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Recognising, assessing and reducing risks
- 1. 1 Recognising, assessing and reducing risks 3:2 NEXT
- 2. 2 Managing customer’s expectations When customer’s visit the premises or site where you are working, they will already have preconceived ideas of what to expect regarding: ● What services, goods, facilities or entertainment will be provided ● How they should be treated by members of staff, including the security team. Problems may occur, however, when someone you are dealing with has misguided or unrealistic expectations. Part of providing good customer service is being able to understand and then manage customers’ expectations. NEXT
- 3. 3 Proactive service delivery For example… To try to prevent incidents of conflict with people in the workplace, we need to employ PROACTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY strategies where we can. Proactive service delivery is identifying where common differences between people’s expectations and the actual experience come about, and seeing what can be done to reduce incidents where conflict may occur from happening in the first place. NEXT
- 4. 4 Possible point of conflict Some people may object to being asked to show proof of age before entering a venue or site that sells alcohol. COMMON POINT OF CONFLICT Display clear signs on the approach to the entrance explaining the condition and the reason for it. Further politely explain this to people if they ask for the reason at the entrance. PROACTIVE SOLUTION NEXT
- 5. 5 Possible point of conflict Some people become frustrated if they have to wait in a queue for something. COMMON POINT OF CONFLICT Send a member of the security team along the queue to apologise for and explain the reason for the delay to people, let them know how long they are likely to wait, and reassure them that they will be served as soon as is practicably possible. People become more frustrated when they do not understand the reason for the delay. PROACTIVE SOLUTION NEXT
- 6. 6 Dealing with emotive conflict situations ● Be positive and productive in your attitude ● Be professional, welcoming, helpful, smart and polite ● Try to remain calm and rational at all times when handling complaints or disputes ● Be well-informed about the various aspects of your work ● Keep up-to-date with procedures and rules ● Have a good basic understanding of the aspects of civil and criminal law ● Know where everything of interest on the site is. When dealing with emotive conflict situations (complaints): NEXT
- 7. 7 At the same time, having happy or satisfied customers tends to decrease the numbers of problems for the security staff that work there. Customers Customers in particular need to be handled properly because they are the reason that we are there in the first place. Satisfied customers continue to visit and recommend the venue or site to others, helping the management to reach its sales targets or satisfaction levels, improving its future prospects. NEXT
- 8. 8 Active listening It is vital that we listen carefully to what is being said to us. We cannot deal with a problem if we do not fully understand what the problem is. Try not to pre-judge what they are saying Let them finish explaining their side before deciding how to resolve the situation Ask extra questions if you need to, until you are fully satisfied that you understand what is being asked of you. NEXT
- 9. 9 Reading between the lines Emotional, distressed or angry people, particularly if they are under the influence of something, often say things in the heat of the moment that they don’t really mean. We need to: Try to ignore any criticisms or insults that may be aimed at us Try to concentrate on the real meaning behind what the person is trying to say. NEXT
- 10. 10 Acknowledging the complaint Once you have heard their complaint, let them know that you understand why they are upset or frustrated. This is sometimes called showing empathy. Always acknowledge their complaint, regardless of whether it turns out to be a legitimate one at the end. NEXT
- 11. 11 Apologising Do not be afraid to apologise if it turns out that the complaint is a legitimate one. Sometimes apologising will go a long way towards reducing any possible conflict before you have a chance to fully deal with the actual complaint. NEXT
- 12. 12 Explaining Sometimes a complaint or dispute can be resolved by simply explaining the appropriate laws, rules or procedures to them, and explaining the reasons for them. NEXT
- 13. 13 Providing options Where you can, provide the person with any possible options they have. ‘I’m sorry we are full capacity at the moment. Please let me recommend another great venue’. ‘Would you prefer to speak to a supervisor or manager?’ ‘Would you like to make a formal complaint?’ Allowing the person to decide which option to take can, again, reduce the conflict and prevent the situation from escalating. NEXT
- 14. 14 Saying ‘No’ Saying ‘no’ can be very difficult for some people. None of us likes to feel unpopular, and most of us do not like getting an aggressive reaction when we have to say ‘no’ to someone else. Part of security work involves enforcing rules, regulations and saying ‘no’ to people. As long as we are correct and within our rights to say ‘no’ to people for whatever reason, we should be able to do so without making excuses, feeling embarrassed, being nervous, beating around the bush or giving overly-long explanations. NEXT
