Christmas Crowds

Christmas is only a few days away, and that means a lot of places are going to be extremely busy. Keep reading for our advice when it comes to handling the last couple days of Christmas crowds.

Travel

You likely already have your travel plans in place, but we’ve got some advice to try and make your experience a bit easier. Whether you’re hitting the road or heading to the airport, everywhere is likely to be pretty busy over the next week.

·        Get to the airport early. Millions of people are getting on planes over the next few days, and you don’t want to miss your flight because you get stuck in security. Bring a book or a laptop to entertain yourself while you wait.

·        Bringing gifts? You might be better off wrapping them after arriving at your destination. If a wrapped gift sets off any alarms, TSA is going to open it. It is easier just to wait.

·        Go carry on only if you can. This will save time because you won’t have to wait at baggage claim and there’s no chance of your luggage going missing.

·        If you’re traveling by car, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are expected to be the busiest days on the road, so leave extra time.

·        If you can drive to your destination in the morning versus the afternoon, you will most likely encounter less traffic.

Shopping

If you’ve not finished Christmas shopping yet, it is too late to avoid the crowds. Malls and stores are absolutely packed with people shopping for last minute gifts. There are a few ways to make the experience less overwhelming, though.

·        Try getting out to the store before the weekend. It will likely still be busy, but not nearly as busy as it is during the weekend. Similarly, try going shopping in the early morning. The later it gets the busier it will be.

·        Parking lots will be crowded. If you can, get someone to drop you off and pick you up later to avoid the stress of parking.

·        Expect every store you go to to be packed. If it is, you are less likely to be irritated, and if it isn’t, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

·        Take friends or family with you. Yes, this means more people, but you are more likely to enjoy shopping when surrounded by people you care about.

·        Go shopping with a game plan. Know what you need to get and get it right away. Choose stores you already know to save time.

·        It may still be possible to do some online shopping. Shop your favorite stores online and opt for in store pickup. Check the dates and make sure stores will have the items before Christmas, first!

Christmas Party Crowds

Christmas parties aren’t essential events, but they are great for many reasons. If you’re holding a company party, it’s great for employee morale. If you’re holding a friend or family get-together, it’s a great way to connect and remember that Christmas is about loved ones, not presents. No matter what type of party you are hosting, you have to consider how you are going to manage your crowds.

You strategy will have to differ depending on the type of party you are holding. We’re going to break it down into three categories; company party, friends/family party, and party with children.

Company Party

A company party is generally a larger affair, which may be held on the premises or in a space that has been rented for the occasion. If you are holding your party at a venue other than your workplace, there are some extra steps you must consider such as how far the venue is from work and what the parking situation is. It’s a good idea to give directions and parking options to all your employees to avoid traffic congestion and confusion.

No matter where your party is, be sure to provide adequate signage so employees can find the party. Many workers stick to familiar areas in a building and may need help finding the party location, especially in a large building. And of course, it goes without saying that you must provide directions if your party is held in a hotel banquet hall, for example. Again, signage helps prevent confusion and stops employees from wandering into the wrong area of your venue.

Now, onto the party itself. Company parties fairly traditionally count on food, alcohol, and sometimes dancing. It is likely you will have a catered meal, and dancing is fairly straightforward. Where you do have to be careful is with alcohol. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and can lead to some awkward situations. Plus people have to be able to get home. If you’re worried about serving alcohol, just skip it. Serve juice, coffee, tea, soda…there’s tons of other beverage possibilities!

Company parties can be quite crowded, especially if family members and significant others are invited. For this reason you must pay close attention to the capacity of your space. Have enough seating and crowd control items such as rope posts to direct any lines that may form. Spread out your food and drinking stations so no area of the party is getting congested, leading to uncomfortable and unsafe conditions.

Friend/Family Party

While it is certainly possible to rent out a venue for a friends and family party, these events are usually held in someone’s home, which presents its own challenges. First off, be sure you do not invite more guests than your home can handle. While you don’t necessarily need seating available for everyone, you should have enough for the majority of your guests. You also don’t want overcrowding in your home, in case of some sort of emergency.

One way to reduce overcrowding is to keep everything spread out. This will work differently depending on the layout of your home. You may choose to have plasters of food spread across your home. For example, leave the warm food in your kitchen, but spread trays of cookies, candy, and cold appetizers across the entire party area. Have seating available in multiple rooms, so guests can spread out and create their own pockets.

