Officer Liam Watkins, an employee of leading security solutions provider The Shield Guarding Company, is the winner of 2011’s Security Smile Ambassador Award.
Employed at the famous Bullring Shopping Centre in Birmingham since 2010, Watkins was judged to have the most welcoming smile of those submitted to an online photo competition run by Security and Facilities Education (SAFE) in conjunction with Security Management Today Online (the dedicated end user channel of Info4Security.com).
Also a member of The Shield Guarding Company’s team at the Bullring, Rashida Begun has been informed by the competition organisers that she too has won the highly commended prize as runner-up in this customer service personnel-focused competition.
As overall victor in this year’s scheme, Watkins picks up a framed certificate from the campaign organisers. Both he and Begun also win a luxury weekend away for two at a Marriot Hotel of their choosing.
The Smiles of Britain Campaign
The Security Smile Ambassador Award is itself aligned with a wider customer service-focused initiative run by the National Skills Academy for Hospitality to promote a more hospitable and welcoming Britain
“The National Skills Academy for Hospitality’s Smiles of Britain campaign is an online motivation and engagement tool that was created to help businesses from all industries focus on the essentials of world class customer service,” explained Frances Sturt, marketing manager at the National Skills Academy for Hospitality.
The UK is currently ranked fifth in the Nations Brand Index Survey wherein countries are evaluated against a wide range of criteria, but alas it slips to a lowly thirteenth for its perceived ‘Welcome’.
Smiles of Britain is designed to improve that ranking on the macro level, with the Security Smile Ambassador Award specifically formulated such that the security sector can play its part.
“This fun concept encourages Britain to be more enthusiastic about smiling,” continued Sturt. “We’re here to help prove that Britain truly is a hospitable place to visit in all sectors.”
Promoting excellence in customer service
Speaking about the security sector’s role, Raymond Clarke – the forward-thinking managing director at SAFE – said: “The 2011 campaign in the security industry is the first of what is expected to become an annual event designed specifically to promote excellence in customer service.”
Clarke went on to state: “This year’s campaign has been very successful in terms of shining a collective spotlight on the breadth of roles undertaken by today’s security personnel during their everyday interactions with members of the general public.”
Furthering the theme, Clarke added: “Customer service and effective communication are a key part of the role of security staff as they often serve in public-facing roles that involve welcoming and informing customers, in addition to ensuring customer safety and their security.”
In such an environment, it’s most important that security staff are friendly and approachable. As Clarke rightly stated, a simple smile can make all the difference.
“Not only is the Security Smile Ambassador campaign designed to promote the role of the security industry in customer service, it’s also designed to celebrate the level of progress that has been made by the industry in this regard since the inception of Government-backed regulation courtesy of the Security Industry Authority.”
What do the winners think?
Birmingham’s famous Bullring is the UK’s busiest shopping centre, with an annual footfall of anything up to 40 million people.
A number of high profile retailers have opened premises there in the last 12 months – among them Forever 21, which opened its first store in Europe at the Bullring – in addition to Hugo Boss, Jamie’s Italian and Hollister.
These new brands add to the centre’s extremely impressive retailing line-up which is anchored by the famous Selfridges store.
Given that footfall count, and the scale of the operation, it’s little wonder that no two days are ever the same. This realises myriad challenges for the security staff, whose members are constantly having to learn and adapt to new situations.
According to Liam Watkins, the role of said members of the security team at Birmingham’s Bullring is to be welcoming and helpful to the public, as well as ensuring their safety and security.
“In addition to traditional security duties, a large part of my day is dedicated to working with the public,” said Watkins. “Security staff are often the first and sometimes only members of the centre’s operations team that come into contact with visitors. That being the case, a smile is so important to the creation of a positive atmosphere.”
Rashida Begun is in full agreement. “In my job on the customer services desk,” she explained, “I have to deal with a wide range of situations: anything from people asking for general advice through to dealing with those individuals who have lost some property or become separated from their party. A smile puts people at ease, shows that the person concerned has your attention and provides a positive foundation for discussion.”
Boost for the Front of House team
For his part Richard Scharenguivel – Bullring’s deputy general manager, head of security on a day-to-day basis and host customer for The Shield Guarding Company’s security service – explained: “Winning the inaugural Security Smile Ambassador Award is a great boost for the Front of House team who interact with Bullring Shopping Centre’s customers every day.”
Scharenguivel – who started working at Bullring in November 2007 following a career in the retail sector – continued: “We encourage our staff and sub-contractors to consider visitors to the centre as guests. Our job is to make the experience of visiting our centre as pleasant and as engaging as possible, even for those who are perhaps not what you might call ‘natural’ shoppers. A friendly face and helpful advice play a key part in this process.”
In conclusion, he said: “I must congratulate SAFE, Security Management Today Online and the National Skills Academy for Hospitality. A photographic campaign is a simple and engaging idea, and it conveys so much.”
Embellishing the point, Scharenguivel enthused: “Again, we are absolutely delighted that two members of Bullring’s staff have been identified for their winning smiles in what is a national competition. It’s good for morale, and a direct reflection of our commitment to provide a pleasant and secure environment for our guests in which to shop.”
SAFE and Security Management Today Online
Security and Facilities Education (SAFE) is a leading provider of learning materials and training to the security sector.
Working with awarding organisations including Edexcel and EDI, SAFE is involved in the development of industry qualifications and has undoubtedly played a key role in ramping up professionalism across the sector.
As the pivotal channel within Info4Security.com, Security Management Today (SMT) Online serves as the leading digital news and views medium for end users in the security sector.
Catering primarily for security directors and managers, it’s designed to inform its readers on the best ways possible in which to deliver their security remit.
SMT Online carries all the latest updates on Security Industry Authority regulation, wider industry news and views, interviews with the leading practitioners and details of all the current innovations in systems and products both in the UK and overseas.
For further information on SAFE, the Smiles of Britain initiative and Birmingham’s Bullring access the web links at the foot of this page
