Thursday, May 17, 2012

Looking and Hiring Security Guards for Shopping Centres

For any mall owner or mall manager, protecting their property and investment is one of the main concerns. Here’s a short reminder why malls and shopping centres need to be protected by security guards.
One of the most entertaining places to visit to unwind and have some fun is a shopping centre. Aside from shopping, there are many other things that one can do in a shopping centre or a mall. In a mall, you can watch a movie, eat at a fancy restaurant or you can just simply hang out and chill. Without a doubt, shopping centres today have become the premier destination to anyone looking for fun and excitement. Because of this, keeping the peace of a shopping centre is essential to anyone who owns or operates one.

A shopping mall is a place where the things you need are conveniently located in once place. Since many people come and go to shopping malls, owners need to hire shopping centre security guards so that the place is kept safe and secure at all times. For a shopping mall to be able to flourish and be profitable, tenants, guests and mall-goers need to feel safe and protected at all times.

Security guards of shopping centres have many tasks that they need to take care of. Part of the job of the security people of a shopping mall is to make sure that all tenants are safe and are well-protected so that they can continue doing business smoothly. Aside from that, they also make sure that the people who enter the establishment do bring weapons and other stuff that may compromise the safety of the place. Also, security people also guard against vandalisms, ensuring the all properties within the mall are kept intact and in one piece.

Security guards of malls are also in-charge of ensuring that only authorized people are able to access restricted areas. Also, before closing time, security personnel make sure that all unauthorized people have exited the mall. When the lights go out, the job of a shopping mall’s security guards does not stop.
Security guards of shopping centers are also tasked to make sure the place is safe from burglars and other security threats.

Whenever we want to buy things, unwind, eat or watch movies, we normally go to malls and shopping centers. Because of that, malls have to be safe and secure at all times. For every mall owner or mall manager, hiring shopping centre security guards is very important for that purpose. Without security guards, a shopping mall or shopping centre will not be as good a place as it normally is.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

How to Make Your Event Successful.


Planning an event is no easy task.  The bigger the event, the more excruciating it will be to plan and the harder it is to implement it and make sure that all goes well for a successful event.  Planning may take from as short as several days to as long as several months for a few hours of an event.  The success on an event will be measured during those few hours and not on the time spent planning for it.

Security is an important aspect of any event so it might be a good idea to hire a security provider that is experienced and well-trained. The days, weeks and months of planning and preparation may go to waste if you will not be able to implement all your plans properly on those few hours of the actual event.  Protect those few hours by hiring professional, well-trained and properly experienced event security provider.
One of the main concern of any event is the security that will be provided before, during and after for the participants, the staff and the audience.  The security itself needs careful planning and people that are well-trained and experienced in handling event security.  It must not be something taken lightly because it will be a factor in determining the success of the event.



A good option in securing any event is hiring a security service provider. They are well-trained and experienced in giving security and they already have the manpower and resources to implement the security measures.  Moreover, they work as a team which can be hard to achieve if you will gather your own security staff that not have worked with one another before.

Hiring a security service provider for your event will also lessen the things you need to plan and worry about.  Security planning is a specialised task that will be better handled by professionals.  They can do risk assessment of the event from the venue and the immediate vicinity, the crowd that will come to the event and other details that may seem less important but still needs consideration.  Coverage of their job may vary depending on the tasks you want them to handle.  It may include securing the whole venue, overnight guarding, backstage and pit security, crowd management, cash and ticket collection, traffic management and parking security to name a few.

Don’t let those agonizing days, weeks and months of planning go to waste because of poor security on the event itself.  Let professionals handle your security to make sure everything goes well for a successful event. 

Monday, March 26, 2012

An Introduction to Building Site Security

The first thing that project managers and contractors take into account when managing a construction site is to ensure that safety measures are met to prevent injuries and accidents from happening. This is of course, a very important concern that should not be neglected since construction sites can pose great threats and potential dangers to construction workers and the building project as well. Creating a safe working environment for all people concerned is a priority.



Perhaps, one of the factors that are often overlooked in the construction site setting is security. Contrary to popular belief, building and other construction sites are like gold mines of opportunities for mischief. Behind all the dust and debris are scores of metal rods, copper wires, lumber, cements, machineries, hand-held tools and so much more. These valuable building materials and equipments attract thieves and burglars like a moth to a candle flame.

