Unfortunately, employee theft is a problem that no one wants to think about and the business owner who thinks it can't happen to them...is usually the one that it does. It happened to us.

So what did I learn...

1. Never let anyone sign checks for you.

2. Never let the person who does your bookkeeping do your month end bank account reconciliation. Do it yourself or let your accountant do it. Even if you accountant does it, take the time to look it over yourself. Only you really know what expenses should be coming out of your checking account.

3. Look at every credit card bill and receipt, every month. It is also possible to get some credit cards assigned a specific number to each employee that you allow to have access to that account. Make it company policy that each credit card charge must be accompanied by a receipt with an invoice and customer name attached to the charge, or a valid expense account. If the employee can not represent the receipt, it is there responsiblity to pay the bill. (It will only happen one time, to one employee!)

4. Don't just sign the payroll checks that are put in front of you. Take the time to look at each check stub. Match the time card to the hours put in. Ask other employees about any concerns you have regarding overtime or hours worked while you were away from the shop.

5. An employee who never wants to go on vacation and never wants anyone else to help them do their job might have something to hide.

6. Have systems in place that never allow only one person access to cash. We now have a different person count the cash in the register than the person who has the invoices and makes the deposits.

7. Always check previous references and go online to your local courthouse public records.

8. Listen to your gut. Looking back, there were several occasions that should have been a sign that things were not quite right.

9. Every month, look at your cost of goods sold and do an actual vs. budget. Know what your normal % is for cost of goods sold. Any abnormalities should be investigated. Especially in your COGS for autoglass windshields. We all know how easy techs can work on the side, but what you might not be aware of is how easy it is for them to take a windshield out of your inventory or return rack and install it on the side.

10. Security cameras. We have them now and wish we had had them all along. You can either tell your employees, to try to deter theft. Or not and monitor them.

We know that we spend almost as much time with our work family as we do at home. And I'm sure you are thinking that this can't possibly be happening to you and we truly hope it's not. By implementing a few of the steps above, you might possibly save yourself from experiencing it in the future.

If you have any other comments or suggestions, please share with your fellow glass shop owners in Glass Chat.