Crowded Aisles, lines that snake around the block, and full parking lots define the corona virus outbreak for retail stores, as panic buying and mass hysteria sweep the nation ahead of concerns that there will be supply shortages across the nation’s supply chains. Commercial Security services in particular are making good on this situation, helping retail outlets manage the influx of customers while doing the best they can to maintain social distancing and hold back the tide of customers as long as possible.
Retail stores in the nation are not unused to large numbers of customers thronging the premises, especially on days that break retail records, like holidays. Christmas, thanksgiving, and black Friday are also days where retail outlets see plenty of customers, but they still do not compare to the influx customers during the pandemic, as shoppers’ empty shelves and fight over the few remaining groceries in an effort to hoard supplies in case of a shortage. Security guards have reported breaking up fights as customers get into scraps over needed supplies like toilet paper or canned food.
Supply chain managers are perplexed, as an unnamed supply chain operator of one of the leading chains in the state says, “We actually had to hire extra security guards in Orange county, as one of our locations was being emptied out minutes after we got out supplies in. We would like to assure our customers that there is no danger of any supplies running out, and we are well stocked for the future”, as he tried to assuage doubts among-st shoppers.
Looting also has increased in frequency, as criminals and opportunistic looters note areas of opportunity between the crowds and shoppers. As security company in Los Angeles, when asked about the situation, was generally optimistic about the future. “We had to hire 500 guards last week, due to the huge increase in the number of shoppers per location. Due to the violent nature of some incidents, we have got armed guards and off-duty law enforcement just in case, to protect both the company and its customers. People panicking is causing this issue, but it’s hardly necessary.”
Some stores are even assigning extra security ion parking lots and in early hours, as customers seek to explore new methods of getting supplies and venture outside their usual times. To accommodate older shoppers and compromised customers during this frenzy, stores are designating separate hours so that these communities can shop in relative peace and free of threat from crowds and potentially cases of transmission.
Security guards are proving to be an indispensable tool for these cases, as they are instrumental for a variety of functions that reduce the load on law enforcement and the public infrastructure, like
- Maintaining social distancing among-st customers
- Enforcing mask wearing and hand sensitization
- Controlling the number of customers inside retail locations at any given time
- Patrolling and breaking up altercations when they occur
- Serving as a physical deterrent to crimes and shoplifters seeking to make a quick buck
Anyone who wants to stock up on supplies during this time will be sure to observe the increased security measures around many of their favorite places, as shops step up their measures in a bid to keep up with the competition. This can only be helpful to control the rising tide of the virus as it crosses the nation, causing tough times for the economy and workers.