There are many security solutions that need to be put in place to prevent them. A construction company now has to make the decision on whether or not to hire a company or take care of its own security internally. As a business it would make good sense if the company chose to outsource the security job. This would help it to concentrate on what it does best: construction. This would leave everything to the building site security company. This enables the security company to do what it does best: security.

There are many security solutions in which thievery and other property threats in construction sites can be prevented. Some construction companies handle their security with their own in-house team. But most have come to prefer outsourcing their security needs by hiring the services of professional security providers. This is a smart move by construction businesses since it would take the burden of planning the security measures out of their hands. This way, they can focus on their work and leave the experts to take care of securing the construction site at all times.

Most security providers offer a wide range of security measures for deterring theft and other criminal activities at construction sites. This article will talk about some of them.
It is important that a construction site is surrounded with fences that are over 8 feet high. This way, bystanders and passers will not be able to have an immediate look at the activities going on inside and valuable materials on it. Lighting within and outside the surrounding areas of the site should also be managed accordingly since burglars or saboteurs prefer to “work” in the comfort of darkness so as not to be seen.  Some of the key areas that should be well-lit are the entrance, the building structure and the exit.

If you are looking for a building site security management and services, visit Gold Crest Security.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Securing Shopping Centers & Malls

If you’re looking for a place where you can shop for the things that you need, indulge in a variety of gastronomical expeditions or simply unwind from a hard day’s work, a shopping center is where you ought to be.

People from all walks of life go to malls and shopping centers on a regular basis. With the high volume of customers these establishments welcome every day, including the significant number of mall employees present each time, they have become vulnerable to a number of criminal activities.


It’s easy to understand why shopping centers and malls have become very appealing to a bunch of criminals. These places have many stores selling all the nice things anyone can think of and filled with people strolling around with cash and credit cards. Also, unaccompanied teenagers can be found in all sorts of places. Some of the malls’ designs and qualities can also invite criminal occurrences. For instance, comfort rooms are strategically placed in isolated and less desirable places away from the public eye. Another is that sometimes, the lighting at parking lots full of cars and high profile vehicles are insufficient. Criminals get opportunities and a strong foothold in such scenarios. In order to protect the consumers, retailers and employees at these popular public destinations, the presence of security officers is a necessity.

Hiring a team of licensed uniform security officers is a widely used strategy in carrying out crime prevention in shopping centers and malls. They perform many duties to ensure that the customers, retailers and mall employees are protected from a variety of shopping center related crimes and threats like shop lifting, armed robbery, kidnapping, ATM attacks, car napping, etc. They are the first to act out the procedures of managing crime scenes, to deter criminal situations and to respond to emergencies. Security guards and officers manage order in the premises of shopping malls for optimum general safety and help maintain a protected environment.

The selection of security provider for shopping malls is crucial. The security group that is most suitable to handle the challenges of this industry should be a specialist in the shopping center security. They should have a very deep and unique understanding of the shopping center marketplace in order to fulfill the security needs of such public places. A security group that uses threat assessment and situation analysis approaches will prove very helpful in identifying potential problems before they can even occur.

Specialising in security personnel and access control, GoldCrest Security provides professional, experienced and competent personnel with a particular focus on client service.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Concierge Service: A Must In The Corporate World

The increasing demand of staying on top of the business world has given rise to corporate concierge services. It is critical for a business to maintain a smooth operation with an always increasing profit margin. These can be achieved through a combination of satisfying customers beyond their expectations and getting a continuous high-standard performance from their employees. Getting steadfast loyalty from customers and employees is one of the goals at the top of the list for every company. Incorporating a concierge service for both your customers and employees can be one of the most lucrative investments a corporation will make.

But with the growth of the concierge industry and the escalating demand for that service, what exactly is a concierge? The origin of the word is unknown but some associate it in France during the Middle Ages. The term comes from the French “comte Des cierges”, which translates to “keeper of the candles”. This described the people who were then in charge of lighting the candles in Medieval castles. Their responsibilities eventually grew to include the requests and whims of visiting nobles. The term in due course evolved to signify as keeper of the keys to government buildings and public structures like hotels in addition to houses of the nobility. In today’s world, the word concierge can be plainly interpreted to be a personal assistant.

