Opening doors

All too often door supervisors are labelled as stereotypical burly bouncers dominating a male-oriented profession. Yet the days when the industry was unskilled are long gone thanks to changes in legislation that came into effect under the Private Security Industry Act 2001.

The intention of this law was not only to regulate the industry but also to improve the public perception and confidence in door supervisors and security staff and encourage a wider cross-section of the community to consider the role as a career option.

Given the chequered history of the so-called "bouncer" there had to come a time when the industry was brought under regulation and control. After all, if a door supervisor is to use physical restraint on a member of the public then you would hope they have been given the necessary training to deal with the situation.

The rise of the SIA

The Act heralded many changes, the most important being that door supervisors must now be licensed under the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the government body responsible for enforcing the act. At first security companies and doormen viewed the licence with suspicion and many failed to see the positive impact it would have on the role, especially because the majority would have to pay their own training and licence fees.

However, since it became illegal in April 2005 to work without an SIA badge we have seen its introduction turn what was a tarnished business into a respectable career.

There have always been good, qualified, professional supervisors working on licensed premises but at the same time there were a few who hampered the image of the industry. SIA registration has weeded out many poor door supervisors and caught out companies that weren't playing by the book, giving reputable firms more scope for success. The scheme has already seen a considerable improvement across England and Wales and there are plans for it to be introduced in Scotland in November 2007.

The licence costs in the region of £190 and has to be renewed every three years. It is the individual who holds the licence and not the company, so the skills of security professionals will be much sought after in the near future.

Training is now one of the priorities in the private security industry and the introduction of the Level 2 Certificate in Door Supervision holds the key to regulating the industry. Only after passing this can a door supervisor hold the SIA licence. Training is delivered in two key areas: the Roles and Responsibilities of a Door Supervisor and Communication Skills and Conflict Management.

Security companies up and down the country are seeing the important role women can play in changing the face of door supervision and more are coming forward to work in the sector.

Indeed, the SIA believes the number of women pursuing door supervision as a career has risen rapidly from two per cent to 11. Many security companies are seeking female trainees to run the doors as they recognise the benefits of women's superior non-confrontational approach.

No longer is door supervision about size and strength but about skills, personality and presence. Customer service and the awareness of customer needs are now the key factors to success in door security. The focus is on excellent communication, team work and the ability to think on your feet. To be able to make quick decisions, be highly motivated and have a good level of customer service skills as well as having knowledge of health and safety regulations and licensing laws is essential for a rewarding career as a door supervisor.

The need for change

Given that the private security industry is believed to be two to three times greater than the entire police force in Great Britain it was vital that serious changes were made across the board in a bid to change its image to a more professional and respected industry.

Huge investments have already been made, but there is only so much the authorities can do - the buyers of private security, including pubs and bars, also have a part to play.

They must understand the new measures in place, recognise their responsibility in delivering a quality standard of security service and consider the image being portrayed by their current staff.

After all, poor security means no security and, as we all know, this has serious repercussions on both customers and the industry as a whole.

It is important that hiring decisions are made according to professionalism and not just on cost. In the past, customers of the security industry have been all too eager to purchase at the lowest price and have failed to consider how this will affect the calibre of personnel and their ability to provide a quality security service.

The new training developments have given us the chance to put an end to this with the emphasis now on value over cost, stressing the importance of good pay levels and suitable training while at the same time maintaining excellence throughout.

David Fullerton is managing director of Professional Security www.professionalsecurityuk.com​

Security Industry Authority

The Security Industry Authority was launched in 2003, partly to raise standards in the security industry and partly to manage licensing of doorstaff.

Since April 2005, at the end of a staggered introduction of the scheme, it became compulsory for all pub and bar doorstaff to carry an SIA licence, which can only be obtained by passing an accredited examination such as the BII's Certificate for Door Supervisors.

Pub licensees can be fined for failing to make sure their doorstaff are legal and risk closure of the premises and losing their licence. The Publican Market Report survey, published earlier this month, suggested the scheme is working - although we are still short of 100 per cent compliance. One in five licensees said they used doorstaff, mostly on an occasional or weekend basis. Nine in 10 of those ensure that those staff hold an SIA licence.

For more information go to www.the-sia.org.uk