Operational and Project Management

This document discusses the importance of operational and project management in shopping complexes, focusing on the need for efficient planning and security systems. It explores the analysis and reporting of personal shopper lounges and provides insights into strategies for multi-storey car parking and security surveillance. The document also highlights the case of Riverside, a renowned chain of shopping complexes in the United Kingdom.

Operational and
Project Management

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Multiplex Shopping complexes are new need of new time. However these complexes too
have become a general tradition from few decades but in their technological and decorative
upliftment these complexes have not been far left behind from any other business in the world.
Traditionally if we look at the management of complexes in markets. Most of them were locally
managed. Local retail shops were the sellers in there and also services were not that modernised.
Sellers just kept their goods to sell and buyers visited each shop in order to look for products.
Then came little developments in complex management and from local to national brands were
having their shops and showrooms. Also from products to range of services were now became
available under one roof. Retail products to services of tabled food and cinema halls were
together operational in shopping complexes. This was just beginning, as world is getting more
integrated to each other their business and trade practices are also part of this integration.
Shopping complexes are very efficient platforms in meeting requirements of both retailers and
buyers altogether. For making purpose of shopping complex successful, not just retailers butt
management of these complexes requires new outlook towards offering services. A overhaul is
very much needed to attain new heights.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
Planing and Critical path analysis for Multi-storey car parking.................................................4
Security and Surveillance environment......................................................................................7
Analysing and reporting Personal shopper lounge......................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
Books and Journals...................................................................................................................12

INTRODUCTION
Shopping complexes are market areas of new age. The nature and characteristics of their
business is very wide and diversified. They are home to many sort of businesses and their retail
shops and stores for keeping direct access to consumers in markets. Whenever any Shopping
complex, plans of carrying out new developments and changes be it in their nature of operation
or especially in building structures, these changes do not come in isolation limited to complex
itself and its management. But, interests of wide range of stakeholders from businesses to
employees and consumers, have to be kept in mind. Also, these developments must cope up
with requirements of modern times (Masrom and et.al., 2017).
In this report, few important such requirements are discussed which should be met by any
shopping complex while planning its refurbishment. Report starts with discussion over Parking
areas, followed by security and surveillance needs, then goes on discussing about personal
shoppers lounge. Also included in report is possible suggestions and recommendations through
which these developments can be made efficiently as per modern times. Discussion in report is
based on a very renowned chain of shopping complexes of United Kingdom, Riverside. The
chain of complex is home to many big multi-national, national and local brands since many
years, and now it is planning its refurbishment to meet needs of new time.
MAIN BODY
Planing and Critical path analysis for Multi-storey car parking
When new developments and renovations are thought and planned it is must to consider
requirements of not only present but future as well. In businesses this task becomes more critical
businesses and its operations are carried on the basis of a vision. Vision is something where
business plans to reach one day. It is something that it dreams to become in future. Therefore,
even developments of refurbishment becomes strategic in this manner. Strategic planning are
thus very much needed of renovation as well, keeping in mind all sorts of requirements as per
current stature and future prospects of business. When we talk about requirements in shopping
complexes, the scope is very wide (Havinga, Colenbrander and Schellen, 2019). Therefore it
calls for extensive and elaborated planning. Besides, Riverside is a highly reputed chain of
shopping complex, having its operation since many years. In all these years, it has been
successful in gaining trust of retailers and service providers from across the world, as well as

buyers of the same range. Therefore, critical and crucial planning is more necessitated in a
complex of such stature like Riverside. While making elaborated plans of renovations Riverside
is required to cater demands of buyers and current as well as potential retailers seeking to open
up showrooms for offering products and services.
Event organised by Sales director of Riverside was a right step in this direction. “Meet
the buyer” event have helped gathering many suggestions and understanding needs to the
management for making efficient refurbishment (Weththasinghe and et.al., 2020). In this manner
a much important need for Riverside is to have huge and well managed car parking area for
itself. Car parking is something that is needed for buyers and employees of showroom both.
Though it can be said that it is required for both of them equally. Also, this need is something
which is not luxury but a compulsion. In absence of parking area, Riverside would become
traffic blocker for rest of people using roads of collective convenience. In this manner it is
obvious that Riverside will catch penal action from city administration, that is not good for its
operational efficiency as well as goodwill in market. Therefore, some of the important
suggestions for Riverside in developing a vehicle parking area of collective good and benefits
could be as follows:
 It is important to consider needs of long run instead of short term fulfilments. Riverside
must look at the future prospects it has to fulfil. In this light, organisation have to keep its
vision in mind, together with needs that were raised by potential retailer who
communicated their needs in Meet the buyer survey. Also, it must be noted that riverside
is renowned and continuously developing shopping complex and hence it will attract
many more buyers in future, who will commute by vehicles only. Many huge brands who
have showed interests in opening up their retail showrooms will attract many buyers of
rich profiles too. Therefore, interests of all of them shall better be catered.
 While developing new parking area, Riverside must focus that it enhances information
for motorist. Motorists can be two-wheelers and four-wheelers as well. Information of
better car parking for them can be communicated through signboards , indicators and
other resources. Also, information regarding availability of parking or not will help
motorists to find their own way and help themselves. This measure will also reduce
burden over management in Complex.