The word usually brings the hotel industry at the foremost of our minds but the fast-paced rat-race of a very competitive and dynamic global marketplace has taken the concierge industry to extend beyond the hotel lobbies. Businesses all over the world ranging from large conglomerates to small and medium-sized firms spanning across all industries have acquired the services of concierge agencies to fulfil the need to ameliorate the burdens of their employees and to reward top customers and gain better business relations through them.

The extent of the services offered by concierge agencies is wide-ranging and is constantly being amended to include all the needs of their clients. They are responsible for the minor tasks so that their clients can focus on their weighty assignments and ease the burdens of their everyday life. Dry cleaning, grocery shopping, ticket and restaurant reservations, dropping off and picking up of children and transportation services are a few of the benefits a concierge agency brings.

Some companies offer the addition of a concierge service with their security packages. These are the ones to look out for. Getting an excellent security service for your premises and a dependable concierge service in one is a treat of a lifetime!

Integrate these services in your company’s reward and loyalty program and build long-lasting and rewarding relationship with your employees and customers alike

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Commercial Security Service: Keeping Your Business Safe

Businessmen are used to taking risks in the stock market but they know better than to take the risk when it is the security of their businesses that is on the line. These entrepreneurs know the importance of security in the continued existence of a business and will not hesitate to spend on hiring a competent security service company to help them in maintaining a secure working environment for their business and their employees.

Threats and risks to your business have become very numerous. It does not come from only outside sources but may also include internal threats. One of the best solutions to help you overcome these hazards and to give you some bit of that much needed peace of mind is by hiring a security services provider. Having such professional service can bring numerous advantages, to you and to your company.


One of the services that you can expect from them is, naturally, the managing and overseeing of the daily security issues of your business, which is typically a round the clock job. This will greatly aid you in a lot of ways. Outsourcing your security will allocate a lot of your time to focusing on the vital side of managing a company instead of throwing away precious time and cash on having a security department that you might have no knowledge of running. Like almost anything that is being operated impetuously, a security department that is not being handled the right way may be potentially harmful to the entire enterprise and may lead to the failure of keeping the properties secure.

Opting to hire a commercial security service provider is a sound alternative. They can even advise and implement a security plan that will incorporate your ideas with their professional expertise. A great security service provider is one that will be mindful of your company’s security needs and preferences and will integrate it into their overall security plan.

A lot of corporations and even small businesses consider their security personnel to be one of the indispensable components in keeping their business running.  Ask any businessman and they will not hesitate to express the necessity to have a security service provider for every business to be protected and secured. Security services professionals are there to safeguard your company personnel and the property of the business in a hassle-free and cost efficient way.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Security Tips for Corporate Parties & Events

Special events and parties are worth the cost and effort. Any company, be it a small business or a multi-million empire, hosts these events because they are a valuable part of every business' marketing strategy. Many business deals and contracts are set and agreed on amidst the festive background of these kinds of parties. But hosting and holding any event is not without its risk. Security is one of the most important factors that should be considered.

Security for events is a serious concern. Security personnel should be alert and efficient, but should also be discreet and professional. The first thing to tackle when planning is to find the right security company to assist you. Choose a company that is reputable, reliable and can offer the best level of protection that will suit the occasion and setting.

Another thing to think about is the number of security guards that you will need. Depending on the size, venue and number of guests in your event or party, the general rule of thumb is to have one guard for every 100 people. The security company that you will hire can greatly aid you in determining a suitable number of security details that will be appropriate for crowd control.
Events that have a small number of guests and participants do not exactly mean that fewer security personnel are needed. The venue should also be considered. Holding it in a large setting or an open area may require several security guards to control the entry and exit points of the venue. This is especially important for parties that do not have a set guest list and may be vulnerable to party crashers.


Large-scale events, on the other hand, have an increased security risk. The potential for the crowd getting out of hand and out of control is most likely to happen and is a very tangible concern. To be understaffed in this situation is definitely not a good idea so you will need a considerable number of security personnel to be present. This is necessarily crucial for events where alcohol is served. Some security staff should be scattered and stationed among the crowd for them to astutely perceive and defuse volatile situations quickly.

Issues with security at any party or event are never frivolous matters. To ensure that the event will be successful, hire a security company that understands your concerns and will guarantee the best protection. Your investment in your event and your guests' safety should be the top priority.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Simple methods to Always keep Exhibition Centres Security

An exhibition means massive crowds, lots of products and many activities. Use these tips on how to build and maintain exhibition centres security.