- 15. 15 How to say ‘No’ ● Identify situations that will require you to say ‘no’ ● Practice saying ‘no’ ● Prepare a polite but firm refusal ● Refuse to feel guilty about saying ‘no’ – it’s part of your job ● Use a definite tone of voice – don’t hesitate or sound unsure ● Remember that you are refusing a request, not rejecting a person ● Remember that refusals do not have to be heavy, aggressive or hurtful. NEXT
- 16. 16 Stages of escalation It is vital that security operatives are able to recognise when a situation is escalating to a stage where a more assertive or even evasive or physical response is required. Incidents of aggression and violence do not just happen unexpectedly without warning. Imagine the 7 stages of boiling a kettle… NEXT
- 17. 17 Stages of escalation - the customer is calm, relaxed and rational. You start off with a kettle full of cold water… Flick the switch, and the kettle begins to heat the water… - the customer gets frustrated about something. - the customer starts to get angry if the situation isn’t resolved. Minutes later the water starts to get warm… - as the situation escalates, the customer starts to get aggressive. The water starts to boil… NEXT
- 18. 18 Stages of escalation - the customer turns to violence. The water reaches boiling point… - the situation ends, and the customer starts to calm down again. The kettle switches itself off and the water starts to cool down again… - the customer eventually returns to being calm, relaxed and rational. Eventually the water cools back down to being cold again… NEXT
- 19. 19 Stages of escalation Conflict situations escalate in stages… FRUSTRATION ANGER AGRESSION VIOLENCE Ideally we should try to prevent customers from becoming frustrated in the first place. Using pre-planned effective proactive delivery service strategies will help with this. NEXT
- 20. 20 Signs of escalation Signs which may indicate an increase in aggressive attitude: ● Extended eye contact ● More threatening facial expressions ● A raised voice ● A change in body stance ● Enlarged movement of the hands ● Moving closer ● Obvious fidgeting as the person prepares to fight. Security operatives will often get a gut-feeling when an encounter is about to turn nasty, but they also need to take note of the person’s words and body language in an attempt to predict any aggressive action they might take. NEXT
- 21. 21 Signs of escalation ● Head ● Eyes ● Lips ● Facial expressions and colour ● Breathing ● Shoulders ● Hands ● Arms Particular points to watch ● Feet ● Language ● Tone of voice ● Gesture ● Spacing. Signs of escalation NEXT
- 22. 22 Signs of escalation ● Prepare themselves both physically and mentally for any imminent attack ● Summon the assistance of other security staff ● Call the police ● Consider in advance their options regarding the use of force. Recognising these SIGNS OF ESCALATION can help security operatives to be able to: NEXT
- 23. 23 Assessing the risks There will be times where security operatives are confronted with situations that are unique and cannot be specifically catered for in any GENERIC RISK ASSESSMENT or ASSESSMENT OF A PARTICULAR TYPE of incident. There are sometimes conflict situations where people are hurt because they do not have a way of properly and effectively ASSESSING THE RISKS there and then, and as a result do not respond appropriately. NEXT
- 24. 24 Dynamic risk assessments Dynamic risk assessments help us to: ● Deal with any potentially difficult or dangerous situation ● Choose the correct response. They are called dynamic risk assessments because they are ongoing. We use them before, during and after any conflict situation. To ensure that your safety comes first, you are encouraged to use what is called DYNAMIC RISK ASSESSMENT all of the time. NEXT
- 25. 25 Dynamic risk assessments Using TACT and SEW Assessing situations: TACT Assessing specific threats: SEW NEXT
- 26. 26 TACT THINK safety first Do not rush in, think about your personal safety first. ASSESS the situation What are the possible threats involved? CONSIDER your options Consider what help you may need, and possible action you could take. TAKE action Select the safest and most appropriate action, and take it decisively. NEXT
- 27. 27 SEW SUBJECTS - Who are you dealing with? Age, height, size, drink/drugs, emotional state, previous history etc. ENVIRONMENT - Where is the situation taking place? Remote/secluded area, stairs, roads, furniture, escape routes etc. WEAPONS - Is there anything nearby that could be used to hurt you? Knives, bricks, bottles, wood, syringes, tools, furniture, etc. NEXT
- 28. 28 Positioning We can do this by: ● Maintaining a suitable/safe distance ● Showing non-aggression ● Ensuring that both parties can walk away if they want to. Maintain our own safety Ensure we give the right impression of our attitudes and intentions. Positioning is important to: NEXT
- 29. 29 Maintaining space The actual distance we are from someone we are dealing with can have a profound impact on the situation. Certain situations can be helped by either increasing or decreasing the distance between ourselves and the other person. There are basically THREE types of spaces we need to consider… NEXT
- 30. 30 Intimate space Intimate space is when we are anything up to about 0.5m away from someone. ● Partners ● Family ● Close friends. To enter the personal space of somebody we don’t know may well be seen as intimidating. At the very least it could make the other person feel very uncomfortable. NEXT
