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What does a loss prevention associate do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read

A loss prevention associate is responsible for monitoring the organization's daily operations, maintaining the safety and security of all network systems to avoid data theft. Loss prevention associates take immediate actions on all related suspicious activities that would compromise the company's reputation and financial status. They regularly check surveillance technologies to maintain asset protection and operational stability at all times. A loss prevention associate should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, especially on writing incident reports and escalating unusual activities to the management for immediate resolution.

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Loss prevention associate responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real loss prevention associate resumes:

  • Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
  • Greet customers, operate CCTV security monitors and prevent shrinkage of merchandise.
  • Job duties include the personal detainment and apprehension of retail shoplifters utilizing plain view self-observation and/or CCTV cameras.
  • Analyze bankruptcy and foreclosure files in order to devise a strategy to minimize loss and maximize financial recovery.
  • Protect company's assets by utilizing state-of-the-art detection and investigation surveillance system, which identify shoplifters and prevent loss of merchandise.

Loss prevention associate skills and personality traits

We calculated that 16% of Loss Prevention Associates are proficient in Customer Service, Patrol, and Safety Standards. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Physical strength, and Communication skills.

We break down the percentage of Loss Prevention Associates that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Customer Service, 16%

    Provided excellent customer service, protected company assets through activities in safety, inventory recovery, and internal and external theft.

  • Patrol, 13%

    Performed deterrent mobile patrol in the warehouse and surrounding facility.

  • Safety Standards, 10%

    Enforced company security and safety standards to employees, and customers in the most courteous manner.

  • Loss Prevention, 10%

    Developed the ability to effectively implement the loss prevention procedures and prepared quality report information that allows for knowledgeable risk underwriting.

  • Safety Inspections, 8%

    Conducted safety inspections including review of facility, equipment and associate adherence to safety procedures.

  • Cash Handling, 7%

    Resolved operational deficiencies including such topics as cash handling, deposit preparation, opening & closing procedures.

"customer service," "patrol," and "safety standards" are among the most common skills that loss prevention associates use at work. You can find even more loss prevention associate responsibilities below, including:

Detail oriented. One of the key soft skills for a loss prevention associate to have is detail oriented. You can see how this relates to what loss prevention associates do because "fire inspectors must notice minutiae when inspecting sites for code violations or fire risks or for investigating the cause of a fire." Additionally, a loss prevention associate resume shows how loss prevention associates use detail oriented: "receive and report confidential details to loss prevention director and area loss prevention manager to assist internal investigations. "

Physical strength. Another essential skill to perform loss prevention associate duties is physical strength. Loss prevention associates responsibilities require that "fire investigators may have to move debris at the site of a fire in order to get a more accurate understanding of the scene." Loss prevention associates also use physical strength in their role according to a real resume snippet: "work with loss prevention lead/manager utilizing loss prevention physical monitoring equipment. "

Communication skills. This is an important skill for loss prevention associates to perform their duties. For an example of how loss prevention associate responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "fire inspectors must clearly explain fire code violations to building and property managers." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a loss prevention associate: "maintain constant interaction and communication with store management. ".

See the full list of loss prevention associate skills

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Compare different loss prevention associates

Loss prevention associate vs. Public safety officer

Public relations assistants are professionals who are responsible for creating and distributing promotional materials to help clients increase their public image and awareness of their products and services. These assistants are required to help develop and distribute public relations materials such as brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, and sell sheets. They must handle all the communications of their clients to the public by supervising social media content, press releases, and emails. Public relations assistants must also gather materials to be used in trade shows or client presentations.

If we compare the average loss prevention associate annual salary with that of a public safety officer, we find that public safety officers typically earn a $2,265 lower salary than loss prevention associates make annually.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between loss prevention associates and public safety officers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like customer service, patrol, and loss prevention.

While similarities exist, there are also some differences between loss prevention associates and public safety officer. For instance, loss prevention associate responsibilities require skills such as "safety standards," "safety inspections," "cash handling," and "safety program." Whereas a public safety officer is skilled in "patients," "public safety," "cpr," and "motor vehicle." This is part of what separates the two careers.

Public safety officers tend to make the most money working in the health care industry, where they earn an average salary of $38,645. In contrast, loss prevention associates make the biggest average salary, $34,406, in the utilities industry.public safety officers tend to reach similar levels of education than loss prevention associates. In fact, public safety officers are 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Loss prevention associate vs. Military police officer

A military police officer is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the areas assigned for their duly protection. Military police officers monitor their premises efficiently, inspecting suspicious individuals within the territory, and enforcing strict legislation protocols and military regulations for everyone's compliance. They locate security breaches, assist with law enforcement investigations, provide battlefield support, and coordinate with other law institutions and citizens for security enhancement. A military police officer must have extensive knowledge with state procedures and military rules, performing various duties, and maintaining peace and order.

On average, military police officers earn a $781 lower salary than loss prevention associates a year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both loss prevention associates and military police officers have skills such as "patrol," "physical security," and "incident reports. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that loss prevention associate responsibilities requires skills like "customer service," "safety standards," "loss prevention," and "safety inspections." But a military police officer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "crowd control," "order operations," "public safety," and "emergency calls."

In general, military police officers achieve similar levels of education than loss prevention associates. They're 3.6% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Loss prevention associate vs. Deputy

The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat. There are also instances when a deputy must serve court documents, transport detainees or suspected criminals, and monitor courtrooms. Furthermore, a deputy reports to higher-ranking officers such as a sheriff.

On average scale, deputies bring in higher salaries than loss prevention associates. In fact, they earn a $14,821 higher salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on loss prevention associates and deputies resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "patrol," "court proceedings," and "incident reports.rdquo;

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, loss prevention associates are more likely to have skills like "customer service," "safety standards," "loss prevention," and "safety inspections." But a deputy is more likely to have skills like "public safety," "transport inmates," "cpr," and "federal laws."

Deputies earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $53,877. Comparatively, loss prevention associates have the highest earning potential in the utilities industry, with an average salary of $34,406.Most deputies achieve a higher degree level compared to loss prevention associates. For example, they're 9.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 3.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Loss prevention associate vs. Police officer

Police officers are responsible for keeping peace and security in a community. They uphold and enforce the law. They ensure that people in their assigned community follow the law. They also ensure that proper sanctions are given out to anyone who does not follow. Some police officers are assigned in the field, meaning they work outside of police stations. Those assigned to police stations are responsible for maintaining administrative matters as well, aside from maintaining peace and order. Police officers are expected to be trustworthy, to work with honor, and to keep their integrity intact.

Police officers tend to earn a higher pay than loss prevention associates by an average of $13,777 per year.According to resumes from loss prevention associates and police officers, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "patrol," "physical security," and "court proceedings. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A loss prevention associate uses "customer service," "safety standards," "loss prevention," and "safety inspections." Police officers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "public safety," "field training," "cpr," and "police academy. "In general, police officers earn the most working in the government industry, with an average salary of $53,822. The highest-paying industry for a loss prevention associate is the utilities industry.police officers reach similar levels of education compared to loss prevention associates, in general. The difference is that they're 3.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of loss prevention associate

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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