The world of customer service is more complicated than in the past. It used to be a simple exchange of goods, services or information would be a straightforward transaction. However, we are now in the midst of a very different landscape.
These days, it seems customer service employees are frequently put into the role of the impromptu police officer. Enforcing mask-wearing, stopping theft and preventing YouTube pranks have all become standard fare for grocery store clerks and the like. And, with capitalism slowly deteriorating in the background, these altercations become more intense with each passing day.
As a result, it is more important than ever to assign people roles and ensure they are capable of doing the work their employer expects. For retail employees, this means handling the cash register, refilling the stock areas, general cleaning activities and similar tasks. The confrontations should be left to professionals.
Professionals like those who participate in security guard services, which is the crux of our conversation today. Are they customer service? Do they have a responsibility to patrons and customers of a business? Who defines their role?
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We look at the answers to these questions in detail, right down below.
Are Security Guards Customer Service?
When determining whether security guard services are a customer service gig, the answer can be simple. Yes, they are. Security guards are hired by a company to protect a certain location, object or group for an agreed-upon length of time. Therefore, they bear at least some responsibility for adhering to their client’s wishes.
Indeed, this is a near-exact definition of customer service. However, it may feel a bit cheap to some, which is understandable. When most people think of security guard services, they are not thinking of the contractual obligation between two businesses. Instead, their attention is probably on our next question.
Do Security Guards Have a Responsibility to a Client’s Customers?
This is where things start to get tricky. Is the drunk right to be indignant when refused entrance to the bar? Is the reveller justified in demanding a refund after being forcibly removed from the venue? Well, to get to the bottom of this, we must first look at what legislation governs security contractors in Canada.
First, security services are a provincial concern. Each province, from British Columbia to Newfoundland, will have its own unique legislation requirements for these individuals. However, some guidelines and rules are consistent across the country, including:
- Security guards must give you the opportunity to leave the premise before an arrest and can ask you to do so
- Security guards can arrest individuals who will not leave premises or are breaking other laws
- Like all Canadians, security guards can perform a citizen’s arrest if they see you committing a criminal offence
- Security guards can search detained individuals but in a very limited capacity
While each jurisdiction will have its own unique rulings and stipulations, these overarching guidelines will likely remain in place. Though, it is important to note that none of the above relates to how they should treat individuals or what the complaint process should look like. There is a reason for this, which we will look at in the final section.
Who Defines a Security Guard’s Role?
Ultimately, security guards are private employees. As a result, their employer, whether a security contractor or venue, will determine the expectations of the role. If these conditions allow security guards to ask individuals to leave or remove them when non-compliant, that is simply the fulfillment of a customer service agreement.