Shopping malls prioritise the safety of shoppers

Shopping malls in the city were recently affected by such incidents where false information was spread about them.

i’langa and Riverside malls’ management are not taking it lightly as it has a direct impact on their image.

Earlier this month a caller informed the management of the Riverside Mall that they had planted three bombs on the premises.

The management handled the situation to the best of its ability.

Beate Dednam, the marketing manager, said, “The safety of our customers and tenants is our priority and we are proud of our security track record. If we receive a hoax call we do have systems in place to deal with these. The mall consistently assesses its security measures, and is continuously implementing improvements.”

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i’langa experienced something similar, when a customer shared information on WhatsApp groups about how hijackers had tampered with cars at the mall. The information proved to be inaccurate.

Fred Smith, operational manager for i’langa, told Lowvelder that “false news that is derogatory to the company causes damage to the reputation of the mall and in turn affects business”.

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He added that i’langa Mall has security systems in place and that it was safe for consumers to shop there.

False information has a lasting effect on the conclusions people make of events, even when it has been corrected.

Malls’ management pleaded with customers to verify any information they receive before sharing it on social media platforms.

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They reminded customers that they have open door policies and advised shoppers to contact them directly if they have any queries or suspicions