Customer Assistant - Service & Safety - Edinburgh

Marks and Spencer; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 25,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in Edinburgh is seeking a Service and Safety Assistant to ensure customer safety and engagement within the store. The ideal candidate will possess strong communication skills and a confident presence, supporting a welcoming environment while deterring theft. This role is crucial for maintaining a safe shopping experience, requiring empathy and self-motivation. Join us in delivering excellent service to our customers.

Responsibilities

• Provide customers with a visible presence at the beginning of their shopping journey.
• Assist customers in navigating the store and respond to their needs.
• Deal calmly with confrontational situations and support a safe shopping environment.

Skills

Confident presence

Strong communication skills

Ability to deter suspicious activity

Empathy with M&S brand values

Self-motivated

Good observation skills

Job description

Summary

Service and Safety Assistant

Work Pattern

Monday: 13:00-21:00

Tuesday: 13:00-21:00

Friday: 13:00-21:00

Key Accountabilities and Measures

• Clearly identified to provide customers with a visible presence at the beginning of their shopping journey


• Confidently welcome customers to the store with a smile and by making eye contact, and use a range of greeting techniques known to deter theft from the store


• Flexible and trained to support other areas within the store i.e. Foods, C&H, Operations


• Be knowledgeable of the store, support key marketing messages, latest products and top questions (e.g. what time do you close?)


• Assist customers in navigating the store, recognising when a customer needs help and provide the right level of support


• Thank our customers for shopping with us when they exit


• Deal calmly and empathetically with people in a variety of retail circumstances, including confrontational situations


• Respond to door alarms in a sincere and apologetic manner, resolving any issues the customer may have


• Be a visible deterrent against violence, anti-social behaviour, targeted theft, till snatches and criminal activity to support a safe shopping environment


• Identify and monitor suspicious persons, activity or theft and take appropriate customer engaging actions as required to deter


• Ensure all incidents are reported through the M&S Incident reporting process either through the Hicom app (on the Honeywell) or into the Security Operations Centre, and to the police where necessary


• Ensure that persons served with a trespass notice do not re-enter the site


• Responsible for carrying store radio and engaging with police and other security personnel to improve service to M&S, this may include crime partnership meetings, agreed police meetings, shop watch schemes


• Apprehend external thieves (only if necessary) in line with business policy and only if all components of theft are seen


• Report any incidents of known or suspected internal theft or malpractice

Key Skills

• Being confident with an easily felt presence and friendly and natural personality is essential


• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage customers with ease


• Ability to remain focused at greeting customers and deterring suspicious activity


• To have a natural empathy with our M&S brand and values, including service behaviours


• To be self-motivated, willing to improvise and suggest or try new approaches


• Able to maintain high standards of appearance and uniform standards


• No requirement to be licensed, but good observation skills would be a benefit

Key Relationships and Stakeholders

• Store Management team


• Store Colleagues


• Operational Security Manager


• Regional teams (RLPMs/RCOMs)


• Store Detectives


• SOC


• Police


• Local Networks