Mess can create extra clutter, which can lead to accidents and safety issues. Strategically place garbage cans near food areas to subtly encourage guests to throw away garbage right away, to avoid stacks of plates.

Party with Children

Many parties that do include children are often hosted at home, so make sure to read the friend/family section above. But, in addition to all of those tips, you must add the high energy of children to the equation.

It’s a good idea to have an area of the house dedicated to the kids. Here you can set up toys, craft stations, and games. If you do this make sure there’s some sort of supervision in the room at all times. Alternatively, you could set up this area in one of the main party areas, so there will always be adult eyes on those nearby children.

With sugary treats likely available, children will likely have a lot of energy which can manifest in behaviors that can cause damage. If you’re planning to have children over for this party, we recommend being strategic about where you place items. You don’t want to set a drink station next to where the children are dancing, for example.

No matter what type of party you’re hosting, it’s sure to be a little chaotic. Stay organized, spread out the party, and be clear about where everything is, and make the crowding at your party a little less stressful.

Thanksgiving Crowds Projected to Grow

Planning to head out this coming weekend to visit friends or family for Thanksgiving? Be warned,

travel for the holiday weekend is projected to be up 1.9 percent. It is estimated that approximately 48.7 million people will be hopping on planes or getting in their cars over the next few days.

With low gas prices and lower than average airline fares, it’s no surprise that people are taking advantage. Unfortunately that does mean you will likely run into crowds wherever you go; the airport, taxi services, gas stations, roadside restaurants, and more. Does the idea of being surrounded by crowds make you feel panicked? Here’s our top tips for avoiding the crowds as much as possible.

1.      Pick the least busy days to travel. If you already have plane tickets you’re likely out of luck, but for those of you driving, changing your departure times can make a big difference. The two busiest days to be on the road are the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and the Sunday after Thanksgiving. If you can leave on Thanksgiving Day, or head home the Saturday or even Monday after, you should encounter less traffic.

2.      Leave early. Maybe you have a flight, or maybe with your work schedule you are limited with the days you can go out of town. If that’s the case, always try to get an early start. If you’re flying get to the airport early. Lines will be long and navigating the crowded airport will be a nightmare. Traveling is stressful enough without adding the stress of trying to be on time. Driving? Avoiding the traffic is all about timing. If you have to leave Wednesday, leave earlier in the day. The same goes for Sunday. Getting an early start is almost always better.

3.      Less luggage is more. More time, that is. If you’re driving this isn’t such an issue, but if you’re flying, listen up. Checking baggage takes up a lot of time. You have to check your bags, hope they arrive to your final destination, and wait in baggage claim to collect them. With most flights each passenger is allowed carry-on luggage, and for a long weekend trip that will usually suffice. Pack smart and avoid long waits by not checking bags at the airport.

4.      Give yourself plenty of extra time. Let’s say, for example, you’re supposed to arrive at your in-law’s house at six in the evening on Wednesday, with dinner plans for seven. What if your flight is delayed? What if you hit traffic? What if your child gets car sick and you have to make a stop? Things like this happen, and if you’re only giving yourself an hour-long window you’re going to be stressed out. Keep plans casual for your arrival day, or give yourself a few hours as a buffer.

5.      Be patient. No matter what you do, you are likely to run into some crowds if you plan to travel during the holidays. Remember that you do not own the roads, the airports, or the sky. Everyone else who is traveling is just as deserving as you are. Bring something to entertain yourself with for long waits. Going to the airport? Bring a book, portable game system, or a laptop. Driving? Get some books on tape or a bunch of CDs. Try to have fun with the crowds. It will make you much less miserable.

Those are our top tips for traveling during the holiday weekend. Drive safe, and have a great Thanksgiving!

Retail Crowd Safety

When a person considers a dangerous environment, a retail location is not usually at the top of the list. Unfortunately the busy holiday shopping season has led to heated arguments, injuries, and even death. Employers have a responsibility to do everything in their power to keep their employees and customers safe. While there should always be a crowd management plan, there must also be special considerations for the holiday season. Read on for some tips from us when it comes to crowd control.

·         Hire extra staff for the holiday season. This is something that many retailers already do to keep up with the increase in sales. In addition, be sure there is enough staff for each specific department. This includes staff that works the registers, fitting rooms, stocking, and much more.

·         Make sure to have an emergency plan in place for your workers to follow. This applies to any dangers your workers may face including fire, crowd crushing, violent store acts, and overcrowding. Make sure each employee understands what to do in each situation.

