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In India for many people in Shopping Mall Management perhaps this is first job out of College - they never knew there was an industry that runs shopping centres - it's not exactly the sort of career that people were conscious of few years back.
Jobs in Shopping Mall Management fall under two basic categories - Leasing / Marketing & Operations - mall managers maintain landlord/tenant relationships and continuously find new ways to show off a properties appeal and attract the customers who complete the cycle. In its early years, graduates/under graduates dominated the field, coming from more traditional and commercial real estate business.
Leasing people learned the importance of having the right team over a period of time, most rely on chemistry to guide choices, but instinct caps it off. You have to be a critical thinker in this business and level-headed, assertive and self-assured. You have to get things done.
On marketing side of career, Mall marketing is part science and part buzz, but it all comes together to get people through the doors for an exciting shopping experience and to oversee all the public relations, advertising and promotions for malls. The job is more than attractive window dressing; the retail business requires analysis just like any other industry, and a little psychology. Indeed, the retail industry studies research that dissects every aspect of shopping behaviour. There are statistics to show the average age and gender of shoppers, how long the average shopper stays in the mall, how much money a shopper spends per visit. Because each mall has so many different shoppers, that adds a layer of complexity to the mix. They have to learn about shopping habits at so many levels, but there is also a cultural piece they need to be aware of with our local shoppers. They have to be aware of their expectations and be responsive to that.
The hardest part is juggling and organizing. You have to give 100 percent to whatever you are working on. You have to think on your feet, and always be ready for whatever is coming your way. One of the tools you need to relay on daily, is negotiation. It's a constant in this job - everything is negotiable and negotiation at the end it boils down to one skill, Listening. It's the first thing you need to do as a Successful negotiator, but it's the one thing so many people don't do when they're negotiating.
Second key job in this business is Operations, which does get involved in casual/short term leasing some time One day you are meeting with a national retailer for fit outs and next a kiosk deal helping someone set up a weekend business . Kiosks by the way is a low-risk way for people who are new to retailing to test the waters. It's intimidating, to be the little guy. Amidst all these big national and international stores you may feel like helping people live out their dreams. It's very gratifying to watch them become successful.
All operations executive know shopping is serious business when your shopping centre is one of the top attractions in city like "The Celebration Mall" in Amritsar they connect with so many different groups: Retailers, Shoppers, Store employees, the Community and their Corporate office. To do that well they need to know about public relations, store security and everything in between.
You thrive on the fast pace, but occasionally reach for a touchstone. I think back to one of my colleagues first day on the first job at a mall, he said "I just sat there, at my desk, and I had nothing to do. My co-workers laughed and told me to savour the moment, because it's the last time I would ever have nothing to do. Of course, he has plenty to do these days. Malls typically operate with fewer staff than other traditional retail business, which translates to fewer assistants and support employees. You shift gears quickly between the more visible aspects of the job, like conducting tours for fit out or Business Development teams to the behind-the-scenes activity, like managing administrative work, Budgets, advertising, legal, and technical support. Part of being a property manager in operations is responding to problems and emergencies, which don't always happen nine-to-five. When that happens, the Centre Manager needs to coordinate solutions on multiple levels. When there's an emergency, or an accident, you have to act quickly. It affects a chain of people, from the owner of the Building, to the tenant and the customers.
One thing that all learn over period of time in operations is to improvise and not to panic. What seems like the worst crisis at the time is not the worst crisis.
To help learn this profession, there are Professional associations, such as the Institute of Real Estate Management and the International Council of Shopping Centres. Both offer continuing education and the opportunity to become accredited. Or one can work with organisation like JLLM who are one of the best places to learn while working under very able experienced leadership. And to keep you update on Industry you can see all major dynamic changes in Retail publications like Shopping centre news from Images.
With all its complexities one fact I am sure of is fast career progression in this profession, as without doubt in next 10 years we all will see at least 3-4 best malls from India in Top ten Malls in the world list, and who knows one of you reading will walk the red carpet to receive this honour at that time.
The author Arif Sheikh is President - Retail at Advance India Projects Limited
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