When you are organizing an event or you have been given the responsibility to manage a large audience, you have to deal with a large crowd that needs to be dealt with strategically. When you have to deal with a crowd at an event, you should be prepared for every type of mismanagement that might occur.
If it is the first time you are given crowd management duties and you are not sure how to manage things, then here are four effective strategies that can help you manage a bigger crowd much more easily.
1. Plan The Entire Strategy
When you are expecting a huge crowd at an event, you should plan your management strategy before time. Visit the venue comprehensively and mark all the entry and exit points. You should know how many entry and exit doors are available for the venue. This can help you adopt a better strategy.
You should also plan how you will move the queues, and where you should place the scanners for security purposes. You should check the layout of the venue and develop a contingency plan to address different scenarios that might occur at the event.
2. Utilize Technology
Technology today has made almost every task much more easier and manageable. You can now find various crowd management software that can help you manage a bigger crowd without compromising on management and security.
You should get real-time occupancy tracking software, crowd management software, and a digital ticketing system so that your event goes smoothly. Using these technological tools, you can improve management at the event, which will not only help you during the event but also promote a positive image of your management team later on.
3. Train And Deploy Your Staff
You should train your staff to communicate openly and clearly with each other and with the crowd. Train them before the event so that they are well-prepared. Every member of your staff should be trained with the best crowd management techniques. Call several meetings to discuss the plan entirely with the team so that everyone is prepared for different situations and every staffer is familiar with the plan.
You should deploy your staff members at entry and exit points. You should not forget key locations that need to be guarded and managed during the event. Train your staff members to communicate discreetly, yet clearly to each other.
4. Utilize Physical Barriers
Lastly, you should not forget to use different physical barriers to control the crowd. Retractable Stanchions, barricades, and other such barriers can be used to control the crowd. Use these physical barriers to control the crowd and provide them with directions.
You should mark entry and exit points clearly so that they are visible to everyone. Place physical barriers strategically so that you can avoid overcrowding at one point or creating bottlenecks in the crowd. Barriers should maintain the flow of the crowd so that more people can be managed at one time at every exit and entry point.