Enhancing Security With Customer Service: A Dual Focus Approach

Integrating Customer Service Excellence into Security Guard Responsibilities

Excellent customer service and security reactions on the part of security guards are routinely reported in the news. For instance on Jan 7, 2022 a man had a heart attack in the parking lot of a hospital in Houston TX and collapsed near his car. Security guard Puneet Dylan saw the man while on his routine patrol, started CPR- and saved his life. And in June 2023, front lobby security guard Lourdes Santos observed a mother tapping on her infant’s back, and realized the baby was choking. With permission, she was able to dislodge a penny that was blocking the baby’s throat, saving the infant’s life.

These instances just illustrate the key qualities that security guards must possess- excellent problem-solving abilities, clear communication, quick thinking and leadership. These are the foundation of security protocols and customer service that security guards apply every day to whatever situations arise as they represent their security company and clients

Every security guard is tasked with keeping themselves and others safe– but there are myriad ways that this can be accomplished. For instance, some security companies heavily depend on the technology of the best security guard management system software to achieve their safety goals. But security-achieving strategies go well beyond the mere equipment of radios, firearms, or even the use of advanced types of drones in security services. No matter the task, from routine patrols or crowd control to CCTV monitoring or workplace protections, a minor situation can turn dangerous quickly for security guards if not handled properly. There are reasons behind security guards paying security guard insurance cost — security industry jobs are inherently dangerous. Ultimately the highest safety standards in security are best arrived at by customer service excellence being integrated into security guard responsibilities, supported by the correct technology.

How Do You Keep Yourself and Others Safe on Your Job?

Your primary job duty as a security guard is to correctly respond to any situations that arise. This often means that security guards must know how to DE-ESCALATE people in situations as they happen. First you must recognize when a situation is getting volatile. Some signs of someone becoming too volatile are when:

• The person is aggressively or inappropriately encroaching on another’s personal space.
• They are using violent or abusive language.
• The person is making threatening comments, direct threats, or speaking about previous violence they committed.
• They are inappropriately laughing or yelling, or engaging in other inappropriate actions.
• They are red-faced, breathing heavily, finger-pointing, or punching/kicking furniture.

Security guards should be trained in how to calm people down and resolve conflicts peacefully. Techniques involve listening, explaining choices and consequences, acting with empathy and professionalism, and communicating effectively. These techniques are used first, before any use of physical force, or calling for backup to protect yourself or others.

How Well Could You De-escalate a Tense Situation?

Here’s a quick QUIZ to see how well you’d do in some common security situations. These scenarios will illustrate practical ways a security guard can combine excellent security training and customer service skills:

Your job is patrolling in a mall. One day on patrol, you find a woman standing in the common walkway area angrily and loudly shouting at someone shopping inside a store. What do you do?

• You loudly scream at her, “Hey, you! Don’t yell like that in the mall…!”
• You get up close, point in her face and grab her by the arm to make her move along.
• You calmly say, “Excuse me, ma’am, I see you’re upset, can I help you with something?” then listen to her responses, repeating them back to her.
• Call the police on her right away.

(c.) In this situation you would use customer service skills to BUILD TRUST by speaking in a quiet calm friendly tone. Use the person’s name or polite title like ‘ma’am’ and try to find out why she’s yelling. LISTEN ACTIVELY, using eye contact and without interrupting. CLARIFY what she says or wants, repeating back to show you are listening. Avoid any physical contact or aggressive gestures.

Your security job is to do a foot patrol in the park of a gated community. There is a group of kids on bikes riding fast on the sidewalks, narrowly missing residents walking their dogs. What do you do?

• A. You ignore them.
• B. You run after the kids on bikes, yelling at them that you will arrest them if they don’t stop what they are doing.
• C. – When the kids laugh and call you a “fake cop” and “fake bacon” you get into a verbal fight with them.
• D. – When the group stops and gathers in the park to talk, you approach and politely speak about the consequences of running into someone with their bikes

(d.) In this situation, you would DEFLECT INSULTS and simply address their behavior, AVOIDING THREATS or ULTIMATUMS. If possible, you’d SUGGEST A SOLUTION that would work for both of you. Also you would be obliged to DOCUMENT the incident to comply with your company and client’s rules and regulations.

Your security company has a large church as a client. During one Sunday service, a man becomes upset during the pastor’s sermon, and storms out. Now he’s in the church lobby, engaging angrily with you on duty in the lobby. He’s agitated, ranting about the world’s growing evil and the pastor’s bad theology. What do you do?

• A. Loudly disagree with him, since his views are very extreme and wrong.
• B. Tell him he had better calm down since he has no choice but to leave.
• C. Ignore any emotions he’s feeling, and do not converse civilly, as the man is obviously crazy.
• D. Since he continues to respond to you very negatively, retreat when other security persons and the pastor come out to talk to the man and take over. The church then extends care with its care team, and the man finally shakes hands and leaves calmly after being allowed to vent.

(d.) It is best to WITHDRAW from a situation if others arrive and are met more positively by the subject than you. Customer service responsibilities of security guards are to reach the best conclusion in the best way, reducing risk, injury, or legal consequences. Also keep in mind that your security company’s client could be a church- or a bar- and you will represent each“brand” differently. Use OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS to find out how the person is feeling, and establish communication and trust. Ordering a person to “calm down” rarely works well. AVOID THREATS, ADDRESS CUSTOMER ISSUES, and identify the person’s feelings. Do not be judgmental, or use words such as “wrong” or “crazy” that are provocative.

To summarize, a security guard must apply a balance of security training skills and customer service ideals for a dual approach.
This mix will:

• Help protect yourself and others from harm.
• Reduce the risk of physical and psychological injury to all parties.
• Prevent violence from getting worse, involving more people and more damage.
• Comply with the rules and integrity of your company and client.