Black Friday is just over a week away. If you are a
retailer, are you prepared for the big day? With such large sales happening
across the country, it is important to have adequate crowd control to prevent
accidents from happening, to both the customers and your employees. It is
essential you take the proper steps to ensure everyone has a safe Black Friday experience.
Today we’re going to offer our tips for proper crowd control on one of the biggest
shopping days of the year.
~ Schedule additional staff to help take the pressure off
your employees. Not having enough staff during a big promotion can become a big
problem.
~Use crowd control items such as barricades or rope lines
well in advance of the big sale. Customers will often line up a day or more
before Black Friday, so have this ready early! This will ensure that the lines
outside of your store are organized.
~Place big sale items throughout the store to prevent
overcrowding in certain areas or departments. This will reduce the risk of
injury.
~Provide a separate store entrance for staff for their
safety.
~Place security or crowd control managers near the doors,
but never in front of them. Customers have been known to rush the store, and
someone may be injured.
~ Place staff outside of the doors to prevent customers from
entering as the doors are being unlocked. Have them remind customers of your
entrance procedures to get your customers inside in a safe and controlled way.
~Be sure to have an emergency plan, and communicate it to
all staff members.
Follow these steps to keep your store, employees, and
customers safe during this big retail holiday! You can never be too cautious
when it comes to an event like this. Practice smart crowd control, and enjoy
the boost in sales!
