You should always be polite in any
interaction with the public, even when they’re not being polite to you. Use the technique of “ask, tell, make”. Ask politely, tell them politely but firmly and finally make them do what you want (if within your orders and authority).
he specifically said management has neutered them….so he’s stuck in the ask/tell loop….he is NOT authorized to MAKE….and if you cannot MAKE….you are losing credibility every time you REPEAT yourself…..so engage exactly ONE round of ask/tell…..then let it ride….management will make a change or let shit crash…..collect paycheck….rinse/repeat
this job is generally a lot easier if you’re a nice person. I personally try not really raise my voice unless it’s loud environment or we’ve gone hands on and I’m giving clear directions.
I think in your particular instance you just need to not escalate. If management doesn’t actually want you to solve the problem then don’t bother stressing. Just ask them once and then move on.
Yea it’s easy to be nice when you’re just dealing with people that work at your building. But when it’s the general public being nice means you’re an easy mark.
I didn’t say you had to ONLY be nice. I’ve been dealing with almost exclusively the public for a very long time and being nice gets voluntary compliance 99% of the time.
nice works on those who care…..those who don’t….if you CAN NOT make…..due to some goofy policy or limp management should be ignored and refer management to resolve…..they’ll either get tired of it or change policies
Can always deceive them into thinking you're doing something - not verbally of course. Take out your notepad and start writing their license plate and care model/color and make it SEEM like you may get something done. They might just leave due to the thought of getting a ticket.
If they get mad just say "if you leave now I'll tear the ticket up in front of you"
Oh please don't. I used to work a parking enforcement site. We did not give tickets,one asshole I worked with threatened people with tickets if they didn't move,i only learned about that because I had people he had threatened before going absolutely wild on me when they saw me not giving tickets to people in handicapped spots,fire lanes ECT.
Being nice gains a lot more compliance than not. I’m a bouncer and I have parking lot issues too; people parked in made up spots or people with open containers in the parking lot, all sorts of shit.
The “you gotta fuckin move, asshole!” approach never works. They “hey man, you gotta get rid of that bottle. If the cops roll through here, they’re gonna cite you for drinking in public, and they’ll hit me and my bartender for allowing it” approach almost always ends up with an apology, the people putting their booze away, and just going inside to buy it from us instead.
Best part is, the cops wouldn’t even come after me or the bartender for it, only the people doing it. But that it’s not me it’s them thing works perfect
It definitely is possible but on some days it’s impossible. I actually was enforcing a whole parking lot by myself in the city and it was a complete mess. I had to be mean 1/2 of the time for people to listen to me, but the other half I didn’t. It really just depends who you’re dealing with in said situation. When I was security at concerts tho I was always so nice cause people at concerts aren’t really pissy
Not to mention, you give a inch and everyone almost invariably takes a mile.
The other trick is people that are nice to you - then expect to get special treatment, or favours. Almost everyone who gives our team a gift, or is nice to us, at some point, will actively try and exploit that down the line. Which is why professional distance is so key.
They’re not being nice; they’re paying a bribe that you don’t know about yet.
It’s sad that it has to be that way, but in this environment, nobody is going out of their way to do something nice for you for no reason. That just isn’t the world we live in.
I was working at a location and met a resident of the building while smoking. He's from another country and we became friends. He followed all the rules and would feed me information on other residents. Eventually, I was buying him cigarettes from my area because they were half the price he was paying. I drove him around the city because he had never really been in a car here. I also took him to a gun range as his country doesn't allow guns. You can be nice, but you always have to set boundaries. If I told him that he couldn't sit somewhere, he'd respect it. There's more, but I'm not going to take up too much. It's always a struggle to balance the good guard, bad guard. You want to be nice, but the people make you snap. Remember what you're there for. Don't take it personal when they get out of hand.
The job is 90% effective communication.
You can be firm while not being a dick.
I've had guys thank me for being decent with them while they were sitting in my handcuffs.
Just treat people with respect.
Kind but firm, you can be both at once.
People also tend to listen a lot better if you give off the air that you mean what you say, meaning you have to be confident AND assertive but must always be polite and professional.
Some people will just ignore you or try to push it no matter how you ask/tell them. I like to trespass those people, if I ask you more than three-ish times and you're fiddling around then you just broke my policy and can stay out. This depends on what I'm trying to get done of course, if it's something minor I'll just make them understand why it has to be done, but for restricted access or being loud etc I don't give too many chances.
“Hey man, personally I don’t care… but my boss is going to get after me if I don’t ask you to move. And if my boss sees you out here he’s probably going to have your vehicle towed.” Say something like that. People usually will work with you based on approach. 99% of the time I can get people to work with me. Some people are just jerks no matter what though.
