LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Licensed Beverage Association held their first de-escalation training seminar Monday.
The seminar is the first of many aiming to give restaurant and bar staff a new look on how to deal with a customer that may not want to wear a mask indoors.
The Michigan Licensed Beverage Association held their first de-escalation training seminar Monday(WILX)
MLBA executive director Scott Ellis says the seminar isn’t just about getting customers to wear masks.
It can also teach some valuable lessons.
“People want to be respected,” Ellis said. “They want to be asked what to do, not told. Ask them to be part of the solution and not a part of the problem.”
“People don’t want threats,” said Paul Beasinger, Owner of Keene Training and Consulting. “They want options, to understand your process.”
Ellis hired Beasinger to run the class.
“98% of my job is communication,” Beasinger said.”
Beasinger says it’s important to use active listening skills: listening eighty percent of the time, listening to understand, eliminating distractions, showing empathy, and using non-verbal communication.
Many of the tactics are lessons we learned growing up.
“They were instilled by our parents, teachers, whoever the case may be, they work,” said Beasinger.
When it comes to dealing with someone who may not know the rules, or just may not want to follow them, Beasinger says it’s best to educate, encourage, and enforce.
“Everybody knows what the rules are, we don’t want someone to walk into your establishment and not know what the expectations are,” he said.
Ellis hopes the seminars can help staff and customers get reach an understanding.
“Unfortunately in a situation like this, the only one that’s right is the law,” said Ellis. “The customer is not always right but there’s a way to get to a common ground peacefully.”
Ellis says the seminars will soon be open to the public. All it costs is $20.
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