Exhibition centres draw large crowds of people that include the members, guests and suppliers, among others. Without having a well-planned security detail, these kinds of locations may easily become disorganized and thrashing, becoming a risk to orderliness and safety. Maintaining exhibition centres safety is critical on the success of an event as well as the safety of the exhibits as well as the crowd.


Trying to keep products and staff safe

Probably the most challenging element about providing security for exhibition centres is always that personnel have to keep watch over numerous things at the same time. This includes the audience, the employees, the exhibits and particular events. Security is even more challenging where there are small, fragile or expensive products on display. Safety employees must always be alert to circumvent vandalism, physical destruction, loss, burglary and/or pilferage.

To keep exhibition centres security, particular elements have to be in place, such as:

Coordination between security as well as the event in-charge

Each event coordinator includes exhibition centres security when planning an event, therefore it should not be any issue for protection personnel to work with other staff during the exhibit period. The main element is always that all the staff active in the event, the suppliers and the members are informed about security details. By doing this, they understand what to anticipate. If they have concerns, they can always discuss issues with the security staff on duty.

Understanding the weakest points in the location

Every exhibition centre has a weak point and security personnel must be able to identify and assess these carefully in order to create an effective security program. It is usually a good idea to try to rectify any security issues prior for the exhibit itself.

Using technology for remote/automatic monitoring

Technology is vital to maintain exhibiting centres security. Electronic devices can be easily installed, programmed and used to monitor suspicious activities, view and review crowd behavior and assess the basic safety of essentially the most vulnerable areas. Installing cameras and sensors will help deter potential violators and apprehend anyone who does attempt to violate rules and regulations in place.

The use of electronic locks is also a good option particularly for products and exhibit items that are high-end or may have cultural significance. Electronic locks make monitoring easy since these kinds of are equipped with sensors that will alert security in case of an attempt to physically remove an exhibit object. The sight of electronic surveillance and security equipment can also work as a deterrence against potential crime.

Most importantly, work with professionals. If hiring safety workers to build and maintain exhibition centres security is necessary, then do so. The support, information and protection they can offer will prove very helpful.

Friday, October 7, 2011

What to Do to Maintain Exhibition Centres Security





Exhibition centres attract large crowds of people that include the participants, guests and suppliers, among others. Without a well-planned security detail, these locations can easily become disorganized and chaotic, becoming a threat to orderliness and safety. Keeping and maintaining exhibition centres security is critical to the success of an event and the safety of the exhibits and the crowd. 






Keeping products and staff safe
The most challenging aspect about ensuring security for exhibition centres is that personnel have to keep watch over several things all at once. This includes the crowd, the employees, the exhibits and certain events. Security is even more challenging where there are small, fragile or expensive products on display. Security personnel must always be on their toes to prevent vandalism, physical damage, loss, theft and/or pilferage. 


To maintain exhibition centres security, certain elements have to be in place, such as:






Coordination between security and the event in-charge

Every event coordinator includes exhibition centres security when planning an event, so it should not be a problem for security personnel to work with other staff during the exhibit period. The important thing is that all the staff involved in the event, the suppliers and the participants are informed about security details. That way, they know exactly what to expect. If they have concerns, they can always discuss issues with the security staff on duty.






Understanding the weakest points in the location

Every exhibition centre has a vulnerable point and security personnel must be able to identify and assess these carefully in order to create an effective security program. It is also a good idea to try to rectify any security issues prior to the exhibit itself. 




Using technology for remote/automatic monitoring

Technology is invaluable in maintaining exhibiting centres security. Electronics can be easily installed, programmed and used to monitor suspicious activities, view and review crowd behavior and assess the safety of the most vulnerable areas. Installing cameras and sensors will help deter potential violators and apprehend anyone who does attempt to violate rules and regulations in place. 


The use of electronic locks is also a good option particularly for products and exhibit items that are high-end or may have cultural significance. Electronic locks make monitoring easy since these are equipped with sensors that will alert security in case of an attempt to physically remove an exhibit object. The sight of electronic surveillance and security equipment can also work as a deterrence against potential crime.


Above all, work with professionals. If hiring security personnel to maintain exhibition centres security is necessary, then do so. The support, information and protection they can offer will prove invaluable.