- 31. 31 Normal/safe space Normal space and safe space are the phrases given to the normal distance there would be between us and someone we are talking to in normal, relaxed circumstances. ● Someone approaching you to ask a question at work ● Someone standing next to you that you are having a drink with in a pub. This normal or safe distance is usually anything between 0.5 m and 1.2m. NEXT
- 32. 32 Stranger space Stranger space is anything from 1.2m up to 3m, which is not normally close enough to have a proper one-to-one conversation with them. It is, however, the ideal space when trying to talk to a group of people. NEXT
- 33. 33 Showing non-aggression We need to be aware of how we come across to the people we are dealing with. We obviously need to be careful about the words we use, but also about the tone we use when speaking to them. Our body language is also important. NEXT
- 34. 34 Body language ● How do we look and sound to the other person? ● Do we look welcoming and ready to help? ● Are we showing the right attitude? ● Do we look interested or bored with the conversation? ● Are we using appropriate eye contact? ● Do we look nervous? ● Do we look confident? ● Do we look aggressive or intimidating? ● Are we a suitable distance away and positioned correctly? ● Are we using appropriate hand gestures? ● Is our stance appropriate? NEXT
- 35. 35 Body language If we look aggressive towards someone, they are more likely to be aggressive towards us. If we look professional and helpful we are far more likely to get a better response from the person or people we are dealing with. How do we look? NEXT
- 36. 36 Escape exit During any encounter or situation, all parties concerned need to feel that they are safe and that they can walk away if they wish to at any stage. Security operatives need to feel that they always have enough room to be able to walk away to summon help or evade attack if they need to. The people we are dealing with need the same. NEXT
Editor's Notes
- Title slide.
- Managing customers expectations Part of providing good customer service is being able to understand and then manage customers’ expectations. When members of the public, be they customers or work colleagues, visit the premises or site where you are working, they will already have preconceived ideas of what to expect. They will already have a rough idea of what services, goods, facilities or entertainment will be provided, and will also have expectations as to how they should be treated whilst they are there. They will also have ideas about how they should be treated by members of staff, including the security team. Problems may occur, however, when someone you are dealing with has misguided or unrealistic expectations. If they disagree with one of the rules or regulations on the site, and object to a security operative attempting to change their behaviour, then this is where conflict can raise its ugly head.
- Proactive service delivery In an effort to try to prevent incidents of conflict with people in the workplace, we need to employ proactive service delivery strategies where we can. Proactive service delivery is all about identifying where the common differences between people’s expectations and the actual experience come about, and seeing whether there is anything that can be done to reduce incidents where conflict may occur from happening in the first place. For example…
- COMMON POINT OF CONFLICT- Some people may object to being asked to show proof of age before entering a venue or site that sells alcohol. PROACTIVE SOLUTION- Display clear signs on the approach to the entrance explaining the condition and the reason for it. Further politely explain this to people if they ask for the reason at the entrance.
- COMMON POINT OF CONFLICT- Some people become frustrated if they have to wait in a queue for something. PROACTIVE SOLUTION- Send a member of the security team along the queue to apologise for and explain the reason for the delay to people, let them know how long they are likely to wait, and reassure them that they will be served as soon as is practicably possible. People become more frustrated when they do not understand the reason for the delay.
- Defusing emotive conflict situations Security operatives should always try to be positive and productive in their attitude when dealing with members of the public. They should try to remain calm and rational at all times when handling complaints or disputes. As well as being professional, welcoming, helpful, smart and polite, security operatives also need to be well-informed about the various aspects of their work. They should keep themselves up to date on any particular policies that the organisation they work for puts in place, particularly its security procedures and rules. They need to have a good basic understanding of the aspects of civil and criminal law relating to their role, and need to know where everything of interest on the site is.
- Customers in particular need to be handled properly because they are the reason that we are there in the first place. Satisfied customers continue to visit and recommend the venue or site to others, helping the management to reach its sales targets or satisfaction levels, improving its future prospects. At the same time, having happy or satisfied customers tends to decrease the numbers of problems for the security staff that work there.
