Security!

Giving good service does not only restrict one to the four walls of a restaurant. Doing business is a type of service and providing security and being "bouncers" is also a service being rendered.

Now, how far would a company go, to keep its security on check and at the same time, make their clients/customers happy?

Last weekend and this weekend, my friends and I were at the Esplanade to watch some gigs for the Mosaic Music Jazz Festival. For all the gigs we went to at the theatre studio, we have had quite unpleasant experiences with the security people.

Last week, we were at 65daysofstatic autographing signing session after the show. We met this girl in front of us, who was from Indonesia. She did not bring a camera and was asking whether my friend could help her take a picture. We agreed and after all of us signed, we stood outside the queue poles and tried to take pictures. There were many unsuccessful takes as those people who were getting their CD autographed kept moving and blocking the view of the artist.

Every time my friend finished a shot, the security and staff tried to move in to 'usher' us out of the building. If I wanted to look at it from another point of view, I would actually find it funny coz it looked like they were doing a sort of dance, moving back and forth.

Finally when we have finished, they asked us, albeit with a 'trained' smile on their faces whether we have finished or whether we were done. You know, the tone was so rather rude, that I cannot remember whether they used the word "finished" or "done". In any case, they then went on to explain that the doors of the building close at 1.30am. Time check: 12.30am. What a crappy excuse. You just kinda revealed to us that you want us to scurry on home so that you could also leave early. Bad service number 1.

Yesterday. My friend was at the earlier gig of Saint Etienne. She took out her camera while queueing up to get her CD autographed. She was told by this burly man that there is absolutely no photography during the autographing session or while she was in the queue. So my friend put on the lens cap and slung her camera over her shoulder.

This burly man was not satisfied. It was as though he was having an ego issue with my friend. He said something like," I told you: No camera or photo-taking. You have to keep you camera."

My friend: I know, I am not taking any pictures. I am just hanging it over my shoulder.

Burly security man: In your bag now! Or you get out of the line! (Opens up part of the queue pole, whatever that is called).


Now, this may not be the exact words that he said as I was a little out of earshot, but I was scared stiff and I felt very offended for my friend and even myself. This man just talked down to my friend when there was no need to!

He could have explained that she could take pictures when she is out of the queue, after the signing, but not while she was in the line. How did I know? I saw people standing outside the line, holding their cameras and clicking away.

It really marred an otherwise very pleasant evening where my friends enjoyed the music and performance. We are not children (even if we do look young). It is not our fault that we do not look our age. In any case, we should not be talking down to children at all. What sort of mannerisms are we teaching them if we talk to them like that??

Please, the Esplanade is suppose to be an arty place where people are cultured. We are not now, at a night club of rowdy drunk people. I am not saying the night clubbing people are not cultured either. They usually are and are capable of being civilised. I think this man here, thought that he was dealing with juveniles.


My friend was so upset that she had asked a permanent staff for an email address and/or an avenue for her complaint to be heard. The staff actually explained that they have "NO CONTROL OVER THE SITUATION" as the security services are being outsourced? What kind of LOUSY excuse is THAT?

Yes, oftentimes outsourced services are never up to one's company's service standards, but that does not mean not ensuring that they try to meet it? Does the Esplanade not realise that outsourcing or not, this is going to DIRECTLY hurt their company image????

By right, your customers are not supposed to know that you have outsourced staff. And even if they do know, your customers would assume that you ensure the same level of service standards regardless whether your staff is full-time, part-time, volunteering, outsourced or otherwise.

Later that evening as we sat eating at Glutton's Bay, a fight broke out and police van came. We glanced across and gave each other knowing looks thinking, "Now where is that burly bouncer when you REALLY need them?"