 There come sometimes in shopping complexes, which can be considered as peak
periods. These are times in year when number of visitors increases more than usual. At
such time it becomes difficult to manage visitors in premises and more difficulties come
in making arrangements of parking because. At such time Riverside can make deals with
other complexes in area for sharing parking facilities. Through this problems would be
solved for all together and a sense of corporate responsibility will be reflected.
 In new parking area, to be developed, Riverside must take initiative for its responsibility
towards environmental concerns. Through signboards and pamphlets Riverside must
trying convincing visitors to adopt public transport more rather than personal vehicles to
mitigate impact of pollution. This can also be done putting related quotes or slogans over
parking payment receipts.
Other basic facilities and amenities would ofcourse be required in Riverside parking area,
but above suggestions are one that is need of modern time (Carretero and Higueras, 2017).

Security and Surveillance environment
Security is one of the most important but critical task of running any shopping complex
with safe and healthy environment. In absence of proper surveillance and security arrangements
impact over businesses and their reputations are seen be very devastating. Riverside is very
popular chain of shopping complex among retailers and buyers worldwide, hence it enjoys their
faith as well. Considering its popularity the shopping complex also become vulnerable to many
mischief as well by some anti-social elements. For example, as many big and famous brands
have their showrooms in Riverside, and many potential are seeking to get opened showrooms
their in future (Lin, Shih and Perng, 2020). In this case, these showrooms too have expensive
products attracting rich buyers. Thus, there are high chances that these showrooms may face any
theft or burglary. Many jewellery showrooms too have their potential interests in Riverside
shopping complex, therefore risks become higher in this order. Another reason to be highlighted
and considered is the type of visitors that come in Riverside shopping complex are mostly rich.
Hence any such incident of robbery or theft can also occur to them. However, these are some
basic examples of need for better security system, and any such basic accidents can be contained
by basic surveillance system as well in Riverside complex. What necessitates the need of
efficient security system is kind of modernised crimes happening these days, in terms of
cybercrime, hacking, data stealing and many more. An efficient and modernised security system
that can catch as well as contain such crimes also is required well. Considering these factors
security and surveillance management of efficient nature is very much required in shopping
complex at all stores and at all floors including parking areas.
Few of the suggestions in this line, for planning and planting desire security and
surveillance system in new Riverside shopping complexes could be:
 To keep an eye over al the movements and activities that goes inside the premises of
Riverside complex it is needed that management must opt over installing CCTV cameras
that are of new age. New age and modernised surveillance cameras are rich in their
catching and coverage capacity (Fořt and et.al., 2018). Also they are able to move in 360
degree direction. In this was one single camera would also be covering larger view. This
will reduce requirement of numerous number of cameras. And, limited pieces can make
more coverage. Also, while making decision over their installations management must

consider that all CCTV cameras must be able to catch every corner of premises. Also
within main premises few of the cameras must be kept at height.
 Taking consideration of recording that would be made by these cameras. Management
should take note that, availability of recording must be of all hours in a day, including
nigh time. And in hours in day, in which rush is higher most, at least one security
personnel should be there in the camera room to to catch all movements in complex over
display screens. Keeping of these records safely is another critical task. It must be noted
that these recordings are also a sort of data, having interests of many stakeholders
including management of Riverside and administration of city. Thus it should be kept in
safe and well organised manner, dates over discs of recordings should be maintained.
Also, when these data or recordings gets accumulated more, say after a year, then their
destruction be made after prior permission of administration. These rules must be enlisted
on documents, to guide future management of Riverside as well.
 There are some other sort of security needs besides criminal offences. These are some
accidents and unforeseen happenings. They include fire accidents, short-circuit of
electrical wiring, any sort of medical emergency required to visitors or workers and
employees in the complex as well. These are unpredictable circumstances therefore, an
emergency plan for them is need of time. Emergency plan is a set standards of protocol
that is followed by security personnels at time any such urgency arises. When there will
be set rules to follow for security personnels and management, any confusion in taking
decisions and steps could be avoided.
However two other requirements of different nature shall not be avoided by management,
one is of basic like scanning and metal detector systems at entrance and lift elevators. Second is
efficient systems to track cyber and technical crimes (Dubey and et.al., 2020).

