Hi All
I've been working a couple of months as a crowd controller (C/C) now, and although I seem to be better than a lot of my colleagues with the 'communication' type skills (like observation, persuasion, etc), I still lack the experience to know instinctively what to do in some situations. I was hoping the forum could help.
These have more to do with physical effectiveness rather than following SOP. I'd like as much input as possible! Thanks.
Some situations...
Bar Climber
When people climb onto a bar, these tend to be about 4 foot off the ground. Not *easily* climbable. I mean, obviously the patron did it, but it's not trivial to get to the same position. My tendency is to initially get their attention without touching them, and talking them down, reinforcing it by tugging at their pant leg. (To get their attention, but I don't want them to fall off). What happens when this doesn't work? Would you get up on the bar as well? I would on a stage, but a bar seems too narrow. Would your approach change if there were two C/Cs available?
Moving Females (esp if underage)
I've had it happen several times now that i've had to physically remove a girl (eg. failing to produce ID but already inside). One difficulty that faced me (as a man) was trying to get a hold of a person deliberately moving so that the only way you could grab them might lead to inappropriate (though unintentional) contact. For example, girls who keep trying to face you so that you can't grab them without risking contact with their chest, etc.
Enforcing stupid policy
I'm just curious what patter (ie. how you say it) people use when enforcing policy that doesn't make sense or is grossly unfair. For example, people who work in nightclubs may share my experience of grossly discriminatory policies. No shorts (only applies to guys). Girls only on stage. This that and the other. My approach tends to be "I agree that the rule is unfair, but I'm employed to enforce whatever these people tell me. Maybe you should write a letter to management about this?" Of course, this has to be severely watered down when the manager is hovering nearby :P Thoughts on best approach?
Managing children
Similar to the moving females situation. I've been in a punchup with a man bikies are scared of, but I was more petrified when a six year old girl tried to get into my tavern. I won't be racist, but my experience from this suburb is that this particular demographic tends to be very "we know our rights and know how to sue and make your life a living hell". Preventing a six year old (ps. unsupervised, reason she was outside was her parents were in the TAB) from running into a tavern is very difficult when you're trying not to make contact. In that particular situation, I just used my body to fill the frame of the doorway. Luckily nothing happened, however it occurred to me that this may not be the best idea. Children's fists tend to be about crotch height. :S Thoughts?
Feel free to add tips for more situations. I'm just curious.
I've been working a couple of months as a crowd controller (C/C) now, and although I seem to be better than a lot of my colleagues with the 'communication' type skills (like observation, persuasion, etc), I still lack the experience to know instinctively what to do in some situations. I was hoping the forum could help.
These have more to do with physical effectiveness rather than following SOP. I'd like as much input as possible! Thanks.
Some situations...
Bar Climber
When people climb onto a bar, these tend to be about 4 foot off the ground. Not *easily* climbable. I mean, obviously the patron did it, but it's not trivial to get to the same position. My tendency is to initially get their attention without touching them, and talking them down, reinforcing it by tugging at their pant leg. (To get their attention, but I don't want them to fall off). What happens when this doesn't work? Would you get up on the bar as well? I would on a stage, but a bar seems too narrow. Would your approach change if there were two C/Cs available?
Moving Females (esp if underage)
I've had it happen several times now that i've had to physically remove a girl (eg. failing to produce ID but already inside). One difficulty that faced me (as a man) was trying to get a hold of a person deliberately moving so that the only way you could grab them might lead to inappropriate (though unintentional) contact. For example, girls who keep trying to face you so that you can't grab them without risking contact with their chest, etc.
Enforcing stupid policy
I'm just curious what patter (ie. how you say it) people use when enforcing policy that doesn't make sense or is grossly unfair. For example, people who work in nightclubs may share my experience of grossly discriminatory policies. No shorts (only applies to guys). Girls only on stage. This that and the other. My approach tends to be "I agree that the rule is unfair, but I'm employed to enforce whatever these people tell me. Maybe you should write a letter to management about this?" Of course, this has to be severely watered down when the manager is hovering nearby :P Thoughts on best approach?
Managing children
Similar to the moving females situation. I've been in a punchup with a man bikies are scared of, but I was more petrified when a six year old girl tried to get into my tavern. I won't be racist, but my experience from this suburb is that this particular demographic tends to be very "we know our rights and know how to sue and make your life a living hell". Preventing a six year old (ps. unsupervised, reason she was outside was her parents were in the TAB) from running into a tavern is very difficult when you're trying not to make contact. In that particular situation, I just used my body to fill the frame of the doorway. Luckily nothing happened, however it occurred to me that this may not be the best idea. Children's fists tend to be about crotch height. :S Thoughts?
Feel free to add tips for more situations. I'm just curious.

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