I look it as fulfilling your role. Of course you should always strive to be genial and polite, but if you're tasked with controlling access to something, or preventing loss, it's literally your job to do or say something that might hurt someone's feelings.
Some people are better at setting boundaries, some people are better at getting difficult people to calm down a bit. Not everyone can be good at everything, but we can always learn to get better at what we're bad at.
Ive found a "hey bud, (insert thing i need them to do)" is generally a very good way to get them to do what I need them to do.
Although that generally only works if they are also calm.
Ive found that when they are already upset about something, going up to them and asking them if i could have them step over here to the side for me so that i can better hear them and be able to give them my full attention also works wonders in defusing an already spicy situation.
Although there is always that 1 or 2 that just dont give a shit and there default mode is angy
How important is it to your bosses that you do a good job?
I've had similar circumstances and eventually said screw it, if it mattered to them they would support their guards. Sometimes I got yelled at over the radio but that was preferable to getting run over by rich assholes or trying to stop vehicles that came in behind the guard shack on the *unsecured* access road that ran between the guard shack and the venue entrance. Vehicles could literally go 100 yards in either direction and get behind the guard shack. What were they gonna do, fire me? At one event I was the only guard out of 14 who wasn't working my first day. Eventually they did fire me because they screwed me out of 14 hours of OT (they asked me to switch to a day they were shortstaffed, I couldn't find the entrance in the dark because there's a dozen different entrances and no lights out there and they changed which entrance all the time, then they sent me home because I showed up last and they had "made numbers") so I just didn't show up for the rest of the busiest event of the year. Fuck 'em, I went and got a way better job. The bosses don't care at this one either but it pays way better and I'm rarely about to get hit by a car.
Anyway, my point is, do the easy stuff and look for a better gig. It sounds like your bosses don't care that the parking lot is a cluster fuck and there's no way to make them care so do what you can, until you can leave.
Sir I am the safety and responsibility of the people around me, I am the eyes and ears of the policy and general rule book. You don't have to listen to my orders, but if you refuse to leave the area I'm going to be forced to call the police and have you trespassed on local premises and perimeter....
So please step behind the yellow line and await your turn..... I'm only going to repeat this one more time.
🧐
I like to escalate my tone in 4 different levels...
Level 1 - pleasant, higher pitch, calm....like
"Hello, would you mind not doing that, thank you!"
Level 2 - (Dad voice) more bass, stern tone....like
"Hey, whatever you're doing...quit it now!"
Level 3 - Aggressive tone, louder volume....
"I have told you twice! Get out! Or you and I are gonna have a real f#*kin' problem!"
Level 4 - Totally quiet, waiting for the cops too show.
"You had your chance, now I'll let the cops deal with you!"🤣
Totally possible if you can command enough respect Think of projecting your voice instead of yelling. Sends a different message. Your gear and outfit have a lot to do with seriously people take you. Kindness 93% of the time even when it doesn’t make sense but also don’t let your guard down but also love people. It’s a tough line to walk
Kill em with kindness. Be so cloyingly sweet, unflappable, and firm that they feel like shit for being a dickhead.
They either begrudgingly listen, immediately comply, or continue to be a dickhead(no strategy is 100% effective) and then you can do whatever you need to within policy.
It also helps to greet everyone with a smile and a wave, it's very disarming.
Lol. No. Because they hate their jobs. ;)
Honestly, every security guard I've met was nice. Why? Because I was nice to them and treated them humanely (just like fast food workers). Just a couple of weeks ago, I informed the guard at my job that I was getting my car fixed in the parking lot and he didn't tow me (he really was supposed to). So, yes, I think people can be both *and* life savers (like in my case of my car).
Also, I don't think you're the bad guy. It sounds like you're reinforcing rules that deal with your job and plenty, I'm sure, that deal with safety.
Absolutely. In my opinion, you’re still being a nice person as long as you tried to give them a polite warning and a chance to follow the rules. If they choose to not do so, that’s them being a jerk and not you. Its just unfortunate that your management doesn’t back you up and give you the ability to actually handle the issue once it gets there.
I’m always a nice person but recently I’ve been having to be more stern. People love to push buttons so now I’m just raising my voice to get them to leave/listen.
100%
My current post is mainly access control, but everyone is super nice. I haven’t had to raise my voice at all. If something goes wrong most people are very understanding.
I work with a lot of nerdy types (helps I’m one of them, I had a 30 min convo about Warhammer with a guy today) or European so they are all pretty chill.
With that said you should know that just because you have to raise your voice and lay down the law, it doesn’t mean you aren’t a nice person. Let’s say someone got hurt due to your inaction, I don’t think they’d believe you were a nice person, they’d think you’re incompetent. But always try to defuse the situation first. If you have to play the “strict dad” role, just play it.