- Active listening When dealing with a query, it is vital that we listen carefully to what is being said to us. We cannot deal with a problem if we do not fully understand what the problem is. Try not to pre-judge what they are saying. Let them finish explaining their side before deciding how to resolve the situation. Ask extra questions if you need to, until you are fully satisfied that you understand what is being asked of you.
- Read between the lines Emotional, distressed or angry people, particularly if they are under the influence of something, often say things in the heat of the moment that they don’t really mean. We need to try to ignore any criticisms or insults that may be aimed at us, and try to concentrate on the real meaning behind what the person is trying to say.
- Acknowledge their complaint Once you have heard their complaint, let them know that you understand why they are upset or frustrated. This is called showing empathy. Acknowledge their complaint, regardless of whether it turns out to be a legitimate one at the end.
- Do not be afraid to apologise if it turns out that their complaint is a legitimate one. Sometimes that will go a long way to reducing any possible conflict before you have a chance to fully deal with their complaint.
- Sometimes a complaint or dispute can be resolved by simply explaining the appropriate laws, rules or procedures to them, and explaining the reasons for them.
- Where you can, provide the person with any possible options they have. Consider offering the suggestion of another venue or site that can provide what the person wants if appropriate. Would it be useful and appropriate to offer the person the chance to speak further about the problem with your supervisor or manager? Is there a formal complaints procedure that they could use? Allowing the person to decide which option to take can, again, reduce the conflict and prevent the situation from escalating.
- Saying ‘no’ can be very difficult for some people. None of us likes to feel unpopular, and most of us do not like getting an aggressive reaction when we have to say ‘no’ to someone else. Part of security work involves enforcing rules regulations and saying ‘no’ to people. As long as we are correct and within our rights to say ‘no’ to people for whatever reason, we should be able to do so without making excuses, feeling embarrassed, being nervous, beating around the bush or giving overly-long explanations.
- Identify situations that will require you to say ‘no’; Practice saying ‘no’; Prepare a polite but firm refusal; Refuse to feel guilty about saying ‘no’ – it’s part of your job; Use a definite tone of voice – don’t hesitate or sound unsure; Remember that you are refusing a request, not rejecting a person; and Remember that refusals do not have to be heavy, aggressive or hurtful.
- It is vital that security operatives are able to recognise when a situation is escalating to a stage where a more assertive or even evasive or physical response is required. Incidents of aggression and violence do not just happen unexpectedly without warning. Imagine the 7 stages of boiling a kettle…
- You start off with a kettle full of cold water… - the customer is calm, relaxed and rational. Flick the switch, and the kettle begins to heat the water… - the customer gets frustrated about something. Minutes later the water starts to get warm… - the customer starts to get angry if the situation isn’t resolved. The water starts to boil… - as the situation escalates, the customers starts to get aggressive.
- The water reaches boiling point… - the customer turns to violence. The kettle switches itself off and the water starts to cool down again… - the situation ends, and the customer starts to calm down again. Eventually the water cools back down to being cold again… - the customer eventually returns to being calm, relaxed and rational.
- Conflict situations escalate in stages. FRUSTRATION - ANGER - AGGRESSION - VIOLENCE Ideally we should try to prevent customers from becoming frustrated in the first place. Using pre-planned, effective, proactive delivery service strategies will help with this.
- Security operatives will often get a gut-feeling when an encounter is about to turn nasty, but they also need to take note of the person’s words and body language in attempt to predict any aggressive action they might take. Signs which may indicate an increase in aggressive attitude include extended eye contact, more threatening facial expressions, a raised voice, a change in body stance, enlarged movement of the hands, moving closer and obvious fidgeting as the person prepares to fight.
- Particular points that need watching if the security operative thinks they are about to be attacked include: Head; Eyes; Lips; Facial expressions and colour; Breathing; Shoulders; Hands; Arms; Feet; Language; Tone of voice; Gesture; and Spacing.
- If security operatives can learn to recognise these signs of escalation, then they can prepare themselves both physically and mentally for any imminent attack. It will also give them time to summon the assistance of either other security staff, or even the police, and to consider in advance their options regarding the use of force.
- It is not always possible to prevent conflict from happening in the workplace, and some situations will have to be approached and managed carefully. There will be times where security operatives are confronted with situations that are unique and cannot be specifically catered for in any generic risk assessment or assessment of a particular type of incident. There are sometimes conflict situations where people are hurt because they do not have a way of properly and effectively assessing the risks there and then, and as a result do not respond appropriately.
