I work in-house security for a mall. We had a meeting a few weeks back and management told us that our division was created to make money. Basically now all we do is extra duty details to the tenants to make money for our department. I was thinking of possibly getting our leasing people to fine the tenants for setting off burglar alarms by opening doors after hours or a fine for any after hours false alarm response, kind of like our city does. Can anyone else think of a way for us to make money that I can present to management? Thanks!
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Originally posted by FireEMSPolice View PostI work in-house security for a mall. We had a meeting a few weeks back and management told us that our division was created to make money. Basically now all we do is extra duty details to the tenants to make money for our department. I was thinking of possibly getting our leasing people to fine the tenants for setting off burglar alarms by opening doors after hours or a fine for any after hours false alarm response, kind of like our city does. Can anyone else think of a way for us to make money that I can present to management? Thanks!I enforce rules and regulations, not laws.
Security Officers. The 1st First Responders.
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I’m always amazed when I see a post like this - “management told us that our division was created to make money". Your “management” needs a large dose of reality check, and a swift kick in the pants.
Your division should have been created to perform security duties related to patron safety – security issues and property protection. I can see it now – on the witness stand. We were told in a meeting that our division was created to be a profit center. At the time the female customer was being raped in section D, we were operating our lemonade stand, in section A, trying to meet our monthly profit goals.
Your mall management’s lack of knowledge regarding security/safety/premise liability issues should be a major concern for the property owners. Attitudes like theirs are why people in my profession exist.
I'm sorry, I'm not going to be much help in your management's quest to make a profit center out of you - I just had to respond.Retail Security Consultant / Expert Witness
Co-Author - Effective Security Management 6th Edition
Contributor to Retail Crime, Security and Loss Prevention: An Encyclopedic Reference
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Originally posted by Security Consultant View PostI’m always amazed when I see a post like this - “management told us that our division was created to make money.” Your “management” needs a large dose of reality check, and a swift kick in the pants.
Your division should have been created to perform security duties related to patron safety – security issues and property protection. I can see it now – on the witness stand. We were told in a meeting that our division was created to be a profit center. At the time the female customer was being raped in section D, we were operating our lemonade stand, in section A, trying to meet our monthly profit goals.
Your mall management’s lack of knowledge regarding security/safety/premise liability issues should be a major concern for the property owners. Attitudes like theirs are why people in my profession exist.
I'm sorry, I'm not going to be much help in your management's quest to make a profit center" out of you - I just had to respond.
I wonder if someone in management heard or read that the security function should contribute to the organization's bottom line (which is true), and ignorantly misunderstood this to mean that security should be "making money". There is a vast difference between the two ideas."Every betrayal begins with trust." - Brian Jacques
"I can't predict the future, but I know that it'll be very weird." - Anonymous
"There is nothing new under the sun." - Ecclesiastes 1:9
"History, with all its volumes vast, hath but one page." - Lord Byron
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You're right - I would be more inclined to buy an apple pie before a glass of lemonade.Retail Security Consultant / Expert Witness
Co-Author - Effective Security Management 6th Edition
Contributor to Retail Crime, Security and Loss Prevention: An Encyclopedic Reference
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Security Consultant, the property owners are in the same bed. They created this security division. Sure, we provide safety/security services but on the bottom line, we were created to make the company money. Thats why they kicked IPC International out and took Security in-house.
HotelSecurity, yes, they fine the tenants already for lease violations."I am not a hero. I am a silent guardian, a watchful protector"
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Originally posted by FireEMSPolice View PostSecurity Consultant, the property owners are in the same bed. They created this security division. Sure, we provide safety/security services but on the bottom line, we were created to make the company money. Thats why they kicked IPC International out and took Security in-house.
HotelSecurity, yes, they fine the tenants already for lease violations.
For instance, on many college campuses the security or campus police department issues student parking permits, collecting the fees for the permits.
However, this is not properly viewed in a business sense as "making money" or "generating revenue" any more than a court clerk can be said to be "making money" when she collects the fines assessed by a judge.
There have been very misguided city officials who believed that the role of the police department, or the building inspection department, or the trash collection department, was to "make money" for the city. Observing that fines, fees, etc. were associated with some legitimate activities of these agencies (such as enforcing traffic laws, ensuring proper construction practices, etc.), they corrupted these legitimate functions of government.