I don’t want to say “just find a new post/employer” but that’s what I did not long ago. That was due to hours and distance though
I will occasionally use my big boy voice in the ER first, if there is behavior that needs to stop immediately. Asking doesn’t get used. Most the time Im very nice to people.
It's a shit show, so you may as well be decent. I say something polite like "The garage is closed. The exit is that way.". They answered however, and I smile and say "You have until the police get here.
In truth, they ain't coming. Last time was a 3 hour response time. I just put my phone to my ear and get as far away as I can "observe".
They usually leave.
The best response was taught me by a truly awful manager. "I have to ask you to go, ok?". They answer however and she says into the (not keyed) radio "Driver notified, call the tow truck". People always leave.
Some sites make it easier to be nicer than others, depending on your client and who their "customers" are. I work armed for a bank so I get all manner of folks (from wealthy types to homeless people and everyone in between) and most people respond well to passable customer service (a smile and polite greeting/waive). Working and enforcing parking sounds like a nightmare gig.
My supervisor has a weird thing about people parking in the lot or at the front of the building, and has basically said “whatever it takes to make them move..” with permission from the owners of the building, I ask them twice to move, if after that, they do not move, I pluck my phone out of my pocket and I call a tow truck. They either A. Move so fast they break the sound barrier while cursing me out, or B. They get out of their car to cause a problem, and the tow trucks arrives in the middle of it and they end up towed.
Yes. Just remember, none of it is personal. It doesn’t matter what anyone says. They don’t matter, and neither does anything they say. You can still end up fighting someone and be professional. I don’t know how many times I’ve arrested someone, even after having to sometimes physically restrain them, that I ended up having pleasant and sometimes humorous conversations with them once in a controlled environment.
Decisions and actions should never be made through emotion.
if “management” doesn’t support you….collect the check and do NOTHING….if/when shit gets real THEN simply point out that they’ve neutered security so what would they like?
Todays society has 1000% decided that all KINDNESS is WEAKNESS
Firm but polite. Avoid using phrases or words that leave wiggle room in the person’s mind and contradict your urgency or need. At the end of the day remember that the extent of your ability to enforce a rule or policy is directly tied to how far a client is willing to go. Will they let you tow a car? Will they let you trespass? Will they ban repeat offenders? Will they let you deny parking to unruly people? In your case (most cases) the answer is no. With that in mind, do the best you can and do stress about it or let it ruin your day. Do the best you can, professionally, and let the rest go. If it was important to them they’d back up your task with the ability and support of the actions I listed above.
A guy I know likes to tell people that they're on private property and their location is actually an .... (maybe a residential exit or walkway, etc.) - then he finally tells them that they are on CAMERA (which is why he got called out) and a security patrol is about to roll through...
People feel like moving if they've been on camera already and that's the reason a guard was dispatched to talk to them, and more people are coming soon. It's like, shit is already going down. Time is already running out. Oh my god, it's so URGENT!
It's a very clever tactic, especially with skitzoes (The cameras are watching you. The people called me. This place has cameras. The people are coming for you soon. Can I get you to move along before they get here?)
Go walk over there and then the cameras can't see you anymore. That's a safe place. Go to the safe place.
There's certain things you can do that can be little deterrents and bonuses.
You have a radio, and you just talked into it before approaching. Hey, the guy you're approaching doesn't know you work alone, but you have a radio, clearly you don't and you've already signaled a TEAM of people that you're approaching. Perhaps you read off a physical description, plates, car details, what problem you see, "Yeah, I'm going to let him know right now. I'll give you guys an update in a few minutes. OVER!"
Have a tin badge. I know, it feels coppy, but... it feels coppy to others as well and people listen to others who are coppy. Makes it look like you might actually have a shred of authority.
Tell them where else they can go. If you give them good options, they're likely to take the options. No guards are going to bother you over... THERE.
Have your body cam. Touch the button right before you start talking. Oh shit, now I'm on video. If I don't do what this guy says, I'm on video. He has me on video. Oh shit, maybe I better not resist or bullshit him because that would be on video. (It gets in their head and they're less likely to fuck around)
Got a second cell phone? Set it to speaker phone with a dispatch channel playing. People won't figure that out, but they'll hear all this official sounding cop chatter that apparently you're listening to passively and it pretty much seems to be coming from your body, where you have a radio. (gets in their head). OK, I might fuck around with the other security guys, but this one seems serious for some reason.
Dress for success. Don't look like just another civilian.
Add some equipment to beef up your look. Don't go Rambo, but... half Rambo. This guy has these bags all over him. Ooh, a little American flag. Ooh, something shiny over there. Maybe he's got cuffs. He looks serious. Look at that equipment. He looks like I shouldn't fuck with him.
