Sep

This security guard is not helping SM Hypermart at Eton Centris Station

I dropped by SM Hypermart at Eton Centris with my daughter and our househelp last Friday, intending to give my 2-year old daughter a break from the home environment. I thought that the place was perfect for an Energizer bunny like her who is constantly skipping and hopping.

I liked that covered parking at Eton Centris is free of charge. That is hard to find in this day and age.

After finding a parking spot near the entry door, we went up the escalator. I could feel my daughter’s excitement at being in a new place. There is lots of space to run around! I asked our househelp to hold her tight and let go of her only after we have entered the supermarket.

I did not have a lot of things on my shopping list. But I said to myself, if my daughter liked to spend time in that place, then it was no problem. We had some time to spare.

Little did I know that we would not even last longer than five minutes there.

Upon reaching the entrance of the supermarket entrance, I proceeded to enter with my daughter and companion, as I had done the previous times I had been there.

Suddenly, the security personnel whom I hardly noticed called my attention. He said, “Ma’am please deposit your bag at the baggage counter.” I instantly figured that he was referring to my daughter’s nappy bag which our househelp was carrying. I thought, he can’t possibly be talking about my handbag.

So, I replied, “Oh, that is my baby’s diaper bag. It has her food, milk, juice and water in it. She needs it with her inside. Why don’t you inspect it.”

He did not bother to check the contents of the bag. In robotic fashion, he once again recited his line (in Filipino), ”Please deposit your bag over there at the baggage counter.” He was adjusting his earpiece and holding his lapel microphone, acting busy.

To which, I again said, “She needs it. What if she gets thirsty or hungry?”

“You can just go out to get what you need.” “Anyway, it is just over there.”, speaking in a very impersonal tone and pointing to the far side of the supermarket. Maybe he did have batteries…

But at this point, I was just annoyed. “What, you want me to walk all the way there?” This person wanted me to walk to the far end of the supermarket, deposit my daughter’s baby bag, go into the supermarket to shop, then go over to the baggage counter if my daughter wanted a drink or a snack. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. There was something about it that didn’t sound right to me. Customer Service…Helloooo….So I said, “If this is how you treat your customers, then I am going someplace else.”

I turned around and stormed out of the place. I did not even want to talk “to the manager” and spend more time than necessary.

I drove over to Hi-Top Supermarket on Quezon Avenue who did not have a problem with my bags.

While I was checking out at Hi-Top, I thought again that this was another case of overeager security guards who forget the whole point of their existence. They are meant to maintain peace and order where they work. Most of all, serve and protect the very people that support the establishment that they work for.

Whenever security personnel act this way, I cannot help but blame it on the establishment as well. Security personnel are frontline people and should be taught well the principles not only of keeping environments safe, but of customer service as well.

Much like marketing people, they do affect the bottomline as well.