Shopping malls have a large, mobile population every day; people shop, enjoy food, and have many entertainment activities in malls, especially during the holidays.
Managing the significant increase in store traffic during the holidays is a challenge for many mall operations teams. While all departments prioritize a pleasant visitor experience, the security department faces additional pressure during the holidays due to crowd size, changing demographics (more children and seniors in traffic), more temporary installations in aisles, and more. Here are the three most common tips or lessons we've received from our clients.
Tip 1: Allow store staff to speak instantly in a group, discreetly
Although the holiday season generates significantly more revenue than normal days, store owners and mall operators often have to invest more in temporary labor, training, and equipment. Licensed or unlicensed two-way radios are the easiest option for stores, not only because they are intuitive to operate and require minimal training, but also because there are no installation or usage fees. If a customer walks into the store and wants a pair of shoes in a specific size, staff can radio the warehouse to check if it's in stock; the store manager can instantly call the entire team's attention to a specific task. Improved two-way communication facilitates team collaboration and results in greater efficiency, profitability, and a better shopping experience for customers.
Tip 2: Provide situational awareness to security personnel
As the main force in ensuring the security of shopping malls, security personnel must be equipped with professional devices such as professional two-way radios, push-to-talk over cellular/Wi-Fi (PoC) radios, smartphones with a dedicated PTT button, and 4G body-worn cameras. Coupled with RFID or Wi-Fi-based indoor positioning technology and closed-circuit televisions, the control room can literally easily see where security personnel are located and talk to them in groups or individually at the touch of a button. Pervasive connectivity in the shopping mall allows the control room to keep personnel at various posts informed in real time with voice calls, text/multimedia SMS, alerts, and more.
As a device used daily, it must be lightweight and compact. Paired with audio and carrying accessories, the device doesn't put additional strain on frequent use, especially when users are moving quickly. Communication devices, such as professional push-to-talk radios, must offer good coverage in terms of both communication range and quality, assisting staff with reliable voice calls at the farthest limits of coverage.
Tip 3: Train security guards to respond in an emergency
When there is a crowd in a relatively small space, emergency response plans must be in place. Shopping malls are crowded, and the situation can become complex; security guards must respond to various incidents. In some rare and extreme situations, such as active shooters and fires, crowd evacuation is necessary. In these critical moments, professional two-way radios and systems provide vital communications for those responsible for crowd evacuation, as Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity can fail due to a power outage or malicious interruption. Professional two-way radios are capable of:
a) Alert all security personnel with the alarm button.
Depending on how the radios are configured, the alert reaches all security guards, the control room, and even the police station.
b) Announce the instructions over the PA system.
It is the most effective way to inform the crowd of what needs to be done and calm it down.
c) Connect with first aid.
If the mall's two-way radio system is configured to connect to a local police station or 911 center via a gateway or other means in the event of an emergency, security personnel can better collaborate with first responders.
Radios: When communication cannot fail
Due to the availability and reliability of two-way radios over mobile phones, which rely on Wi-Fi or cellular networks, we always recommend having a professional two-way radio system for security personnel at large shopping centers.