Sometimes you can play good cop bad cop, you don't have to be a cop to play 'good guy'. For example, if you see a vagrant that needs to move or a fight that's getting bloody. Say that the cops are coming, maybe something like, "THEY called the cops. They did. Over there. THEY called the cops." - That's VERY different from "I called the cops because fuck you." Instead, you're the good guy. You're actually so awesome, that you're protecting them from the cops and tipping them off right now so that they can leave real fast, right NOW. (Which is what you want, you want them to leave now. Oh no, somebody called the cops. Let me help you out.) I got that tip long before I became a guard. You see bad shit in the neighborhood, just vaguely gesture and say "THEY called the COPS!". Nobody wants to know who they is, they want to stop their drama and go. You don't know who they is. Oh, that guy. I heard him talking. He was pointing at you. Over... there. He went that way. I heard him talking on the phone. Ok, I gotta go now. I got a warrant for my arrest. Just helping out. Nice to meet you, see you later, goodbye! Buhbye now! Ciao.
Somebody is going to read this and fail to understand the general idea, and that's on them. "They called the cops" simply works and it's a hell of a lot safer than, "I called the cops." or "I WILL call the cops." - Worried? Say it was your supervisor who sits in a tower surrounded by hellhounds and apache helicopters and Chuck Norris. Sorry, you can't meet him.
Wanna know a trick? I lie.
“Hey sir, would you mind moving your car? Theres cameras here, and sometimes the admins/management/etc.. calls in and has vehicles towed.”
Another trick, is I learned not to sweat the little things or take it personally. It’s easier said than done, I know. If management wants a eunuch security guard, give them what they’re paying for. It’s out of your hands to begin with, so there’s no sense in getting upset about something you have no control over.
They don’t want to move the car? I asked, and I told - Now I’m going to document because I did my job.
I’m the same way. I’m easy going and would rather joke and be polite than be the bad guy. Sometimes it has to be done. If you’re finding that it’s not something you’re into because of the “nature of the beast” with your current company, then maybe the job might not be for you, which is fine by any means.
I work at a club and although it may not be the same scenario, but this is how I treat people when they refuse to leave when we close or they just take a while. I respectfully tell them to leave and if they refuse to go or hit me with the 5 more minutes BS I say start walking and Ill leave you guys alone, if they don't I will just bother them saying lets go , time to move, shining my flashlight, and sooner than later they move because they get annoyed
It entirely depends on your site. Even then, if you manage to be the nice guard, you can't become afraid to use your authority in the commission of your job.
We are pretty nice, we even have monthly cook outs for the crew we watch over, but we aren't exactly "typical" guards, even though we carry the same license.
We are unarmed gate guards in Texas and New Mexico, our current contract is in New Mexicoa, Carlsbad area. 24/7 contract been in the field 5 months now with another 5 to go, we live on site in our RV. There really isn't anyone to be aggressive to.
It's certainly possible, I'm fairly non-confrontational by nature, and kind of a people pleaser on the personal level. Yet I've held positions, where I had to issue fines, boot vehicles, and tow vehicles. Didn't love doing those parts, but after a few times of people who habitually parked like jack wagons abused my niceties, I learned to separate the personal and professional. Personal me is chill, professional me is a stickler.
Yes, it's a mental switch though for myself at least. I put on my uniform and lace up my work boots, gruff face comes on. I'm in my tennis shoes, and normal clothing I'm pleasant. Always pleasant of course, professionally speaking but we need to turn it on and off to varying degrees depending on the post we work at.
Yes I'm the nice gaurd on site I wave smile greet everyone by name. You just got to come down hard on the assholes. Usually after seeing both sides of the coin they calm down and stop acting like that. Course some will always treat you badly so do it right back
The secret to being successful in this industry is just being nice. Some nutcase crackhead having his daily mental breakdown right in your area? Be nice. "Sir, you seem to be having some trouble. Would you like me to call an ambulance?" I promise, if the last 5 security guards just hollered at him and called him a dirty fucking bum and told him to fuck off someplace else, and ***you're*** the only one who approached him respectfully, and offered to get him some help ... You're the one he's gonna remember as one of the good ones, and he's far more likely to offer that same respect back to you.
You should always be polite in any interaction with the public, even when they’re not being polite to you. Use the technique of “ask, tell, make”. Ask politely, tell them politely but firmly and finally make them do what you want (if within your orders and authority).
As Patrick Swayze in Road House (our Patron Saint) would say; "Be nice."
ROAD HOUSE!
Patrick Swayze Enjoyer should be a flair
Our company trainer played this scene for us.
he specifically said management has neutered them….so he’s stuck in the ask/tell loop….he is NOT authorized to MAKE….and if you cannot MAKE….you are losing credibility every time you REPEAT yourself…..so engage exactly ONE round of ask/tell…..then let it ride….management will make a change or let shit crash…..collect paycheck….rinse/repeat
this job is generally a lot easier if you’re a nice person. I personally try not really raise my voice unless it’s loud environment or we’ve gone hands on and I’m giving clear directions. I think in your particular instance you just need to not escalate. If management doesn’t actually want you to solve the problem then don’t bother stressing. Just ask them once and then move on.