·         When your store is having a major sale be sure to have crowd control barriers in place. This may include barricades for forming store lines and barricades in certain store aisles to prevent overcrowding. This includes having the proper signage. Signs should clearly indicate information to customers in line, provide a clear path to exits, and explain sales.

·         Have plans in place for winter safety. This includes many different things. Have an inclement weather plan in place in case a store location must be shut down. Even if your location stays open it is likely many employees will call in. You must also be sure to keep parking lots plowed and sidewalks shoveled and salted. Eliminate any hazard to your employees and customers.

·         Focus extra attention on the days that are projected to be the busiest. This allows you to add extra staff and security. The projected busiest shopping days this month according to Shoppertrak are as follows: December 5^th, 12^th, 13^th, 19^th, 20^th, 21^st, and 26^th.

·         Spend extra time on the normal safety precautions that go into managing a store and train your employees to do so as well. Remind employees to always pick up items off the floor to avoid tripping hazards. Clothing racks must be watched, as customers can easily ram into racks that are bare of merchandise and injure themselves. Spills should be cleaned up promptly.

These tips can help you avoid making headlines this holiday season for all the wrong reasons. In a retail environment it is of course a priority to make sales, but keeping employees and customers safe must be your highest priority. 

Black Friday Tips

Black Friday is just over a week away. Are you planning on braving the crowds to get some holiday deals? Well there’s a few things you should keep in mind before you go.

One:  Check out the ads before you shop. You can find some of them online already. Now is the time to compare prices and find out where the best deals are. Once you’ve found them, have a list of the stores you want to hit and the items you want to buy.

Two: Have a plan in place before you want to leave to shop. Know which stores you want to check out, and place them in an order. Some stores open Thanksgiving for a limited time before closing, some open Thanksgiving and stay open overnight, and some don’t open until Black Friday. Knowing store hours and doorbuster schedules is important to scoring the best deals.

Three: Check online sales before you go shopping. It’s possible that retail locations are offering the same deals, or even better, online. If the items you want are a better price online you can do all your shopping from home and avoid the crowds.

Four: If possible, avoid waiting in line for a store to open. Store openings have cause injuries and even deaths on Black Friday due to unruly customers trying to get to their sales. An easy way to avoid this is to start shopping several hours after stores have already opened. Besides, this means you can relax at home and finish up dinner instead of standing in a long line!  

Five: When you are physically in the store, be aware of your surroundings. It is often possible to notice if a situation is going to escalate. Watch for individual shoppers that are particularly loud, disruptive, angry, and rushed. One of these shoppers can spur on others. If you notice a disturbance in an area of a store starting, remove yourself from the situation and alert store staff or security.

Six: Practice car safety while driving and parking. It’s not worth the risk to race another car for a parking spot or to get through a yellow light. Actions like these are what lead to accidents. Keep in mind that while you are in parking lots, there will be a great deal of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. If you are driving always yield to pedestrians and vehicles. If you are a pedestrian do not trust cars to stop for you. Always be aware of what is happening around you.

Seven: Keep a close eye on your possessions while you shop. Black Friday is very crowded, and it makes it a prime time for thieves to try and steal your money, purchases, and even your identity. Carry a purse that zips to keep hands away from your wallet. Always keep your items you’ve purchased out of sight in your car. At the register, make sure no one near you is in a position to view your credit or debit card details.

Black Friday has become a tradition here in America, but never forget the risks involved when there are large crowds in small areas. Keep safe out there! 

Holiday Travel Tips

Labor Day weekend begins today. Are you prepared for the crowds that come with it? Keep in mind that gas prices for Labor Day this year are the lowest they’ve been in about a decade. That means a lot of people are going to be on the roads or flying out to visit family, friends, and travel destinations.

While this is great and will lead to long weekends of fun for many people, there are negative side effects. The biggest one is that with more people on the roads, there’s going to be a lot more traffic congestion, delays, and accidents.

Crowd control in a pedestrian environment is entirely different than crowd control of vehicles. Outside of blocking off certain streets, there’s little that can be done in regards to crowds of drivers on the road. We’ve compiled a list of tips for our readers to follow to help them keep safe while on the roads.

·         Before you leave on your trip, check on your car. All maintenance needed should be done so you don’t run into any problems while on the road. Fill up your gas tank as well. A trip that normally takes two hours may take three or four with heavy traffic, so have a full tank of gas!

