Maintaining a Line

[MandiIlene]

I thought I would start a new thread, because I am curious about lines.

Usually when I am PPF the customers try to maintain a line, and when 3 kids come from one family at one, I just say "Whoever picks first, goes first!"

Mrs. Ito, I do like the idea of having your husband give them numbers with the design, but like Alison said, not too personal. Maybe he could write the design's name and make the names catchy, GREEN RAGE (hulk) Mystical Butterfly (the purple one) and that way they would get the more personal touch to it. I need to recruit my fiance!


GOOD ADVICE I GOT FROM SOMEONE, CAN'T REMEMBER WHO
In my most recent experience, I had 25 kids, some showed up later than others. I started with the birthday girl and painted a 1 on her hand and just went on numbering the kids standing in the group looking at designs. A mom helped me get 2 waiting chairs, and I started painting. After sending away the each kid with paint, I told them it was their job to find #6 (or whatever).  As long as I always had 2 waiting/decided what they want I was comfortable. Each new kid that came to the party was informed by the other kids they NEED a number to be painted, it was very easy to look up from my current face and slap a 16 on someones hand in whatever color I was using. It went very smoothly, no one was missing on their turn and after I was done, the ones that showed up too late to get a number, didn't get painted. It also give the kids time to go do whatever else is going on at the party (bouncehouse) and not just wait in line, or get skipped over because they didn't.


Thought this would help. Please tell me what you do/ have done and what works and what doesn't, because I am only anticipating getting busier and I would like some ideas on how painters create lines at a booth for a fest, like when you are painting in a tent with just a table in the middle. What works for that, that is not expensive and easy to haul back to your car?

~*~Mandi~*~
 

[Sherry]

It seems that when it gets really crowded, people start bunching up around me and I can't tell who's next.  At large events I pick a place and tell them that the line starts here.  If someone comes around it, I let them know where the line forms, so they can get in line.  At one event I put the sign behind me and another artist that was painting and we made everyone line up behind the sign.

I'm not the greatest at line management, so I wish I had more advice.  Many times, I say, "who's next?" that way it gives people a voice if someone happens to be cutting in front of them.  Either they will say they were next or the people around will point out to me who was next.

[GaFacepainter]

I find it harder to end the line. Your at a PPF event and have a nice line, but the ending time is fast approaching, you find the end and let them know they are the last, or worse you have to stop somewhere in the middle of the line and tell everyone from there back you can't get to them. "But I've been here 1/2 an hour", "Can you do just one more", or the worst of all, after being told by the mother the little girl starts crying! Hate it!

[MandiIlene]

I was at a Christmas walk in Mount Dora one time and was halfway through the 2nd child's face with one more to go for this family that had waited forever. A police officer came over and it was 5 minutes after the closing time and she told me to

"Cease and Desist of All Activity!"

I told her I only had one more kid to go, it only takes a min, she made me stop right there and pack up. I told the mom to wait and took her back to the salon I was working at and painted her kids face there. But if I didnt have that as a crutch to fall back on, it would have really sucked for that family!!

~*~Mandi~*~

[Shannon Fennell]

Did you get the cop's name?  I'd love to hire them to come and close my lines!!

I honestly don't have much trouble with the lines... they get in line on their own and usually wait there until I call "Next!"... but then, we are Canadians  : and tend to be polite about things like that.

Sometimes the younger kids will come up to watch, but mostly they all wait behind the sign I put out - although I do spend some time telling them to BACK UP and not to touch the back of the chair where the customer is sitting!!

As for quitting time... I post signs with my hours posted and "Last PAINTING will be done AT (time)"  Since I started doing this cutting off is SOOOO easy!!  I announce about 30 minutes before quitting time that I will be done at (time) and will be able to paint approximately X more (depending on which speed I am working at!)... Most people leave.  Then I keep looking up an reminding those who stayed that I am done at (time)... and I NEVER make exceptions and I don't accept bribes (and they've been offered too!)

I do not do PPF so I am not in the mind frame of another face = more $$!

I have samples of my signs on my Free resources page (the link is in my signature).

[GaFacepainter]

I like the "last painting at..." sign idea. It's one of those smack your head deals, "How did I overlook something so simple!"

[Alison]

Okaaaa aaay.  You make it sound so easy.
But I don't think it would work with 3 year olds.  Or even 4 year olds......

I did a job last week where the people in charge of the party place decided to make a list and send people to me.  Even that got too confusing - while some people had come in late or somethings, or for whatever reason, they didn't know about the list, and they just waited around to get painted.....

I think that it's hard to design rules for the one time that you're there.
Even classroom rules
or office procedure
needs constant supervision to keep them 'remembered'.