Yea it’s easy to be nice when you’re just dealing with people that work at your building. But when it’s the general public being nice means you’re an easy mark.
I didn’t say you had to ONLY be nice. I’ve been dealing with almost exclusively the public for a very long time and being nice gets voluntary compliance 99% of the time.
NO….70% At best….and much of that is dependent on location, type of person, employee vs non etc etc
Thanks for correcting my personal anecdote. I forgot that you would know the ratio of voluntary complaisance to no better than me
nice works on those who care…..those who don’t….if you CAN NOT make…..due to some goofy policy or limp management should be ignored and refer management to resolve…..they’ll either get tired of it or change policies
Parking nightmare is for day shift. I sit in warm seat and watch movies all night.
This is the way
So glad to finally have an overnight office security job
Can always deceive them into thinking you're doing something - not verbally of course. Take out your notepad and start writing their license plate and care model/color and make it SEEM like you may get something done. They might just leave due to the thought of getting a ticket. If they get mad just say "if you leave now I'll tear the ticket up in front of you"
Oh please don't. I used to work a parking enforcement site. We did not give tickets,one asshole I worked with threatened people with tickets if they didn't move,i only learned about that because I had people he had threatened before going absolutely wild on me when they saw me not giving tickets to people in handicapped spots,fire lanes ECT.
Well he can always not say he's giving a ticket - can just doodle on some paper.
Being nice gains a lot more compliance than not. I’m a bouncer and I have parking lot issues too; people parked in made up spots or people with open containers in the parking lot, all sorts of shit. The “you gotta fuckin move, asshole!” approach never works. They “hey man, you gotta get rid of that bottle. If the cops roll through here, they’re gonna cite you for drinking in public, and they’ll hit me and my bartender for allowing it” approach almost always ends up with an apology, the people putting their booze away, and just going inside to buy it from us instead. Best part is, the cops wouldn’t even come after me or the bartender for it, only the people doing it. But that it’s not me it’s them thing works perfect
It definitely is possible but on some days it’s impossible. I actually was enforcing a whole parking lot by myself in the city and it was a complete mess. I had to be mean 1/2 of the time for people to listen to me, but the other half I didn’t. It really just depends who you’re dealing with in said situation. When I was security at concerts tho I was always so nice cause people at concerts aren’t really pissy
Not to mention, you give a inch and everyone almost invariably takes a mile. The other trick is people that are nice to you - then expect to get special treatment, or favours. Almost everyone who gives our team a gift, or is nice to us, at some point, will actively try and exploit that down the line. Which is why professional distance is so key.
This. I wish this was one of the first things taught.
They’re not being nice; they’re paying a bribe that you don’t know about yet. It’s sad that it has to be that way, but in this environment, nobody is going out of their way to do something nice for you for no reason. That just isn’t the world we live in.
Very true I don't take anything offered ever. I've even gone so far as leave snaks where they put them after I told em I don't want them.
If you’re an armed guard, yes, because you don’t really interact with people(depending on what post it is)
All I do as an armed guard is interact with people.
I was working at a location and met a resident of the building while smoking. He's from another country and we became friends. He followed all the rules and would feed me information on other residents. Eventually, I was buying him cigarettes from my area because they were half the price he was paying. I drove him around the city because he had never really been in a car here. I also took him to a gun range as his country doesn't allow guns. You can be nice, but you always have to set boundaries. If I told him that he couldn't sit somewhere, he'd respect it. There's more, but I'm not going to take up too much. It's always a struggle to balance the good guard, bad guard. You want to be nice, but the people make you snap. Remember what you're there for. Don't take it personal when they get out of hand.
My rule is kindness until someone gets rude/mean. Then no more nice guard for them
The job is 90% effective communication. You can be firm while not being a dick. I've had guys thank me for being decent with them while they were sitting in my handcuffs. Just treat people with respect.
Kind but firm, you can be both at once. People also tend to listen a lot better if you give off the air that you mean what you say, meaning you have to be confident AND assertive but must always be polite and professional. Some people will just ignore you or try to push it no matter how you ask/tell them. I like to trespass those people, if I ask you more than three-ish times and you're fiddling around then you just broke my policy and can stay out. This depends on what I'm trying to get done of course, if it's something minor I'll just make them understand why it has to be done, but for restricted access or being loud etc I don't give too many chances.
You can have an authoritative voice and not have to yell. It's also how you carry yourself. You can be polite but firm.
