Untrained ‘Security’ Personnel,The New Menace Crushing Businesses

There is a new menace in town, a breed of bitter untrained ‘security’ personnel who lack the basic etiquette required of a human being.

Security companies have flooded the market which has totally poured down the meaning of security. Candidates of these jobs are mostly not past form four with some having quit school after the primary certificate. They are mostly green when it comes to the importance of good customer service and are likely to reduce customers in your organization unless you take the initiative to train them.

A post on social media of a lady explaining how she was harassed by a couple of security guards at a mall entrance after she noted a male security guard opening her handbag, which was at the back seat  in her car, reminded me of the many growing numbers of horror stories I have heard of these security guards.

Just the other day a friend told me of how she decided to get into a restaurant in town to wait for a colleague of hers. At the entrance, was an angry looking young man in a security guards uniform who upon seeing her bellowed “hakikisha umekula huku ndio uende choo” (ensure you have eaten here so that you can use the washrooms)

She was obviously shocked and offended and requested to see the manager to which she was met with insults from the ignorant young man. The security guard was oblivious of the damage he was having on the business premise.

Restaurants, especially within Nairobi’s CBD, are known to refuse access to washrooms to the members of the public unless you sit and enjoy one of their products. It was once an unspoken law that some of them have now decided to put out there with posters warning the public of hefty fines if caught using the washrooms and not buying from them. It is a tricky situation that could be very embarrassing to the customer as when one walks to a restaurant alone, it is only sensible to use the washrooms first, if need be, before proceeding to make their order to avoid living their meal unattended.

Restaurants that have untrained security guards who will warn customers at the entrance not use the washrooms if they do not intend to eat there will definitely take away the appetite even from the hungriest of people. How exactly does such a premise expect that customer back after such humiliation?

The other breed of untrained security guards who are likely to cost restaurants repeat customers are those that will demand that because you are carrying shopping that include bread and milk, you leave your shopping with them at the door since ‘foods from outside are not allowed’. Such guards are mostly unaware of the discomfort they cause these customers.

Water bottles have with time become a must-have with the scathing sun. Having a water bottle in a lady’s handbag nowadays is just like carrying a moisturizing lotion. When security guards deep their hand into customer’s handbags to remove the bottle for them to pick their water on their way out, it is ignorance. It is easier to inform the customer that s/he is not allowed to take the water while in the restaurant. How is the client expected to drink their water after leaving it with some stranger in this era?

The booming businesses of security guards need to be accompanied by strict outlined guidelines. They should be trained in customer care services as they are the first people customers come across and the first impression is key.