It’s important to have proper security in shopping malls to keep property, shoppers, and employees safe. One of the key aspects of maintaining a level of security in shopping malls is staffing security officers. However, it’s not enough to simply hire security officers. You need to make sure that they are equipped to do the job.

The best way to ensure that your security officers are capable of handling the task at hand is to use a reputable security company for your staffing. The company will hire and train security officers and send them to your property fully equipped to protect it. In order to obtain the right security officers, you need to choose the right staffing company. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a security officer staffing company to protect your shopping mall.

Flexibility

It’s important that the company staffing your security officers is flexible enough to suit your needs. The company should be able to work with your schedule in order to schedule meetings, phone calls, and consultations. If the company is not willing to work on your schedule, they are not committed to providing you with the best security and the best experience.

You should also enquire about long-term versus short-term contracts for your security officers. It’s likely that you will require long-term contracts to protect your property year-round. However, there are certain times in the year, such as the holiday season, where you might need some extra security, meaning you’ll need short-term contracts as well. Your security company should be able to staff both types of contracts to properly suit your needs.

Reputation

You should always learn about the reputation of your security officer staffing company before getting into business. It’s best to choose a company with a good reputation with the community. Always get references and referrals when choosing a company. Check the Better Business Bureau to assess any potential company’s reputation to make sure that there are no unresolved issues or claims made against the company. Check the social media accounts of your potential company and look for poor reviews. It’s a good idea to look into the length of time the company has been in business, as longer standing companies typically have a proven track record.

Selection Process

You should look into the process any potential company has for selecting security officers. How are these officers selected? Do they typically hire ex military or police, or are they more likely to hire individuals with less experience? You should verify that the company performs background checks on any potential hire to ensure the safety of your property. Look into the evaluation process to make sure they take into account all risk factors that you would want them to be aware of.

Officer Training

Having a solid training process in place is crucial to the success of security officers. Poorly trained officers will be ineffective and will not respond appropriately to high stress situations. It’s important that a security staffing company goes through proper protocol to license and certify each security officer, however, this licensure itself is not enough.

Look for a company that provides extensive training courses coupled with refresher courses to ensure that security officers’ skills are kept sharp. Not only should security officers be able to respond quickly and appropriately to high stress situations, but they should also be able to manage, monitor, and operate your security system equipment. Officers should also be trained in writing incident reports, activity logs, and all other documents that are necessary to properly logging all activity related to security.

Cost

Although finding a reputable company to staff your mall security officers is important, no one wants to pay more than they have to. When looking for a company, be sure to choose one that provides you with a detailed report of all rates or costs. Look into what factors will affect the cost of the services to ensure that there are no hidden fees. Be sure to inquire how the security officers will be paid for their work, whether you will pay them an hourly rate or pay a flat rate to the company. These factors will help you obtain an accurate estimate of the cost of services before you sign.

USI Security | Mall Security Officer Training and Staffing

Although it’s tempting to hire security officers as quickly as possible to protect your property, ultimately it will cost you more than it’s worth in the long term. Hiring unqualified security officers can damage your company’s reputation and financial livelihood, compromising security. It’s best to take your time and develop a hiring process that will help you get the high quality security officers that you need. In the end it is the only way to ensure your company’s long-term success.

Take a look at our “Security Officer Checklist” to ensure that you find the right officers to meet your building’s complex needs.