- To ensure that your safety comes first, you are encouraged to use what is called dynamic risk assessment all of the time. Dynamic risk assessments should be used as you deal with any potentially difficult or dangerous situation, and will help you to choose the correct response in any given situation. They are called dynamic risk assessments because they are ongoing. We use them before, during and after any conflict situation.
- Using TACT and SEW Assessing situations: TACT Assessing specific threats: SEW
- Dynamic risk assessment Before you start to deal with a situation you need to use TACT: T - THINK safety first do not rush in, think about your personal safety first. A - ASSESS the situation what are the possible threats involved? C - CONSIDER your options consider what help you may need, and possible action you could take. T - TAKE action select the safest and most appropriate action, and take it decisively. Using the TACT model will help you to keep yourself safe and ensure that you take the most appropriate course of action to resolve the situation.
- Assessing specific aspects of the threat A simple but effective way of assessing specific threats in relation to the situation where the incident is taking place, the person or people involved and any potential weapons, is to use the SEW model. S - SUBJECTS - who are you dealing with? Age, height, size, drink/drugs, emotional state, previous history, etc. E - ENVIRONMENT - where is the situation taking place? Remote/secluded area, stairs, roads, furniture, escape routes etc. W - WEAPONS - is there anything nearby that could be used to hurt you? Knives, bricks, bottles, wood, syringes, tools, furniture, etc.
- Positioning We need to ensure that we try to get ourselves into the best position in relation to the other person, to maintain our own safety and to make sure that we give the right impression of our attitudes and intentions to the other person. We do this by: Maintaining a suitable/safe distance; Showing non-aggression; and Ensuring that both parties can walk away if they want to.
- Maintaining space The actual distance we are from someone we are dealing with can have a profound impact on the situation. Certain situations can be helped by either increasing or decreasing the distance between ourselves and the other person. There are basically three types of spaces we need to consider…
- Intimate space is when we are anything up to about 0.5m away from someone. We would normally only ever get this close to another person if they were our partners, family or very close friends. To enter the personal space of somebody we don’t know may well be seen as intimidating. At the very least it could make the other person fell very uncomfortable
- Normal space and safe space are the phrases given to the normal distance there would be between us and someone we are talking to in normal, relaxed circumstances. Imagine someone approaching you to ask a question at work, or the distance you might be from someone standing next to you that you are having a drink with in a pub. This normal or safe distance is usually anything between 0.5 m and 1.2m. To ensure that you are using the safe or normal distance when dealing with someone in the workplace, try to make sure that you are far enough away from them to be able to see the whole of their body, including their feet. This will mean that you are close enough to them to have a reasonable one-to-one conversation with them, but you are far enough away to be able to see any changes in their body language, which will give you enough time to react if the situation escalates.
- Stranger space is anything from 1.2m up to 3m, which is not normally close enough to have a proper one-to-one conversation with them. It is, however, the ideal space when trying to talk to a group of people.
- Showing non-aggression We also need to be aware of how we come across to the people we are dealing with. We obviously need to be careful about the words we use, but also about the tone we use when speaking to them. Our body language is also important.
- How do we look and sound to the other person? Do we look welcoming and ready to help? Are we showing the right attitude? Do we look interested or bored with the conversation? Are we using appropriate eye contact? Do we look nervous? Do we look confident? Do we look aggressive or intimidating? Are we a suitable distance away and positioned correctly? Are we using appropriate hand gestures? Is our stance appropriate?
- If we look aggressive towards someone, they are more likely to be aggressive towards us. If we look professional and helpful, on the other hand, we are far more likely to get a better response from the person or people we are dealing with.
- Escape exit During any encounter or situation, all parties concerned need to feel that they are safe and that they can walk away if they wish to at any stage. Security operatives need to feel, particularly in conflict situations, that they always have enough room to be able to walk away to summon help or evade attack if they need to. The people we are dealing with need the same. Security operatives need to ensure that as well as using suitable spacing between themselves and those they are dealing with, and that they are displaying the right behaviour so that they do not come across as being aggressive, that they are aware of the possibility that the other person may wish to walk away from the situation. Do not physically block them into a corner or a small space, as this may make them feel trapped. People who feel trapped tend to feel frightened, which may accidentally escalate the situation, or worse still, trigger them into lashing out at you. During any encounter, make sure that both you and the other person always have an easy escape route, be that by leaving the room or just being able to walk away from the situation.