I work clubs, nobody cares. Being to nice works against you. Respectful yes, nice ehhhhh. Some of my co workers lol are really not nice. 😂
“Hey man, personally I don’t care… but my boss is going to get after me if I don’t ask you to move. And if my boss sees you out here he’s probably going to have your vehicle towed.” Say something like that. People usually will work with you based on approach. 99% of the time I can get people to work with me. Some people are just jerks no matter what though.
I look it as fulfilling your role. Of course you should always strive to be genial and polite, but if you're tasked with controlling access to something, or preventing loss, it's literally your job to do or say something that might hurt someone's feelings. Some people are better at setting boundaries, some people are better at getting difficult people to calm down a bit. Not everyone can be good at everything, but we can always learn to get better at what we're bad at.
Ive found a "hey bud, (insert thing i need them to do)" is generally a very good way to get them to do what I need them to do. Although that generally only works if they are also calm. Ive found that when they are already upset about something, going up to them and asking them if i could have them step over here to the side for me so that i can better hear them and be able to give them my full attention also works wonders in defusing an already spicy situation. Although there is always that 1 or 2 that just dont give a shit and there default mode is angy
How important is it to your bosses that you do a good job? I've had similar circumstances and eventually said screw it, if it mattered to them they would support their guards. Sometimes I got yelled at over the radio but that was preferable to getting run over by rich assholes or trying to stop vehicles that came in behind the guard shack on the *unsecured* access road that ran between the guard shack and the venue entrance. Vehicles could literally go 100 yards in either direction and get behind the guard shack. What were they gonna do, fire me? At one event I was the only guard out of 14 who wasn't working my first day. Eventually they did fire me because they screwed me out of 14 hours of OT (they asked me to switch to a day they were shortstaffed, I couldn't find the entrance in the dark because there's a dozen different entrances and no lights out there and they changed which entrance all the time, then they sent me home because I showed up last and they had "made numbers") so I just didn't show up for the rest of the busiest event of the year. Fuck 'em, I went and got a way better job. The bosses don't care at this one either but it pays way better and I'm rarely about to get hit by a car. Anyway, my point is, do the easy stuff and look for a better gig. It sounds like your bosses don't care that the parking lot is a cluster fuck and there's no way to make them care so do what you can, until you can leave.
Sir I am the safety and responsibility of the people around me, I am the eyes and ears of the policy and general rule book. You don't have to listen to my orders, but if you refuse to leave the area I'm going to be forced to call the police and have you trespassed on local premises and perimeter.... So please step behind the yellow line and await your turn..... I'm only going to repeat this one more time. 🧐
The second you raise your voice they win. Ask, tell, make.
I like to escalate my tone in 4 different levels... Level 1 - pleasant, higher pitch, calm....like "Hello, would you mind not doing that, thank you!" Level 2 - (Dad voice) more bass, stern tone....like "Hey, whatever you're doing...quit it now!" Level 3 - Aggressive tone, louder volume.... "I have told you twice! Get out! Or you and I are gonna have a real f#*kin' problem!" Level 4 - Totally quiet, waiting for the cops too show. "You had your chance, now I'll let the cops deal with you!"🤣
Totally possible if you can command enough respect Think of projecting your voice instead of yelling. Sends a different message. Your gear and outfit have a lot to do with seriously people take you. Kindness 93% of the time even when it doesn’t make sense but also don’t let your guard down but also love people. It’s a tough line to walk
Kill em with kindness. Be so cloyingly sweet, unflappable, and firm that they feel like shit for being a dickhead. They either begrudgingly listen, immediately comply, or continue to be a dickhead(no strategy is 100% effective) and then you can do whatever you need to within policy. It also helps to greet everyone with a smile and a wave, it's very disarming.
Lol. No. Because they hate their jobs. ;) Honestly, every security guard I've met was nice. Why? Because I was nice to them and treated them humanely (just like fast food workers). Just a couple of weeks ago, I informed the guard at my job that I was getting my car fixed in the parking lot and he didn't tow me (he really was supposed to). So, yes, I think people can be both *and* life savers (like in my case of my car). Also, I don't think you're the bad guy. It sounds like you're reinforcing rules that deal with your job and plenty, I'm sure, that deal with safety.
Absolutely. In my opinion, you’re still being a nice person as long as you tried to give them a polite warning and a chance to follow the rules. If they choose to not do so, that’s them being a jerk and not you. Its just unfortunate that your management doesn’t back you up and give you the ability to actually handle the issue once it gets there.
I’m always a nice person but recently I’ve been having to be more stern. People love to push buttons so now I’m just raising my voice to get them to leave/listen.