© Elke Meitzel/cultura/Corbis
© Xu Suhui/XinHua/Xinhua Press/Corbis
© Monty Rakusen/cultura/Corbis

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Top 10 Qualities Every Excellent Security Guard Should Have







Security services are some of the most important elements of a successful business operation. Security personnel are hired to help keep people and the premises safe and maintain peace and order. They are also often hired to serve as personal escorts and safety officers. Before hiring someone with whom you will entrust the safety and security of your property or those of your loved ones, look carefully at their qualifications. Here are the top 10 qualities of an excellent security guard:





Training

The best security guards are those who have undergone the necessary training that will help them obtain important skills and knowledge that will be critical to how well they can perform their job. They should also hold the required certification and license necessary for them to do their job.


Experience
An experienced security guard has the background and knowledge that he or she can apply on the job. This means that he or she can hit the ground running, so to speak. Trained and experienced security guards know what to do and why.


Honesty

One of the best and most important qualities of an excellent security guard is honesty. Someone who is reliable can be trusted, which means that letting them take charge eliminates any worries regarding security breaches, inside jobs or confidential information.




Commonsense
Although security guards must follow certain rules and policies, they should have enough common sense to know exactly how and when to work around an issue, especially if it presents a potential risk to their client.




Ability to lead and to follow

Another important quality of an excellent security guard is his or her leadership ability. Many times, the security personnel are expected to work with a team, which means they have to know when to take charge. Where the safety of the client is at risk, the security personnel must know how and when to impose the necessary practices for the common good.


A security guard must also know how to abide by the rules, particularly those set up by their client. There are instances, however, when these rules need to be modified in order to ensure that the client is kept safe or that legal requirements are met.



Communication skills

An excellent security guard must be able to communicate well, not just with the client but with other people the client works or is involved with on a day-to-day basis.





Physical fitness

The best security guards are those that are healthy, nimble and physically reliable, able to defend himself/herself and the client if and when necessary.





Value for human life
An excellent security guard puts value on human life above all. In this type of job, strong concern for others is critical, allowing the guard to work at his or her best.



Ability to think on his/her feet 
An excellent security guard must be quick-thinking and able to come up with good solutions within a short time frame. This quality is especially important during emergency situations.



Photos by:
Ed Kashi 
© Hill Street Studios/Blend Images/Corbis



Friday, August 19, 2011

Key Qualities that Let You Know You've Hired the Best Crowd Control Personnel



Crowd control is critical to keeping people, equipment and property safe during large congregations such as conventions, concerts, rallies, demonstrations and conferences. It is also important for maintaining peace and order within establishments such as corporate buildings, malls and department stores. But how do you know you've hired the best crowd control personnel? Here are 5 key qualities to look for:








Training and license


Crowd control personnel work in a specialized industry. Before hiring one, always check what type of training he or she has undergone and what type of license he or she holds. To comply with existing laws and regulations, anyone working in security and crowd control is required to undergo a specified number of hours of training and practice in order to ensure that they know what their job entails.




Background and experience


Another key quality to look for in the best crowd control personnel is experience. The type of work these people do entails a lot of responsibilities. Very often, they need to perform several tasks at once, acting as security, contact persons and PR officers. The multi-layered responsibilities of a crowd control expert requires someone who has a good understanding of their job and what they are supposed to do in certain situations, something that only an experienced individual will be able to successfully perform.




Ability to impose rules and regulations


The best crowd control personnel are those who have strong leadership abilities. Very often, security personnel will have to implement strict rules and regulations in order to ensure crowd safety. As leaders, they need to convince people that these rules should be followed in order to avoid problems and threats. Someone who is unable to make crowds believe in him or her will not be effective in ensuring that safety procedures are in place.




Excellent communication skills


The best crowd control personnel must be able to communicate well with people. Having good to excellent written and speaking skills is ideal because it helps them provide information in a clear and understandable manner. This skill is critical especially in tense situations where people tend to be nervous or excitable. If the process of communication is clear, people are less likely to react in a negative manner.




Calmness and ability to think straight in emergency situations


You'll know that you hired the best crowd control personnel if they are calm and capable of performing their duties in spite of the noise and chaos surrounding them. Calmness is also an important quality since it translates well to the crowd. if the security personnel can think straight, he or she is not likely to make costly mistakes.

