The New Responsibilities of Retail Security Guards

The essential responsibilities of a retail security guard will never change. Their role is to protect and guard a store, its contents, and the people within it. But the retail environment is constantly evolving, which means the role of retail security guards must evolve right along with it.

Contain the Mayhem of Self Checkouts

For consumers, self-checkout lines are a wonderful innovation. Shoppers can move at their own speed and not be at the mercy of a slow or chatty checkout clerk or a long line. Though self-checkouts offer convenience, they also operate on the honor code and consumers are expected to scan and bag every item honestly. But it’s easy to conceal or falsely scan items at checkouts, which makes an eagle eye that much more critical of a skill for a security guard tasked with monitoring checkouts.

To combat crime, many self-checkout lines are equipped with security cameras at every station. Customers can see themselves hard at work checking themselves out, which lets them know that a security guard somewhere is also watching their every move. Now uniformed security guards in retail settings are not only on guard in person within checkout lines but often behind the scenes monitoring security camera footage in real time.

Monitor Security Alarms

When working in a store where merchandise is marked with active security tags, there will be false alarms and real thefts, and security guards must investigate to determine what’s happening. Sometimes a clerk forgets to remove a security tag. Sometimes a pair of thieves work together to distract a guard with a forgotten tag while the other sneaks out of the store with stolen merchandise amid the mayhem.

Distraction is real threat for all retail security guards. Criminals can benefit from false positive alarms, pocketing items – equipped with a security tag or not – when a guard is otherwise engaged. Quite often, security guards are working solo or with only one partner, which means keeping watch over every aspect of a retail environment is a challenge.

Enforce COVID-19 Rules and Regulations

Retail security guards typically play a silent role, keeping a watchful eye on all that is happening within the domain they have been tasked to oversee. Their responsibilities are many, and now COVID-19 has complicated matters even further and often required them to take on a more vocal role.

Along with maintaining the basic security of a store, guards are now required to do more than keep watch for underhanded behavior. Enforcing social distancing measures, monitoring mask wearing and one-way systems, and keeping occupancy numbers at their predetermined threshold also fall under a guard’s purview. Guards often need to utilize communication skills to maintain order in lengthy queues and keep people at safe distances from each other.

Secure Your Shopping Space with a Security Guard

The role of a retail security guard is critical. As consumer habits change and retail environments shift, so too do a security guard’s responsibilities. Protect yourself, your employees, your customers, and your store by having an armed Korner Security guard on the premises 24/7. Contact us to discuss your retail security needs. We will help you develop a plan using guards, surveillance, and any other measures that will be effective for your unique circumstances.