As this is the last weekend before Christmas, you can be sure to expect hordes of very drunk customers to come through the doors. This is great news for business owners, but not great news for door supervisors. Chances are, if you’re a door supervisor working this weekend, your hands will be full.
Not only will you have to worry about keeping an eye on the growing crowds of people lining up or gathering outside the room, but you’ll also have to make sure they’re kept under control.
So, because we feel charitable, we thought we’d share a few quick tips on how best to deal with the chaos.
Be kind
While it is tempting to be on your guard, drunks will respond better to someone who approaches them in a friendly manner, as opposed to an authoritative person.
Call for some “friendly” backup
If a situation escalates, you may assume that a call for help is the best course of action to follow, but believe it or not, the most effective way to support will be to involve the drunk person’s sober friend or colleague. The drunk person will always respond better to a friend than to a member of the security staff.
Never try to direct a drunk
No matter how loud a drunk can become when I reason with an alcoholic, I’m always a good idea to talk to him in a non-dictatorial tone. The fact is that drunks don’t like to be told what to do. So when you interact with them, offer choices such as: “Do you want me to call you a cab? Or “I’d rather help you than call the police. Statements like these can save you a world of trouble…
Don’t show fear
If there is one thing that drunks can feel, it is fear. There will be times when a drunk will practically sniff it out, i.e. “looking for trouble” – so it’s a good idea to appear confident but not threatening.
Ask them questions about themselves
Saving a few minutes to engage the drunk in a friendly manner could potentially distract him from becoming violent or worse. When you can, try to keep the drunk away from the disturbance. This can be done both physically and verbally.
Remember that safety must always come first, not only for others, but also for yourself.