Monday, July 4, 2011

THERE IS MORE TO SECURITY THAN MEETS THE EYE – OPTIMISING CUSTOMER SERVICE OUTCOMES IN THE CLUB ENVIRONMENT



Gold Crest Security and O.O.P.S. partnering to deliver excellent customer service outcomes





Cast your mind back for a moment. Picture yourself in a line waiting for entry into the Disco or hot night spot, where your only chance of entry was being judged by a bloke standing at the door, black pants, white shirt, with bulging biceps, communicating not with words but through a nod of the head and a glance of the eye.

If you were a guy in the queue you may have been envious of these security guys with a bevy of beauties flocking around them, batting their eyelids, so they could get in and then there were their mates with their bulging biceps, who just walked to the front of the line and disappeared into the doorway.

Fast forward, the present!. 

We still have queues but what has changed is the role of the security personnel.  No longer are we confronted with “all brawn, potentially no brain” men, rather, we are now exposed to men and women providing a quality and informative role in their security guise.  Provision of a secure environment for patrons is still their number one priority, however, what is also important is a friendly welcome, the imparting of information when questioned about the venue and its facilities and the utterance of a pleasant farewell.  These are the requirements and expectations of both patrons and Club Management.







Security personnel of today must be part of the whole Club team.  The patron sees them as a spokesperson for the Club.  Everything they say and do reflects on the Club.  Club staff and security personnel need to work in unison providing a quality experience and secure environment.  The Club culture must be universally exhibited. 

Providing security to the Registered Club Industry is competitive (like all business) therefore security companies focussing upon this industry sector  have needed to be introspective, looking into their own systems, procedures, training and all importantly recruitment.

One such security company rising to this enhanced expectation is Gold Crest Security.  In seeking to reinforce their quality of service delivery in this regard, Gold Crest have taken a further step in engaging an independent authority to report on the delivery of its security function, its dispensing of Club information and its ability to reflect desired Club culture.

Responding to feedback Gold Crest Security has established a benchmark in the provision of a quality security function imbued with a desired Club culture.


Optimum Operating Procedures and Services Pty Ltd (better known as OOPS) has been working with the Registered Club Industry since 1999, providing Customer Service and Leadership Training, Coaching and Mentoring, Focus Groups and Surveys and Mystery Shopping “OOPS Insight Reports”.


OOPS has always provided a security report for its Club clients, with this information forwarded via the Club to the management of the relevant security firm.  However, in the case of Rooty Hill RSL where Gold Crest Security perform the requisite security function, management at both organisations could see the importance of these reports, inclusive of the “Trends Analysis”.  In communicating the feedback to their personnel, they have both gained insight into the importance of having “customer service” focused security personnel and this has led to an improvement in service and a constant “stretching” of their service ability to meet and surpass the OOPS Security Benchmark.

As independent observers OOPS staff have engaged directly and indirectly with Gold Crest Security staff at their various Club venues and their broader clientele providing a tailored report that addresses:

·        Personal image of security personnel
·        Enquires relating to the venues facilities
·        Going beyond the expectations of a patron when assisting with an enquiry
·        Supporting Club staff with entry requirements
·        Supporting Club staff internally
·        Being a watchful and alert presence within the venue


In situations where intervention is required the “offending” patron is effectively and efficiently escorted from the premises in a “non attention grabbing manner”, avoiding disturbance of other patrons or escalation of interest and involvement by others.

There also remains venues that still have the line of security personnel blocking the entry, making every patron jump through hoops, whether you’re a mature lady or a male under 25.  The Club and Security company may believe there is good reason for this, however, to a member or visitor to your Club what message is this communicating.  Are people being judged based upon a minority experience in the past or are security wanting to show a little muscle and believe that being aggressive and not welcoming on their initial contact is going to make an impression?  Yes it will, but it may not be the impression that the security company or the venue is looking for. 

Having entered the premises what is the next patron “encounter” with security? Is it seeing them leaning on the bar watching the football, while patrons (who are obviously over the alcohol limit), without any hint of intervention, yell loudly using abusive language making other patrons feel uncomfortable.

Both these scenarios do not portray a desirable image and do not exhibit a positive “customer service” culture.  So let me ask you, what impression do your security personnel communicate at your venue?

Security need to be seen but it’s how they are seen that makes the difference.  Positioning staff throughout the venue and having a team leader is critical in their operational procedures.  Being a security person can be a thankless task at times.  However, the staff and management at Gold Crest Security are aware that their role is not just providing a secure environment but instead are providers of information and in many cases the first and last impression that a patron has of the venue, particularly where Clubs utilise the security personnel to provide the “meet and greet” / farewell function instead of Club staff.

