Identity management ensures that authorized people can access the internet-based resources they need at the right times and for the correct reasons. It’s becoming increasingly necessary in the retail sector, especially because failing to monitor access and enforce restrictions can lead to employee or customer data breaches.
Here are six identity management challenges that retailers should anticipate this year, plus how to overcome them.
1. An Influx of Seasonal or Part-Time Team Members
Retail demand fluctuates depending on shopping trends. For example, stores get busier than usual during the holiday season and around the time when college students get ready to return to campus and need things for their dorms. People who want summer jobs that keep them busy during their time away from high school or a university campus also flock to retail stores because they expect numerous job openings.
Many of the individuals who work part-time or on a seasonal basis go on a leave of absence when they return to classes, or the store becomes less busy and no longer needs the extra team members. Such an approach keeps them from having to apply again for the former positions they held. Instead, they can typically contact their supervisors within a few weeks of when they want to return to work and get put back on the schedule.
The National Retail Federation predicted that retailers would add up to 650,000 seasonal workers during 2018’s holiday rush. The organization expected the response due to a general uptick in the retail sector.
When retailers quickly bring new team members on board to meet the demands of their customers, identity management can become more complex. However, when retailers link their identity management tools to complementing human capital management (HCM) platforms, adding or deleting new team members becomes more straightforward, as does putting their access on hold for each leave of absence.
2. Employee Turnover
High turnover is exceptionally common in the retail sector. People may feel that their employers don’t offer opportunities for advancement or have clear paths for achieving promotions. Workers also sometimes leave retailers due to non-competitive pay rates and irregular schedules.
A survey of more than 50 major retailers revealed that nearly a third said turnover rates rose during 2018. Also, employee turnover has been a longstanding challenge. Statistics show that the median turnover rate in 2013 was as high as 74.9 percent.
These realities can cause retailers to fall behind on their identity management strategies because they don’t revoke access promptly enough. That’s why it’s necessary to keep access management in mind as departing workers finish their last shifts. Retailers should have processes they follow but then work with their identity management providers to see how soon those entities can take away access privileges.
3. Password Fatigue
Password fatigue happens when people get overwhelmed by having to continually type in passwords throughout their workdays. In a retail setting, this problem can feel even more severe as people have to log into various interfaces to check prices, scan items into a system, help customers move through checkout lines and more.
Using a password manager that stores all the passwords a team member needs is a way to enforce identity management as seamlessly as possible. Password managers require a person to remember just one master password, which gives access to all the interfaces they use.
4. Maintaining Compliance
Retailers must follow several regulatory compliance measures, such as those that relate to data security and payment cards. Remaining compliant typically means that any access controls utilized must align with the respective regulations. This aspect can be challenging, especially when people who deal with payment information need different levels of access, such as managers and cashiers in non-supervisory roles.
Fortunately, many providers of identity management tools have built-in compliance controls that people can turn on or off as needed and tweak as regulations change.
5. Fraud/Loss Prevention
It may initially be difficult for retailers to understand how fraud and loss prevention fit into identity management, but they only need to consider employee merchandise discounts. If those perks are still valid after employees leave the company, people could easily continue saving money on merchandise despite no longer being employed by the company.
In one case study, employees got a 40-percent discount that was valid on all products sold by a retailer, including things that were already on sale. Workers could avail of their discounts at any store by presenting their badges. The retailer deactivated those badges within a day of when a person got terminated or left voluntarily. Still, it was common for people to go on spending sprees immediately after leaving the company. They could then buy hot-ticket items for less and sell them on online bidding sites.
The retailer solved this problem and saved over $100,000 annually by taking employees’ badges before they left the company. It also connected a worker’s identity to their badge and depended on a central user depository to activate or deactivate the credentials. This system used both high- and low-tech elements and, it shows that doing something similar could be advantageous for other retailers dealing with employee fraud.
6. Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD)
A BYOD trend is gaining popularity in retail. When employees bring familiar devices from home, they don’t have to learn how to use new gadgets. IT managers can install the apps those workers need to use, quickly giving them the tools they require. Implementing a BYOD policy could let retailers save money on hardware and upgrade costs.
That said, personal devices make identity management more complicated if companies don’t have plans in place. Requiring employees to give their devices to IT personnel to get set up before they use them at work is an excellent way to bring these gadgets under the identity management umbrella.
Identity Management Helps Retailers Remain Profitable
Poor access control can lead to tremendous security risks that cut into retailers’ profits. Fortunately, access management lets them conquer challenges and keep data secure, protecting everyone involved.