12 months at SAFECROWDS and what a year it’s been!
After 25 years in the retail sector, from high street names to luxury brands, both at home and abroad, my move into the security sector when I joined SAFECROWDS a year ago was as unexpected for me as it was for everyone who knows me.
It was a bold, but exciting change of career into a completely new sector for me, but I knew that I not only had lots to learn, but lots to add, which has been even more rewarding than I’d anticipated.
Not quite such as brave new world as you might think
On the face of it, the world of security and counter terrorism is completely different from the world of retail and consumer goods. But look beyond the obvious differences, and there are a whole host of similarities that have made the transition much easier and more seamless than you might think.
Here are a few of the areas where I have been able to leverage my experience to support the growth in capacity and services that SAFECROWDS has achieved over the past year:
Managing complex multi-site teams and operations: My retail career involved making sure we deployed the right people in varied roles across multiple sites, taking into account skills, experience and team dynamics. The same skills have been integral to my role as COO at SAFECROWDS. The success of each contract, project, and deployment depends on the right expertise being in the right place at the right time and I love the hands-on nature of my role.
Empowering people to think differently, to think outside the box and to believe in themselves is no different to the security sector as it was within retail. The only difference is now I contribute to keeping people safe vs previously making them look and feel great!
Delivering great customer service: At SAFECROWDS, we’re not just there to protect people, property and places, we have also built a reputation for fantastic customer service across all stakeholders; from the client who hires us, through to every last customer at our clients’ premises or event. My experience of the exceptional level of service expected in luxury retail environments filters through to every level of our business at SAFECROWDS and our teams are an integral part of the customer experience we deliver. We deliver a service level to our clients that is based on a long-term partnership and is no different from our people either, as we empower our people to be the best version of themselves.
Leveraging opportunities for expansion and diversification: As COO, I have a responsibility for SAFECROWDS’ strategy, alongside our other directors, and my background in retail means that I am experienced in a fast-paced environment where it’s important to stay ahead of market trends. Since I joined the company, we have significantly developed our HVM offering, brought on board our Head of Counter Terrorism and Risk, Jonathan Neal, to enhance our TVRA and VDA capabilities, launched the SAFECROWDS Academy with its Highfield and QNUK certified training capability, and invested in our K9 services. 2023/24 has been a massive year for SAFECROWDS and my experience of managing upstream and downstream stakeholders during a period of change has come in very handy.
Harnessing the power of marketing: In the retail sector, brand matters. Marketing is important in the security sector too, as we educate and inform both key sectors and the general public about what we do and how they can play a role in safety and security. Since I joined the company a year ago, we’ve launched a new website, ramped up our social media presence, created new brochures, established a You Tube channel, created a photo and video library, and exhibited at key events – with International Security Expo still to come in September (Stand D90). We’ve worked hard to gain an enviable reputation as an integrated security and counter terrorism specialist, so making sure we communicate how we stand out from the crowd is important.
Every day is a learning day
A year after joining SAFECROWDS, it’s great to look back and see how contributed to our growth, alongside our experienced directors. But it’s also humbling to look back on how much I have learned!
Some of that learning has been formal. I have attained Spectator Safety Level 3 and Door Supervisor certification, as well as completing the ACT (Action Counters Terrorism) and Emergency First Aid at Work courses, and I’ve really enjoyed being on site as part of the team for live deployments.
But not everything I have learned has been part of a course. Every project and deployment is different, and much of what I’ve learned has been from diving in at the deep end as part of the team, drawing on the knowledge and experience of our Director of Operations Vicki Hearn, our CEO, Rory McGoldrick, and our Head of Counter Terrorism & Risk Jonathan Neal, as well as the seasoned professionals on our team.
As I start year two at SAFECROWDS, I am still learning – and that’s exactly how I like it! Every day should be a learning day for all of us, as we adapt to evolving security and counter terrorism threats and industry best practice, bringing innovative ideas, new skills and robust experience to the table as we go. What will the next 12 months bring? I’m excited to find out!