So why have an independent authority critique your security personnel?  Gold Crest Security undertake this reporting on a regular basis to achieve:

  • Client retention
  • Credibility of their customer service assurance
  • Recognition by potential clients that they are committed to a superior offering of security services
  • A reinforcement of teamwork (a true Club partnership)
  • Recognition as a quality control provider of security and customer service leader in the industry
Yes security is more than meets the eye – if professionally approached.



For a security service that prides itself on excellent customer service, provided by fully trained staff who work in conjunction with their clients in creating a welcoming and secure environment, contact Mark Walker or Grant Heanes at Gold Crest Security.  gheanes@goldcrestsecurity.com.au


Michelle Pascoe the principal of OOPS can be contacted on 0411 146 450 to discuss how her organisation can work with your venue and security company in tailoring a Security Report that will be provide relevant feedback and improve your custom and bottom line.


Monday, June 6, 2011

What to Look for When Hiring the Best Shopping Centre Security




Retail security is an important part of a successful business operation particularly for malls, shopping centers and stores. Retail security is actually so much more than just preventing and apprehending shoplifters - it is also about keeping the employees, shop owners and customers safe and secure. Here are the most important things to look for when hiring the best shopping centre security personnel:


License
In most states, people who will be working as security personnel are required to hold security guard licenses. This is often a requisite for hiring by a security agency or company. Most states apply stringent rules regarding licenses and will require employees of agencies to have one. State departments also require shopping centres to hire only security personnel who are licensed and will likely charge a fine to those who are caught with unlicensed staff. 

Why is a license important? A license is an assurance that the shopping centre security personnel have undergone and passed the necessary training course to qualify them for the job. Security personnel also have to undergo a background check before earning their license.


Experience
When hiring the best shopping centre security, make sure to look for have enough experience in retail security. Experienced personnel are aware of what their job entails and know exactly what to expect from the environment where they will be working. Security needs in a retail environment is different from, say, a corporate or hotel or events environment. The best shopping centre security who have relevant experience are more likely to be effective in doing their jobs.



References
One of the most important things to remember when hiring the best shopping centre security personnel is their background and track record. Whilst most agencies will gladly provide their potential client with proof that their security staff has undergone a background check, it is also a good idea to find out about the past performance of both the agency and its employees. This is to provide the client with sufficient information about how well the personnel handled their job and whether their performance was satisfactory or not.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Tips on What to Consider When Hiring Hotel Security Personnel


Guests and employees rely on hotel security personnel to keep them safe within the premises of the hotel. While these places are relatively secure to begin with, crime can and does occur. Here are the key considerations you need to make when hiring hotel security personnel.

The right training and experience


Hotel security personnel must have undergone training related to security and have had experience working in the same capacity. Hotels have their own unique needs and procedures, something that an experienced security staff understands.



It is also important for hotel security personnel to have undergone training in administering first aid. In most emergency situations, security personnel are the hotel employees who are readily available to respond, so they need to be ready and know what to do in order to extend help.

A clean background
When hiring hotel security personnel, it is important to perform a thorough background check to determine if the candidate is suitable for the job. Any problems and issues that a candidate may have had in the past can be a sign of future problems, so be careful when asking questions from former employees, trainers and colleagues. Make sure their references have been checked and verified and that any claims they may have on their resumes or during interviews are corroborated.

It is also a good idea to assess job candidates thoroughly for trustworthiness and honesty. Keep in mind that they will likely interact with guests and other hotel staff. If any one is harmed due to negligence or deliberate malice on the part of the security staff, the hotel could easily face a complaint or even a lawsuit. Well-trained security personnel exhibit good judgment and proper conduct when doing their jobs.


Thorough understanding of the job.
The best hotel security personnel are those who understand that the best way to keep the premises safe is to proactively prevent and intercept crime and violations. Job candidates who think that hotel security is merely about patrolling the premises and acting only when and if incidents occur are not right for your business. Guests and other staff will be a lot safer if hotel security personnel practiced preventive steps.


Consider hiring from a security agency.
Security agencies perform initial assessments to potential hotel security personnel. In some cases, they may even let their employees undergo much-needed training to update their skills. Security agencies allow you to set your specifications and boundaries so they can tailor their services to your needs. Just be sure to check the background of the company and its past track record to determine if they are a good fit.