- Lots of empty promises. 
- Being given the blame for things that upper management pushed for. 
- Being set up to fail and being given the blame for things I had no control over even when I did the best I could with what I had according to the rules that upper management made. 
  Upper management pushes for a team aspect within the group of people in the store that you work with but don't set you up for success when they're supposed to be the leaders.

My overall experience at O'Brien and Associates has been great. I was able to receive excellent hands on training in regards to many facets of Retail Loss Prevention including fraud, internal and external theft, and the inner workings of inventory control. 

I found myself constantly staying busy with the management side of the job.  Keeping relationships with Managers of sites we occupied in good spirits, hiring and training of staff, working with law enforcement and the judicial system.  

I always enjoyed being able to work on my craft as an LP agent also.  They gave me the ability to fill in hours and do what I know how to do best, and that is catch internal and external theft.  

My management team and co workers always bring out the best in me. I have been able to acquire a formidable team who always had the company in their best interest. And I also had a company of upper management that I would know had my best interest.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The only good part about working for this company was that the pay rate 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The most stressful part of the job was having to confront people and deal with angry people who might try to fight you. With that being said, you have no way to protect yourself because with that job you'd be the lowest level of security. In addition you'll have no respect from anyone because it's kinda a joke job and we're mostly there to just look the part. Terrible job.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Work environment was really tiny and the smallest off as possible and they didn't want you to have a heater or a fan because they were afraid of a fire. So it was either very hot or very cold

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day consisted of sitting at a computer, watching cameras waiting to see something suspicious and if anything did happen you have to confront people and type reports based on what happen

They hired me with the benefit of the doubt to find what I have been saying was true. My superior that went out of his way to hire, and help make it possible for me to work there when I kept getting hit up by delinquents in the community is a great person to work with. Great perspective for understanding concepts, and shares same perspective for further future law enforcement efforts. Job acquired was something they had hard time filling, for they lack any benefits giving there contracted company requires the right mentality to deal with a lot of unscrupulous behavior alone in unfair/unfit environments. However this makes it difficult and creates detrimental effects like disciplinary action if you're hospitalized and forced not to work. I will miss some of the good people I had a pleasure to work with as I pursue my endeavors. Thanks O'brian & Associates.

When I was brought on to the team the hiring manager had told me that I would have flexible hours and not have to work weekends or nights. I was looking for a flexible job since I was in school at the time, but once I started working there I was only assigned 3rd shift on the weekends. All of which were 12-hour shifts. I put up with it because it was okay money at the time, but the stress of school and having to work in a desolate cold place alone for 12 hours was a bit too much. The security guards in the guard shacks had it nice though. They had heating and could be on their phones all night loge. I even found one asleep at his post. You are also called upon by the guards so that they can take their bathroom break. This is another problem because patrol typically isn't trained on guard station duties. Thus, by the time the guard comes back from their break, there is a line of angry truck drivers waiting for them.

"You work the job, don't let the job work you." 
That's the summary of being a Loss Prevention is. The job itself if trained PROPERLY is completely easy. You work with a lot of different people from management and employees inside the store, to police officers. The JOB itself is not hard. What makes the job difficult is the poor decisions corporate decide to "influence", and politics, and making the job itself harder than it has too be. Seeing people come and go do to those decisions when they are hard working employees who want nothing but to work. There is no paid time off, no vacation pay, NO HAZARD PAY. No proper training, due to the reality that the best training is hands on training. There is no proper channel on getting answers involving Covid-19 or sick leave, or any type of information through "regional mangers" or supervisors, their response is "Let me look into it."  Growth doesn't exist unless someone is terminated.     

Don't bother, they do not treat you well and will fire you for being one second late!!! No joke. Many rules always changing , they care more about your uniform than you. They lie, they all stick up for one another's lies. Get written up for ridiculous things, they focus on seeing if you are even a half a second late, or your shirt not tucked in... Not professional, again, they will fire you after being 1 second late 3 times... Or oh no your shirt is not tucked to their liking... Must not be able to do your job...they make you pay for your uniforms before you even start and they are not cheap in price, cheap quality though, most companies with respect for their employees will provide their employees with uniforms!!! Plenty other good respectful companies out there, this is not one! ANYTIME you call off you need a doctor's note or you get written up, can not come back until you have note...so ridiculous 

What is the best part of working at the company?
I enjoy the team that I work with a great group of people. It’s almost like family atmosphere at times we all have a good time together.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
There is nothing really stressful about this position , the job is a great  way of finding your ability to grab bad guys when there stealing and to make them understand you do get caught and i make them pay for there items 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It’s fine , you make it the way you want it to be you have your good days and your bad days 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
watching cameras in the store and making sure suspects are  not stealing items and to make  stops when possible , safety and security is big part aswell

O'Brien pretty much does loss prevention meaning you'll be on cameras most of the day. The lower level management is honestly pretty good as long as your straight forward and do your job. You never really interact with higher level management unless you need some kind of tech support or if your in trouble. The company can be pretty rash at times especially recently promoted managers who will power trip on good workers. Otherwise the job is simple, it's loss prevention, it's not really that labor intensive at the end of the day. Benefits are ok and pretty affordable. No vacation time or pto, you do get sick pay. No holiday pay and the company doesn't want you to work overtime but if you do, they will pay you for it. Job sites are all trough our the twin cities so commute will never be terrible. Real average job ngl just don't be the manager even if they offer to increase your pay, it's not worth it. 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Loss prevention officer 7 salaries reported	$11.00 per hour
Loss prevention director 7 salaries reported	$12.18 per hour

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