Analysing and reporting Personal shopper lounge
Personal shoppers are those people working a store or retail shops who are engaged in
providing direct aid and services to customers. These shoppers are one who offers consultancy
regarding products and services to customers and also help stores to gain satisfaction levels from
customers, building up their goodwill and competitive edge in market. Their importance for
businesses also lies as they handle various grievances of customers, speaking softly and by
maintaining efficient communication with customers they help rendering a friendly environment
for customers in retail shops. Thus they are well important for businesses, stores and retail shops
in area of Riverside complex, and therefore they eventually becomes important for management
in Riverside (Weththasinghe and et.al., 2020).
Taking note of variety of personal shoppers who are engaged in working Riverside
complex then one can notice a wide scope. This evident from the fact that Riverside complex
have a variety of store and retail shops and many other businesses operational in its premises.
Looking at the personal shoppers working in a mobile store, for example Imaging store of Apple,
even in that store there could be no less than 11 to 15 personal shoppers, offering consultancy to
customers over mobiles to laptops to MacBooks and many other gadgets. There also technicians
in these stores providing immediate technical assistance to customers. This is just one example,
Riverside is home to several other mobile companies stores which have good strength of
businesses. Other type of business to which Riverside complex cater need and which have staffs
similar to Personal shoppers are Restaurants. Many food and beverages retail shops of local
franchise or of multi-national nature like Domino's and Starbucks have their potential and
present interests in Riverside complex. All these businesses offering tabled or take away
deliveries need to maintain staff of kitchen and waiters. Similar is the condition with staff and
employees of Cinema halls operational in Riverside. Many other stores of clothing and fashion
brands and other type of businesses are catered by Riverside (Ruparathna, Hewage and Sadiq,
2017). Besides their place of work, these personal shoppers have some expectations with
Riverside complex as well, which must be addressed by management here, in order to retain its
goodwill. Riverside can better address these expectations through developing facilities of leisure
and comfort in form lounge areas, which should include:

 In way of facilities of luxury and refreshments, personal shopper lounge must have a
canteen that have food products and beverages for personal shoppers of their choice.
Also, management in Riverside can take initiative of offering these products for these
employees at discounted rates.
 A proper seating arrangements in imperative. Because these employees are seen standing
while handling customers. Thus they get tired all their time of service. When they come
at lounge they expect relaxation and comforts. Therefore seating arrangements
comprising of both chairs as well couch is very much suggested. Also, number of seats
must be sufficient in tackling strength of total shoppers working in complexes.
 As Riverside have numerous big stores and businesses who are well known and popular
among people. Also number of personal shoppers is in good strength considering total
numbers of them. Therefore to any avoid any rush between consumers and employees,
Riverside should opt for making separate canteen and sitting arrangements for them.
 Other facilities can be included while developing Personal shoppers lounge in new
complex of Riverside, management can opt to install Wi-Fi facility in this lounge.
 Also, an assistance of common telephone to make emergency calls over their respective
stores and retail shops would be convenient for personal shoppers and their seniors as
well to make some emergency communications at time.
 Personal lounge area must have some basic medical tools kit available.
Employees working in stores and shops of Riverside complex are as important for
Complex management as the business operational there are. Therefore, their convenience and
leisure are of utmost importance as well (Shi, Li and Li, 2017).

CONCLUSION
Therefore, it can be concluded that Riverside have a platform of shopping complex that
caters interests of a very wide range of businesses, retail shops and stores. Since the complex is
planning to make renovations and developments in new time, it is important for it to take
consideration of interests of all businesses that are operational in its premises, employees
working there and needs and requirements of shopping complex itself. While making
refurbishment and keeping up cooperation with modern time requirements, it is required that
management in Riverside must adhere to its planned budget. Any deviation from budget should
not lead to disturbance of financial management in Complex.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Masrom, M. A. N. and et.al., 2017. DETERMINING BARRIERS IN SUSTAINABLE
REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS: COMMERCIAL BUILDING OWNER
PERSPECTIVES. PLANNING MALAYSIA, 15(3).
Havinga, L., Colenbrander, B. and Schellen, H., 2019. Heritage significance and the
identification of attributes to preserve in a sustainable refurbishment. Journal of
Cultural Heritage.
Weththasinghe, K. K. and et.al., 2020. Use of an Object-Oriented System for Optimizing Life
Cycle Embodied Energy and Life Cycle Material Cost of Shopping Centres. In
Sustainability in Energy and Buildings (pp. 247-257). Springer, Singapore.
Carretero, J. and Higueras, E., 2017. The suitability of sustainable retrofitting means for
shopping malls, in an environmental and urban background. A resume of the
methodology. UPLanD-Journal of Urban Planning, Landscape & environmental
Design, 2(2), pp.85-96.
Lin, M. F., Shih, S. G. and Perng, Y. H., 2020. Sustainable Shopping Mall Rehabilitation.
Sustainability, 12(17), p.6698.
Dubey, R. K. and et.al., 2020. AUTOSIGN: A multi-criteria optimization approach to computer
aided design of signage layouts in complex buildings. Computers & Graphics, 88,
pp.13-23.
Fořt, J. and et.al., 2018. Complex assessment of reconstruction works on an institutional
building: A case study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 202, pp.871-882.
Weththasinghe, K. K. and et.al., 2020. Use of an Object-Oriented System for Optimizing Life
Cycle Embodied Energy and Life Cycle Material Cost of Shopping Centres. In
Sustainability in Energy and Buildings (pp. 247-257). Springer, Singapore.
Ruparathna, R., Hewage, K. and Sadiq, R., 2017. Developing a level of service (LOS) index for
operational management of public buildings. Sustainable cities and society, 34, pp.159-
173.
Shi, Y., Li, X. and Li, H., 2017. A new method to assess infiltration rates in large shopping
centers. Building and Environment, 119, pp.140-152.