·         Try to avoid driving during peak travel times. Friday afternoon is predicted to be the worst time for travel this upcoming weekend. If possible, leave earlier on Friday or Saturday morning for lighter traffic. Monday, get on the road in the early afternoon or wait until later that night to avoid more peak traffic.

·         While you are actually on the roads, be a defensive driver. Keep a close eye on traffic patterns and keep your speed to an acceptable level. Everyone is in a hurry to enjoy their weekend, but speeding can be very dangerous, especially when there is a great deal of traffic. Give yourself extra time to get to your destination, and don’t rush.

·         If you have been drinking, are tired, or are distracted, get off the road. It’s not worth risking your life to get to a destination. Have someone else drive in these circumstances, or wait until you are safely able to operate a vehicle.

·         Be patient. Accept that you will run into traffic. The road is not just for you, so take your time and respect others who are on the road.

That’s not to say you shouldn’t go out and have a great weekend. You should! Just exercise proper precautions, and have a great time! 

Crowds and Memorial Day

Memorial Day weekend is fast approaching. Are you prepared to tackle the crowds? It is being predicted that a record number of Americans will be traveling during this holiday weekend. This is being attributed to the fact that it is cheaper to travel this year compared to last.

Everyone is excited for a long weekend, but if you plan to travel you have to be patient. As there will be so many people out and about, travel times are going to be slow. This is the case whether you travel by car or plane, so be prepared.

If you are driving, there are several steps you can take. If it is possible, for instance, try not to leave during peak travel time. This would be Friday night and Monday night. Can you get off early and leave Friday morning? Leave early on Memorial Day? This will go a long way. You should also be sure to fill up your gas tank before leaving. If you can avoid stopping for gas, you can avoid busy gas stations. It’s also a good idea to check on your car. Check your car’s fluids. Make sure your tires aren't low. You’d hate your trip to be ruined because of a setback like that.

Flying? Be sure to get to the airport early, as lines are likely to be long. Make it interesting by planning on activities to do at the airport if you have extra time. Get a meal. Go shopping. It’s better than being late, as with the crowds getting a new flight will be difficult. You can save extra time by checking in for your flight at home and printing your boarding pass. Another good idea is to set up your phone to get alerts if your flight is delayed. That way as soon as you know you can begin making backup arrangements.  

Once you are at your destination, it is up to you. If you’re going to a specific vacation spot such as the beach, get there early. If you are visiting friends or family, you won’t have as many issues.

So pack up and get ready for the long weekend!

Holiday Crowds

Christmas is only a week away, which means that the shopping crowds are likely to grow as people try to get their last minute gifts. While this is great for business, it is not so great for people who hate crowds. Today we’re going to offer our advice for beating the crowds, or how to endure them if you can't avoid them.

Shop on Less Busy Days

With so few days left until Christmas this can be difficult to implement. The weekend before Christmas is a very busy time for malls. Christmas Eve is another day to avoid, and even December 23^rd has a history of being busy. If you can manage it the best day to shop to avoid the crowds would be Monday, December 22^nd. Shop during the week while most people are busy at work to get holiday shopping done without the crowds.

Shop Small Businesses

Small, local businesses are generally not nearly as busy as malls and department stores. Not only will this help you avoid the crowds, this will help support the local community and allow you to purchase a less commercial gift for your loved ones. Maybe you know of some already, or maybe you need to do some research. Either way, a local business is a great way to avoid being packed in with hundreds or thousands of other shoppers.

Shop Online

This close to Christmas getting your gifts in time is going to cost you. To some people however, it is worth it to avoid the crowds. Don’t wait much longer though! In 2013 many people waited until the last minute, and shipping companies did not have the resources or time to get everyone their packages. If you want to buy online, do it now.

Shop the Mall Early, or Late

Stores will be less busy in the early hours of the morning as well as closer to closing time. The biggest crowds will materialize in the middle of the day, roughly between 10:00 AM and 7:00 PM. This gives you a limited shopping window, but if you just need a couple last minute items this is a good strategy.

Shop with Acceptance

If none of the above options work for you, it may be time to accept that you are going to have to deal with the crowds. Approach this with acceptance and a good attitude. No one likes waiting in long lines and fighting through people to find the items they want. Be polite as you do your shopping and schedule a little extra time into your day than you may normally to account for the crowds.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year from all of us to you. Here is to the start of a great 2015!