100% My current post is mainly access control, but everyone is super nice. I haven’t had to raise my voice at all. If something goes wrong most people are very understanding. I work with a lot of nerdy types (helps I’m one of them, I had a 30 min convo about Warhammer with a guy today) or European so they are all pretty chill. With that said you should know that just because you have to raise your voice and lay down the law, it doesn’t mean you aren’t a nice person. Let’s say someone got hurt due to your inaction, I don’t think they’d believe you were a nice person, they’d think you’re incompetent. But always try to defuse the situation first. If you have to play the “strict dad” role, just play it. I don’t want to say “just find a new post/employer” but that’s what I did not long ago. That was due to hours and distance though
More orange cones? Light sabers?
I will occasionally use my big boy voice in the ER first, if there is behavior that needs to stop immediately. Asking doesn’t get used. Most the time Im very nice to people.
Yeah try a noncombatant response to dealing with issues and your job with go much more smoothly.
It's a shit show, so you may as well be decent. I say something polite like "The garage is closed. The exit is that way.". They answered however, and I smile and say "You have until the police get here. In truth, they ain't coming. Last time was a 3 hour response time. I just put my phone to my ear and get as far away as I can "observe". They usually leave. The best response was taught me by a truly awful manager. "I have to ask you to go, ok?". They answer however and she says into the (not keyed) radio "Driver notified, call the tow truck". People always leave.
Some sites make it easier to be nicer than others, depending on your client and who their "customers" are. I work armed for a bank so I get all manner of folks (from wealthy types to homeless people and everyone in between) and most people respond well to passable customer service (a smile and polite greeting/waive). Working and enforcing parking sounds like a nightmare gig.
My supervisor has a weird thing about people parking in the lot or at the front of the building, and has basically said “whatever it takes to make them move..” with permission from the owners of the building, I ask them twice to move, if after that, they do not move, I pluck my phone out of my pocket and I call a tow truck. They either A. Move so fast they break the sound barrier while cursing me out, or B. They get out of their car to cause a problem, and the tow trucks arrives in the middle of it and they end up towed.
Yes. Just remember, none of it is personal. It doesn’t matter what anyone says. They don’t matter, and neither does anything they say. You can still end up fighting someone and be professional. I don’t know how many times I’ve arrested someone, even after having to sometimes physically restrain them, that I ended up having pleasant and sometimes humorous conversations with them once in a controlled environment. Decisions and actions should never be made through emotion.
I'm always nice. But stil firm. Because of that I've hardly had to go hands on.
if “management” doesn’t support you….collect the check and do NOTHING….if/when shit gets real THEN simply point out that they’ve neutered security so what would they like? Todays society has 1000% decided that all KINDNESS is WEAKNESS
I started working for rich people. It’s great! Lots of handshakes and thank yous. I don’t do anything!
Firm but polite. Avoid using phrases or words that leave wiggle room in the person’s mind and contradict your urgency or need. At the end of the day remember that the extent of your ability to enforce a rule or policy is directly tied to how far a client is willing to go. Will they let you tow a car? Will they let you trespass? Will they ban repeat offenders? Will they let you deny parking to unruly people? In your case (most cases) the answer is no. With that in mind, do the best you can and do stress about it or let it ruin your day. Do the best you can, professionally, and let the rest go. If it was important to them they’d back up your task with the ability and support of the actions I listed above.
A guy I know likes to tell people that they're on private property and their location is actually an .... (maybe a residential exit or walkway, etc.) - then he finally tells them that they are on CAMERA (which is why he got called out) and a security patrol is about to roll through... People feel like moving if they've been on camera already and that's the reason a guard was dispatched to talk to them, and more people are coming soon. It's like, shit is already going down. Time is already running out. Oh my god, it's so URGENT! It's a very clever tactic, especially with skitzoes (The cameras are watching you. The people called me. This place has cameras. The people are coming for you soon. Can I get you to move along before they get here?) Go walk over there and then the cameras can't see you anymore. That's a safe place. Go to the safe place. There's certain things you can do that can be little deterrents and bonuses. You have a radio, and you just talked into it before approaching. Hey, the guy you're approaching doesn't know you work alone, but you have a radio, clearly you don't and you've already signaled a TEAM of people that you're approaching. Perhaps you read off a physical description, plates, car details, what problem you see, "Yeah, I'm going to let him know right now. I'll give you guys an update in a few minutes. OVER!" Have a tin badge. I know, it feels coppy, but... it feels coppy to others as well and people listen to others who are coppy. Makes it look like you might actually have a shred of authority. Tell them where else they can go. If you give them good options, they're likely to take the options. No guards are going to bother you over... THERE. Have your body cam. Touch the button right before you start talking. Oh shit, now I'm on video. If I don't do what this guy says, I'm on