07-06-2015 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

%,A4L.Ejsil Safely Managing Customer Drinking -. - : % Consider using the "A -13 -C's" approach to managing customer drinking: A = Stay ALERT to your customer. Look. How is the customer walking? Does he or she seem tired? Do they seem down or high? Do they seem in control? Are their eyes red or glassy? Watch them as they respond to you and watch them inter- acting with others. Look for the outward signs of intoxication. Listen. Pay special attention to any heated arguments, confrontations or any low-key altercations lasting more than two minutes or so. Listen for quick, slow, slurred or fluctuating pace of speech. B = BE INFORMED about your customer. This means asking questions. The best type of question to ask is the open-ended question, which requires more than a "yes" or "no" answer. You want to determine: 1. The customer's prior food and drink. If the customer arrives at your establishment late in the evening, chances are good that the customer has already been drinking elsewhere. Determine if the customer has eaten. This has a direct bearing on their drinking capacity. 2. The customer's reason for being at the establishment. Are they there to celebrate something? To socialize? To get intoxicated? 3. The customer's mood. Is the customer happy, depressed or anything else that may be a factor in how he or she will respond to drinking tonight? Each of these facts will have a direct bearing on your service of alcohol to that customer. C = CATEGORIZE the customer (using the TRAFFIC LIGHT analogy). GREEN = Serve. The customer is not exhibiting any warning signals or obvious signs of intoxication. The objective is to keep customers in the green category. This customer exhibits warning signals such as a depressed or "hyper" atti- tude, socially inappropriate behavior or drinking fast. Pay close attention to this customer. The objective is to SLOW DOWN SERVICE and get them back to "Green". 1. Persuade the customer to eat or try alternative beverages. These items will not prevent intoxication, but they will keep the customer busy while his or her body eliminates some of the alcohol. 2. Slow down service. Visit the table less frequently. Do not visit the table until all customers have fin- ished their drinks. If this is resisted, explain what you are doing and why. RED = Do not serve. This customer exhibits signs of intoxication, aggressive, obnoxious, overly friendly or depressed. Move on to the next step, sharing information. S = SHARE information with other personnel (See also page 13 on documenting incidents.) Once you decide to terminate service, alert other personnel, and get back-up or security. Other things you should share are suspected drinking by minors, customers who are in the "Yellow" category, illegal drug use, or the fact that you must leave the floor for some reason. — 11 —