Retail security managers are not helping themselves. This is a fact about which Robert McAlister is in little doubt. Robert is head of loss prevention at the popular music chain store Tower Records, and feels strongly that managers are failing to provide value for money. Why? “They have outdated attitudes about their work, that’s why,” says McAlister. “Many retail security department heads are still making the mistake of focusing on arrest levels and theft. They are missing the wider retail issues altogether, many of which are much more important.” As a direct result of this, McAlister feels that security managers don’t have as much influence at boardroom level as they might do, and face difficulties in winning co-operation from other senior managers within their own organisations. These are radical statements indeed, but do they have any substance in fact? Without doubt, some of Robert McAlister’s ideas obviously fly in the face of traditional retail security thinking. Thinking that’s been accepted as the norm for many years. For example, McAlister advocates that security staff should be allowed to mix closely with staff from other departments, but this is a practice that most retail security managers will do everything in their powers to discourage.
“There is a fear that if we become too familiar with other staff it will be impossible for us to prevent internal theft, or tackle nasty cases of indiscipline,” adds McAlister. “In reality the opposite is true. By mixing with other staff you can gain respect for what you do, and tackle internal problems much more efficiently. How can you really feel the pulse of the company if you keep your distance?”
A change of plan
During the last few months, McAlister has gone out of his way to visit all of Tower’s stores, and spend time talking to each member of staff on duty. In all, his visits took in around 800 employees. “I’ve made it my business to understand every aspect of my company’s operation because only by doing that can the security manager hope to identify those issues that affect the bottom line.” Arguably, this manager takes a much broader view of his role than many of his peers – an attitude that has not always won him many friends, but which has seen him progress rapidly in career terms.
Still only in his mid 30’s, Robert is obviously younger than most heads of security, but already has as much influence at boardroom level than many of his compatriots.
His somewhat unorthodox approach, and an obvious willingness to challenge convention, first brought him to the attention of upper management during a stint at Debenhams. Promoted from the security team to take charge of loss prevention at one of the company’s more challenging London stores, he decided to change the way the job was being done.
Rather than focusing purely on arrest levels, McAlister moved security staff to the ‘front of store’, and switched to a preventative strategy. Security staff were encouraged to engage with customers – and make themselves known to suspected shoplifters. The number of arrests fell dramatically. So did the losses. “Arrests had always been taken as an indicator of security department performance, this new approach raised a few eyebrows,” says McAlister.
“When my boss decided to bring other store security managers along to see how I was doing things, I actually received ‘phone calls from colleagues who warned me against rocking the boat.” Undeterred, he stuck to his strategy. And it paid off.
Not surprisingly, McAlister has followed a similar plan of action at Tower Records and, in the short space of two years, has done nothing if not totally transform and reshape the security team. He’s also managed to change attitudes towards the team among the stores’ other members of staff, many of whom share the rebellious, ‘street culture’ ethos which the company embraces.
The big question is: could such attitudes be transposed to other organisations? “Tower Records has its own culture and challenges, that’s for sure,” adds McAlister. “However, I think the principle I am following is true whichever organisation the manager is working for. All retail security managers must adapt and become a part of the company culture if they’re really going to make a difference. First fit in and make sure you have everyone’s support. Then you can change things around to suit you and your team.” Interestingly, McAlister sees his department’s role as being every bit as much about reducing costs and improving efficiency as it is about preventing losses. “We aim to identify as quickly as possible any issues that might affect staff morale. In this way we can sort out any difficulties before they take root.” McAlister adds: “It may be something as simple as poor building management, or it may be a deeper issue like working conditions and pay, training or management practices.”
Making a contribution
To carry out his job properly, McAlister is adamant that he’s had to acquire a detailed knowledge of the retailing function at Tower.
In a refreshing stance, he states: “No area of the business or management is off limits to the security team. I’m invited to all board meetings, and the security department’s input will be sought on all sorts of strategic issues.” In real terms, McAlister feels he’s listened to because he has learned to “talk retail”.
The security staff at Tower, though, have had to change their attitudes to fit in with their manager’s train of thought. They understand that they are ‘retailers’ first, and ‘security people’ second. “They are expected to help customers on the shop floor and make sure they are ready and able to answer queries,” says McAlister. “It also means caring about profits and looking for positive ways in which they can make a contribution to the bottom line.” This all sounds well and good, but surely it can’t have been easy in trying to hoist security to the top of the corporate agenda. Indeed, in a great many organisations the security provision, sadly, is something of an afterthought. “It has been difficult,” states McAlister. “At one time there was a petition signed by over 200 members of staff calling for my removal. There was resistance there simply because I made it my business to involve myself in every single aspect of the company’s work.” It was obviously worth it. Now, McAlister finds that the staff understand the security teams’ function and that they are there to help boost profits. Something that’s in everyone’s interest. “Other retail managers must adopt these attitudes,” says McAlister. The challenge has been laid down, then, but surely there’s also an opportunity in there somewhere? Retailing is so competitive these days that clued-in security managers have a golden opportunity to make their mark, perhaps now more so than ever before. They are truly well-placed to see the ‘bigger picture’ in their own organisations.
“I never speak to the managing director or go to the board without taking some idea or proposal along with me that seems completely unrelated to security,” stresses McAlister.
“I always try to surprise them. My message as head of security is that I am concerned with every aspect of the business and, in particular, with its profitability.” On the evidence presented here, that’s one line of thinking that many retail security managers would do well to follow.
