The COVID-19 curve is finally flattening in some areas of the world, nowhere is that truer than here. In New Zealand, we may be not out of the woods yet, but businesses are slowly starting to open again.
In many locations, the following places have opened their doors:
- Cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs, and supermarkets
- Banks, hospitals, schools, and government offices
In line with this, there are many business reopening concerns, and one of them is security.
Security is a must. Not just during off-hours, but also during business hours. Retail businesses for example can expect a number of people to show during operational hours. After being cooped up at home for so long, people will now venture out into the neighbourhood for essentials or mainly to resume work activities.
That said, there may be some customers who may not comply with COVID rules. One such rule is social distancing, which includes restrictions on crowd sizes (at the time of writing, groups of 10 or more people max) and staying a safe distance of 2 meters apart from others. Face masks aren’t common in New Zealand, but regretfully some businesses have seen intentional coughing on their staff.
Retail and waiter staff may be too gentle on reminders, and some customers may still not bother to comply, not even for their own sake and well-being. It is indeed during these times that one can be thankful for a security presence.
A security guard is trained to approach this kind of situation, by making a polite yet firm request to the customer. The intent is to convince the customer to comply without having the situation escalate into an argument. Sometimes people just need to be reminded in an authoritarian tone and that the public health and safety rules will be enforced whether they like it or not.
Also, certain supplies or products may be limited which may push some people to fight over the little things in the aisles. A security guard can help manage crowded areas and break up any fights between customers. They can act as a deterrent to this kind of physical and aggressive behavior.
Those who still refuse to cooperate can be escorted safely off the premises, with properly trained security guard. Rest assured Northern District Security proudly offer the highest training in Whangarei and Northland.
A security guard will also have to enforce occupancy limitations- which may be quite specific for restaurants, cafes, and retail stores where only a few customers are allowed at a time. The static guard can keep tabs on how many shoppers are currently inside the shop while maintaining a neat queue outside under the proper social distancing measures.
Patrons may initially feel uneasy about this, but a static security guard can assure them that the COVID guidelines are there for the safety of everyone in the community.
‘Business as usual’ may mean some small sacrifices, but having a security team to make sure these best-practices are followed is essential in keeping your business COVID-compliant.
Of course, different businesses require different degrees of security. At Northern Districts Security, we can tailor the appropriate security initiative for your company.
Bolster your security with NDS in Northland. Allow us to take care of your security concerns, simply call us at Northern Districts Security 0800 114 632 or email us info@ndsecurity.co.nz . We can look after every detail, so you can focus more on pressing business issues during this pandemic.