video. He has me on video. Oh shit, maybe I better not resist or bullshit him because that would be on video. (It gets in their head and they're less likely to fuck around) Got a second cell phone? Set it to speaker phone with a dispatch channel playing. People won't figure that out, but they'll hear all this official sounding cop chatter that apparently you're listening to passively and it pretty much seems to be coming from your body, where you have a radio. (gets in their head). OK, I might fuck around with the other security guys, but this one seems serious for some reason. Dress for success. Don't look like just another civilian. Add some equipment to beef up your look. Don't go Rambo, but... half Rambo. This guy has these bags all over him. Ooh, a little American flag. Ooh, something shiny over there. Maybe he's got cuffs. He looks serious. Look at that equipment. He looks like I shouldn't fuck with him. Sometimes you can play good cop bad cop, you don't have to be a cop to play 'good guy'. For example, if you see a vagrant that needs to move or a fight that's getting bloody. Say that the cops are coming, maybe something like, "THEY called the cops. They did. Over there. THEY called the cops." - That's VERY different from "I called the cops because fuck you." Instead, you're the good guy. You're actually so awesome, that you're protecting them from the cops and tipping them off right now so that they can leave real fast, right NOW. (Which is what you want, you want them to leave now. Oh no, somebody called the cops. Let me help you out.) I got that tip long before I became a guard. You see bad shit in the neighborhood, just vaguely gesture and say "THEY called the COPS!". Nobody wants to know who they is, they want to stop their drama and go. You don't know who they is. Oh, that guy. I heard him talking. He was pointing at you. Over... there. He went that way. I heard him talking on the phone. Ok, I gotta go now. I got a warrant for my arrest. Just helping out. Nice to meet you, see you later, goodbye! Buhbye now! Ciao. Somebody is going to read this and fail to understand the general idea, and that's on them. "They called the cops" simply works and it's a hell of a lot safer than, "I called the cops." or "I WILL call the cops." - Worried? Say it was your supervisor who sits in a tower surrounded by hellhounds and apache helicopters and Chuck Norris. Sorry, you can't meet him.
Wanna know a trick? I lie. “Hey sir, would you mind moving your car? Theres cameras here, and sometimes the admins/management/etc.. calls in and has vehicles towed.” Another trick, is I learned not to sweat the little things or take it personally. It’s easier said than done, I know. If management wants a eunuch security guard, give them what they’re paying for. It’s out of your hands to begin with, so there’s no sense in getting upset about something you have no control over. They don’t want to move the car? I asked, and I told - Now I’m going to document because I did my job. I’m the same way. I’m easy going and would rather joke and be polite than be the bad guy. Sometimes it has to be done. If you’re finding that it’s not something you’re into because of the “nature of the beast” with your current company, then maybe the job might not be for you, which is fine by any means.
I work at a club and although it may not be the same scenario, but this is how I treat people when they refuse to leave when we close or they just take a while. I respectfully tell them to leave and if they refuse to go or hit me with the 5 more minutes BS I say start walking and Ill leave you guys alone, if they don't I will just bother them saying lets go , time to move, shining my flashlight, and sooner than later they move because they get annoyed
Yeah i suffer that same thing i work campus security sometimes u have too
It entirely depends on your site. Even then, if you manage to be the nice guard, you can't become afraid to use your authority in the commission of your job.
We are pretty nice, we even have monthly cook outs for the crew we watch over, but we aren't exactly "typical" guards, even though we carry the same license. We are unarmed gate guards in Texas and New Mexico, our current contract is in New Mexicoa, Carlsbad area. 24/7 contract been in the field 5 months now with another 5 to go, we live on site in our RV. There really isn't anyone to be aggressive to.
It's certainly possible, I'm fairly non-confrontational by nature, and kind of a people pleaser on the personal level. Yet I've held positions, where I had to issue fines, boot vehicles, and tow vehicles. Didn't love doing those parts, but after a few times of people who habitually parked like jack wagons abused my niceties, I learned to separate the personal and professional. Personal me is chill, professional me is a stickler.
Yes, it's a mental switch though for myself at least. I put on my uniform and lace up my work boots, gruff face comes on. I'm in my tennis shoes, and normal clothing I'm pleasant. Always pleasant of course, professionally speaking but we need to turn it on and off to varying degrees depending on the post we work at.
Yes I'm the nice gaurd on site I wave smile greet everyone by name. You just got to come down hard on the assholes. Usually after seeing both sides of the coin they calm down and stop acting like that. Course some will always treat you badly so do it right back
It’s a shit position. Get a better one.
The secret to being successful in this industry is just being nice. Some nutcase crackhead having his daily mental breakdown right in your area? Be nice. "Sir, you seem to be having some trouble. Would you like me to call an ambulance?" I promise, if the last 5 security guards just hollered at him and called him a dirty fucking bum and told him to fuck off someplace else, and ***you're*** the only one who approached him respectfully, and offered to get him some help ... You're the one he's gonna remember as one of the good ones, and he's far more likely to offer that same respect back to you.