Two security consultants are collaborating on retail security manager training.
Two former heads of security with UK based retailers are combining with ARC Training International Limited to deliver a training programme for retail and supply chain security managers. Barry Vincent and Mike Goodman, both now consultants, are to offer a training programme to upskill security managers in retail, or those with a non-security background who have found themselves leading teams to address security and related issues. The course will also provide a grounding for security providers who seek to better understand the market in which they are trying to sell their products and services.<br><br>Barry and Mike were introduced through John Purnell, former Group Security Director at Tesco, who thought that the two of them might be able to work together. Barry says: "Mike and I hit it off from the start. We had similar views on security although coming from slightly different security backgrounds, Mike’s in retail and mine in supply chain and distribution. We had also both completed the MSc in risk and security management at the University of Leicester. When David Cresswell from ARC approached me to consider delivering a retail focused security course to fill a gap in their training programme, I immediately thought of Mike. I was confident that with our complimentary skills and knowledge we could provide a credible training programme for fellow security managers in the industry. Having discussed the challenge with Mike, he readily agreed."<br><br>Barry and Mike believe that there is no course comparable to theirs. Mike says: "Although there are some courses that cover elements of ours, or workshops on certain aspects of retail security, there is nothing available in the UK that covers this range of security in retail and supply chain and is delivered by current practitioners". Both men’s current portfolios of clients include manned guarding companies and other security providers, as well as providing risk assessments and guidance for individual clients as required. <br><br>They both believe that security managers need to be able to demonstrate real professionalism in their roles, and that although security can be the Cinderella function in some companies, viewed as non-core and a cost on the business so that security budgets are easy targets to be cut, a security manager who can present a clear business case for resources with a cost-benefit analysis, or return on investment proposal will succeed where others fail. <br><br>Equally they feel that security providers need to raise their game, and to better research the companies that they seek to sell their products or services to, and to understand how their products can better integrate with the company’s strategy for security and help reduce both losses and cost. <br><br>Value added<br><br>Mike says: "Too often providers seek to sell a solution to a company without fully understanding the problem it seeks to address. Also with the procurement of manned guarding services becoming more competitive on price, guarding companies have to be able to demonstrate value added beyond the number of guarding hours provided. No longer is it appropriate to employ a static guarding presence at the entrance to a store as a deterrent to would-be shoplifters. Guards need to be trained to understand for example the elements of ‘criminal’ shrinkage; how to recognize suspicious customer behaviours; where there are CCTV blindspots and where in the store ‘hot products’ are located, and guarding contract managers need to be negotiating ways of working and meaningful KPIs with their clients that will maximize the benefits that a properly trained guard can bring." <br><br>Barry concurs and adds: "The Security Industry Authority has provided an opportunity for guarding companies to raise the bar in manned guarding services. Although the SIA will not, and is not mandated to achieve this, and despite the bureaucratic problems it had in its infancy, it has enabled the industry to have a minimum standard for entry to the profession. It is now up to the guarding companies to take the opportunity to work with this standard and upskill their guards to better understand the environments in which they will be working, and to train them better to understand how they can contribute to help solve the specific security problems of their client companies. At the same time it is incumbent on companies employing contract guards to embrace the guarding companies, share their strategies for security with these providers, and identifying how guards can be integrated to contribute towards helping them achieve their security objectives. This situation is a win-win for both sides, as companies will get a better return on their investment in guarding with motivated guards gaining job satisfaction from inclusion in the company’s loss prevention team, and guarding providers will achieve better retention rates among their guards. The impact of better trained and motivated guards will hopefully, over time, provide opportunities for guarding providers to improve pay and conditions for their guards, and to negotiate a better margin for their services with their client companies, perhaps through reward based SLAs." <br><br>Barry was former head of security for his company’s distribution and supply chain, and subsequently group security manager providing advice, guidance and support to the company’s international security teams in Europe and Asia. Earlier he served in the police and rejects the view expressed by a number of people in the industry that former police and military personnel do not make good security managers. "My police experience of managing risk, including a tour of duty with the United Nations in post-civil war Bosnia, coupled with a sound understanding of organizational structures and budget management, were a good grounding for entering the world of commercial security. Under the mentorship of John Purnell, himself a former senior police officer, I believe that I quickly scaled the learning curve to become an effective security manager. I fully support the initiatives of The Security Institute, and others like Martin Gill at Perpetuity to raise the bar and improve the standard and credibility of security managers. I am a great believer in continuous personal development, and with my experience in the industry and having undertaken the MSc in security management at Leicester, I believe that in my case it has been possible to teach an old dog new tricks! I also sought to encourage my staff to look to their own personnel development to improve their effectiveness and underpin their credibility in the industry." <br><br>Barry teamed up with David Cresswell and Peter Horsburgh at ARC to develop a bespoke training programme for his loss prevention managers. Mike Goodman is a former stores and operations director with a leading retailer with experience in the UK and abroad. He is also a former director with a security solutions and guarding company with extensive experience in risk management. As well as developing his philosophy on guarding for his masters degree, he has sought to put his approach into practice both in his time as a director of a guarding supplier and then through his consultancy. "I’m delighted to be teaming up with Barry on this project, and we are both champing at the bit to get going. We think that we can really help security managers or anyone involved in a security role in the retail and distribution sector to improve their skills, their knowledge and their impact and performance within their companies"<br><br>The course is part of ARC’s 2008 programme, and the initial course will be held in June. The course runs over three days and content includes security management relevant to the retail sector, including the role of the security manager in the retail context; shrinkage and stock loss; supply chain security; policies and procedures; risk assessment; security solutions procurement and how to make a business case for security resources. A case study will apply the learning.<br><br>David Cresswell says: "I am delighted that we are able to offer training to the retail sector led by two such eminent figures as Barry Vincent MSc and Mike Goodman MSc. Their collective experiences in the retail environment are extensive and the success of their respective past employers is testament to their individual skills in managing retail loss prevention programmes. This is a rare opportunity for retail security managers to learn from two of the most highly-skilled professionals in the business.<br><br>For details: a link to the ARC blog:<br><br>http://internationalacademy.blogspot.com
