When Customers are Under the Influence
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Sometimes, customers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs cannot be avoided. Many impaired individuals are harmless, but it's important for employees to be prepared in case the situation changes quickly. In this subject, employees will learn how to communicate effectively with someone who is under the influence and when it is necessary to call for more help. They'll be introduced to techniques for how to de-escalate the situation, as well as how to build trust between them and the impaired customer.
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Sometimes, customers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs cannot be avoided. Many impaired individuals are harmless, but it's important for employees to be prepared in case the situation changes quickly. In this subject, employees will learn how to communicate effectively with someone who is under the influence and when it is necessary to call for more help. They'll be introduced to techniques for how to de-escalate the situation, as well as how to build trust between them and the impaired customer.
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Sometimes, customers who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs cannot be avoided. Many impaired individuals are harmless, but it's important for employees to be prepared in case the situation changes quickly. In this subject, employees will learn how to communicate effectively with someone who is under the influence and when it is necessary to call for more help. They'll be introduced to techniques for how to de-escalate the situation, as well as how to build trust between them and the impaired customer.
Topics
Responding to Impaired Customers
-
When working with the public, you can’t control when you will encounter individuals who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but you can control how you respond in these situations. In this topic, you’ll learn how to respond to impaired customers in a way that keeps yourself, others, and the impaired individual safe. You’ll learn strategies for communicating effectively with someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and when it’s appropriate to remove yourself from the situation or involve emergency services.
-
Questions (level 1, 2, 3)
Video module
-
This topic is currently available in English.
-
If a situation with a customer who is under the influence escalates, and you feel like you’re in danger, remove yourself from the situation immediately. Your safety is top priority, and being injured would prevent you from helping others.
Remain calm and be friendly with the impaired customer. Individuals who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol will respond much better to you if you’re approachable rather than imposing or aggressive.
Use simple and straightforward language when talking with an impaired customer. If you need to give them instructions, be firm and brief while keeping eye contact with them.
Don’t make any physical contact with someone who is impaired by drugs or alcohol. You should not put yourself in any danger and risk getting hurt in a fight.
If possible, ask a sober friend, companion, or colleague of the impaired person to help you. Someone who is under the influence will usually prefer to talk to a familiar face, and the sober friend may be able to help de-escalate the situation.
If the impaired customer is ignoring your requests, avoid saying anything that might sound like a threat. Instead, help them feel in control by giving them choices for what to do.
Show care and empathy for the impaired customer’s wellbeing. This will help prevent the situation from escalating and build trust between you and the customer.
Engage the impaired customer in positive conversation by asking them questions about themselves and steering the conversation away from negative topics. This helps keep the customer calm, occupied, and builds rapport.
When it’s safe to do so, try to talk to the impaired customer away from other customers. This can help de-escalate the situation by calming them down and allowing them to focus on your conversation.
If you believe there is a health concern or risk of injury, call emergency services immediately. This could include the situation becoming violent, the impaired customer wanting to drive, or them becoming sick.
