Maintaining Credit Card

By Landon McGehee

A woman purchased a set of furniture in a large store. She gave the salesperson cash but never received the goods: The "salesperson", it appeared, was a bogus one, not an identifiable employee of the store at all. Even though the customer never got a receipt for her money, even though the records of the store showed no entry for her deposit, the court ruled that the store was entirely responsible:

"Certainly the proprietor's duty of care and precaution for the safety and security of the customer encompasses more than the diligent observation and removal of banana peels from the aisles...the duty of the proprietor also encircles the exercise of reasonable care and vigilance to protect the customer from losses occasioned by the deception of an apparent salesman."

The principle involved here should interest you. A crook who preys upon customers from your premises is your responsibility: Suppose he's an employee of yours? Obviously you are in trouble then. Suppose he is an employee preying not only on customers but upon your other employees, as well as upon you. The ramifications are endless. One thing is clear, It is you who will pay, whether it be damages, losses, court costs, or what not. You simply cannot afford to be so careless as to allow a thief to operate on your premises in any way. Now, that should make you think of the many different.

Ways in which you can lose through the depredations of a crook in your midst, aside from the supposedly easy calculation of what he has taken. There are numerous other side-losses which can occur, such as the expense of investigating and proving the loss, the loss or destruction of records (How that can cost you time and money and snarl things up), the loss of at least the one key employee and possibly others in the ensuing recriminations.

Other losses: the possible straying of other honest employees by example, the cost of hiring and training replacements, the loss of business by time lost on customers plus possible customer involvement in unpleasantness, bad publicity and prestige loss, general lowering of morale among the whole staff, particularly dangerous when unwarranted suspicion is forced upon honest employees, possible bankruptcy or at least loss of necessary funds which in turn can lead to a whole list of losses.

When hiring employees many companies now pull a credit report. Do you know what is in yours? If you do not manage your finances well, how does reflect on your potential employment? Pulling your credit report yearly and managing your personal finances play a big part in the way people view your personal character. - 32534

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