Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

This is something we need. Shopping centers, please read.

I’ve seen it many times. An adult steps out of their car in the shopping center parking lot. They have two or more small children with them. All the children are strapped into car seats. Let’s see, unbuckle the oldest child first, or is it last, let’s go with oldest first. Tell that child to stay still in their seat. Move to the next oldest. At the youngest, pick up the child and hold it. Now in ascending order, have the next child exit the car and stand still in a safe place. All the kids are out. Oh wait, is their a purse or something? How about the keys? Are all the doors closed? Where is the key fob to lock the doors? Okay, settled?

After shopping, repeat the process in reverse order. There are, however, all the grocery bags to put in the car. Kids first. Youngest to oldest or is it the other order?

And then you are wary of pickpockets or whatever we call folks who grab and run in the parking lot.

How about a parking lot concierge? This is someone in uniform who helps the adult in the parking lot before and after shopping. Perhaps the concierge can hold a child. Perhaps not. We can be touch less. The concierge can stand watch and prevent children from wandering into traffic and prevent theft.

However it works, the concierge is there to assist. Once in practice, adults will start to recognize the concierge and trust grows.

We can do this. Shopping centers with parking lot concierges will have more business. It will become an expected service. Please. Read and heed.