Security Team of the Year
Friars Square Shopping Centre, Aylesbury
Managed by Rockspring
Category sponsored by UKPC
The Friars Square team introduced a new self-motivating motto in 2017, reflecting its commitment to the centre: “Every opportunity needs to be met with enthusiasm and commitment in our aims to improve services.”
This creates challenges with opportunities – looking, listening and acting on instinct. The team are ready to take discussions and be motivated to deal with all the different types of issues and demands they face.
The Friars Square team recognise their responsibilities in dealing with modern demands. With this commitment, it was decided to rename the security officers as ‘Customer Liaison Officers; immediately demonstrating their versatility and the direction in which they wanted to move forward. However, this did not take anything away their aims in delivering the very best service.
Team motivation and communication is the key, with the delivery of regular presentations and toolbox talks to the officers helping in the quest for quick results. Information collating on ‘dos and don’ts’ and safety information on how to handle emergencies was introduced, as well as sharing practices with other departments within the centre.
The team also work closely with the local police and authorities within the town centre.
They introduced new daily tenant care visits to offer advice to tenants, collecting information and creating a good atmosphere. This has become a great success, as well as helping collate data for future improvements.
Officers still need to stay focused on their key aims of being a deterrent, a pre-emptor of trouble and a first response in the event of emergency. But, importantly, the centre nurtures officers to become caring, sympathetic, understanding and loyal members of the centre team.