So...you would see "ticket quotas" and an emphasis on "up-ticketing" traffic offenses to higher fine categories. You would see building departments issuing permits whether plans were proper or not.
As I see it, there are three ways a security department can "make money" in the real business sense of that word:
1. The security department could contract with nearby facilities to offer security services. This is the only legitimate possibility that comes to mind.
2. The security department could corrupt its "enforcement" activities in order to generate revenues.
3. The security department could undertake revenue-generating activities or absorb other "cost-centers" having nothing to do with security (i.e. janitorial/maintenance) and thereby dilute its security responsibilities.Last edited by SecTrainer; 08-29-2007, 10:48 AM."Every betrayal begins with trust." - Brian Jacques
"I can't predict the future, but I know that it'll be very weird." - Anonymous
"There is nothing new under the sun." - Ecclesiastes 1:9
"History, with all its volumes vast, hath but one page." - Lord Byron
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Originally posted by FireEMSPolice View PostSecurity Consultant, the property owners are in the same bed. They created this security division. Sure, we provide safety/security services but on the bottom line, we were created to make the company money. Thats why they kicked IPC International out and took Security in-house.
HotelSecurity, yes, they fine the tenants already for lease violations.Retail Security Consultant / Expert Witness
Co-Author - Effective Security Management 6th Edition
Contributor to Retail Crime, Security and Loss Prevention: An Encyclopedic Reference
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Originally posted by John H. Christman View PostThe very idea of a security department existing to make money is disgusting!Retail Security Consultant / Expert Witness
Co-Author - Effective Security Management 6th Edition
Contributor to Retail Crime, Security and Loss Prevention: An Encyclopedic Reference
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Originally posted by Security Consultant View PostJohn - It's hard for me to believe that mall property owners/management team can be so ignorant.
Some stone aged managers are not true "leaders," they are glorified bean counters. These folks do not understand the protection of assets and loss prevention or avoidance is a function of senior management. The security function is not recognized as a viable contributor to the company's bottom line. Time with employees is not just spent ... it is invested.
For their part, security has failed to take the lead in not marketing the value security gives to the company. Security has failed to demonstrate a convincing return on investment. A suggested analogy would be replacing a laptop would cost "X" amount. Replacing the data could be incalculable. I might be so bold as to suggest security managers use the latest edition of Dennis Dalton' book, The Art of Successful Security Management.
Should company management be brought to a court in an action that in the end would clearly demonstrate they did not exercise good judgment or "apply the reasonable prudent man concept." The judgment against that company could as clearly written above, drive them into bankruptcy.
Nice job you two!
Enjoy the day,
Bill
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SIW is moving this thread to the Security Operations & Management forum because this is a topic affecting more than just LP -- the "profitability" of the security department is a challenge that CSOs wrestle with on a daily basis. Great thread and I, for one, am enjoying the commentary and hope that more forum members can weigh in on how they deal with this kind of request.
FWIW, I had an interview appear on the site yesterday related to this topic. The Security Executive Council shared some thoughts about how you go about proving security's value to the C-level. It's worth your time: http://www.securityinfowatch.com/art...n=310&id=12137
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FireEMSPolice - Please understand I'm not directing my responses directly at you. I re-read my posts and didn't want it construed that I was addressing you personally.Retail Security Consultant / Expert Witness
Co-Author - Effective Security Management 6th Edition
Contributor to Retail Crime, Security and Loss Prevention: An Encyclopedic Reference
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Originally posted by SecTrainer View PostAs I see it, there are three ways a security department can "make money" in the real business sense of that word:
1. The security department could contract with nearby facilities to offer security services. This is the only legitimate possibility that comes to mind.
2. The security department could corrupt its "enforcement" activities in order to generate revenues.
3. The security department could undertake revenue-generating activities or absorb other "cost-centers" having nothing to do with security (i.e. janitorial/maintenance) and thereby dilute its security responsibilities.
That is illegal in a lot of states. If a license is required, you cannot contract out to other facilities.ATTN. SPECOPS AND GECKO45 my secret username is CIDDECEP and I am your S2. My authorization code is Six Wun Quebec Oscar Fife. Your presence here is tactically dangerous and compromises our overall mission parameter. Cease and desist all activity on this board. Our “enemies” are deft at computer hacking and may trace you back to our primary locale. You have forced me to compromise my situation to protect your vulnerable flank. This issue will be addressed later.
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