How to Perform Security Tours in Malls

When performing tours in malls there are different tactics when touring that might need to be used instead of normal factory style tours.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience
• Vigilance
• Attention to detail
• Pen
• Notepad
• Watch
• Ability to be courteous in the face of anger

1. In many cases, you are going to have to both deal with the public as well as protect the public. In these cases, it helps if you are professional as possible while being polite but not too friendly to the client, mall employees, and consumers. Being too friendly will undermine your authority in case you need to give directions in an emergency or important event occurs in the mall.

2. When touring in clothing stores keep your head up and looking around at all times. However, be cautious when touring near women’s dressing rooms. Always use your sightline with your head looking straight ahead in these instances to avoid being accused of trying to look into changing rooms.
   
   Be cautious at these times but aware that there may be shoplifting going on and you are there to stop or prevent this from happening at all times.
   
   Many stores will appreciate your extra eyes and vigilance when touring to keep their losses to a minimum and make their staff feel safe and secure at work.

3. Be sure to check all areas when doing tours just because the checkpoint or Detex marker is at the doorway you still need to be more vigilant. Is there any out of the ordinary sounds, smells that you had not noticed before?

4. When checking the parking lots at all hours you are watching for individuals who may be attempting to enter vehicles. Is someone acting oddly in between two vehicles at the far end of the parking lot? Is someone putting brochures on the vehicles without permission from mall management that you are aware of.

5. Are teens putting elderly walkers at risk while walking in the mall? Are they being aggressive or not paying attention to others when hanging out by doors, storefronts, etc…
   
   Sometimes confrontations are necessary to remove rowdy individuals from the mall. When you have these incidents always, be sure to do an incident report taking notes in your pocket notebook to reference later if necessary.

6. Be sure at the end of the evening when you are emptying the mall be as polite as possible while being authoritative. Taking into consideration of things such as mall store employees waiting for a ride, teens waiting for a ride, mall management’s policy on individuals in the mall after closing hours.
   
   Above all be polite, courteous and customer friendly while maintaining your authority in order to provide the best service possible to both the client, the mall staff, your employee

Tips & Warnings

• Always be courteous even if someone is yelling, pointing at, confronting you in order to get you in trouble for acting inappropriately
• Always take as accurate notes as possible when an incident occurs in order to fill reports and incident reports more effectively
• Pay close attention to areas where you wouldn't normally because you never know
• Always demonstrate proper etiquette and authority when dealing with the public
• Better safe than sorry with regards to any event that may cause a confrontation with the public especially
• Never get too friendly with either mall staff, store employees or public using the mall
• Never intentionally confront someone alone unless necessary
• Never be afraid to ask for back up if you need it. If back up isn't available by other Security Officers always call the local Police.

Resources

• Properly writing security reports

[jtphantom]

on 8/8/2009 These are the same procedures I used and trained others to use when I worked at a mall in the late 1990's. The shoplifting losses and problems dropped almost 95% after I began using and training others in these procedures.

I was actually hired to get rid of the problems such as shoplifting and teen disturbances at that mall.