[Shannon Fennell]

The signs work with all ages for me... even the 30 somethings.  When you say you are done, you point at the sign... it is right there in front of them.  Most of the time they don't even argue - as it is in writing!!

And with kids... They are to have parents or supervision (that is NOT my job) and it is up to them to figure out what is what and who is next, not me.  I paint whomever sits in the chair when I call "Next"...

For private parties (birthdays) I tell the mom that I typically paint the birthday child first (unless they don't want to be first) then the best way is for the mom to give me a list of names to call for the next child.  It is up to them to assign the order of painting, not me.  Most kids are pretty good.  These groups are typically only about 10-15 kids so it isn't really an issue.

If the organizer has a system that they want me to follow regarding order of painting, tickets, etc. They are required to inform me in advance and I make a sign explaining it and put it on my board - then, everyone knows the procedure.

[Alison]

Making a sign ahead of time - That's a good idea.

[Wildcatfin]

BE TOUGH.
You have to be - even if you aren't running off to a next booking!

I use signs, I also dot hands on the ones left i will paint (I keep an eye on the queue and work out approx how many I will do before my break/ end and dot them around an hour before if I have to).

I also SHOUT 'line closing, dotted hands only' etc a lot and promise the last person in line a special face f they keep telling people trying to join the queu that its closed.

STILL get 'squeezers in' trying. have had mums wet the paint dot on kids hands to spread it around, had parents pinch kids to make them cry. Really I don't get it; i'm a mum and I have never/ hope to never behave like that!

As for ordering the queue, think tactical with your setup - channel them! I always have the far side of my table blocked from them by a wall, gazebo side etc if poss whch helps stop bunching. I also usually work in big fairy wings I make which keeps my personal space clear and helps fend them out of my table area.

Cat x

[Sherry]

I had the chance to try out Shannon's method last night.  I put out a small sign that said, "Free Face Painting Tonight from 4 - 8 p.m. Courtesy of the City of Jacksonville.  Last face painted at 8 p.m."  I wrote the last part in bold.

I still did the usual thing I do of warning the crowd that I'll be closing soon and counting off the approximate number of people I believe I will have time for.  This new method of having the sign out really seemed to work much better!  I ended on time and in an easy manner.  People that came up didn't seem so upset when I let them know I was closing as they normally do.

[Alison]

If you're matter of fact about it -
Time's up.  I'm closed.  That's it.  Nobody can get through.
It's when The Artist is wishy-washy, not so sure about it,
that there's a problem.  (I know about parents and crying kids -
But I've been trained as a Teacher - now to be the one in charge
and how to discipline.)

[Just Jenny]

There are several things that I do

I print a sign that states what time I start and stop...If the sign simply says "Face Painting from 3 to 5"  for example, it leaves room for people to say they were in line before 5, so I have added "The last face to be painted will be at 4:57" 

My favorite sign....and you must get permission from your contact before using this...but it works so great is to add to the above sign
FAQ Can you do just one more???
Ans. Yes, $20 for each face after 5 pm. (or whatever time)
(I do a yearly picnic and always have trouble at the end....This worked wonderful, and we made $40)

In addition to the sign when I have a line, I will number Hands of the children in my line 30 min before the end.  I make a loud announcement that we are closing the line and I will be numbering the childrens hands in 5 min so have them there & ready to hold out their hands.  Only children with Numbers will be painted.  In 5 min or a couple of faces later, I get the next child ready to paint, Make the announcement that the line is now closed and that I will be numbering Hands.  I go to the back of the line and start numbering the kids, reminding them not to smudge the number...Number 1 is the end of the line.  If I come up to a parent who is holding space for their child, I will usually give the parent a number, However, sometimes especially if they are holding a space for several children I will tell them that I had made the announcement that the children had to be in line...but here's what I will do for you, I mark them with an X and circle the number of children they have and tell them that I understand, however they will be at the end of the line.  Now they can go join their kids until the my line is at the end.  This numbering system works for me because I know how many kids I have left to paint,(the # indicates to me how many more I have in line) so I know to slow down or speed up as needed...usually it's to speed up.  This clears out the people who cut in line...and have no number and also keeps the people who tell you that they have been waiting in line for however long.  You do need to keep making the announcement that only people with Numbers will be painted and make NO exceptions.

NEVER EVER turn someone away, and then let someone else in your line.  That is just wrong on so many levels.  Why would the insistant/nasty/overbearing/rude person be rewarded by you backing down and the nice person who understood and walked away be punished.  Once you close your line, it is closed, no matter how long someone says they have been waiting or the excuse they use.  Refer back to numbering the hands.

For me, it took a long time to learn to say no.  The common excuses we all hear are I've been in line 20 min, Can't you do just one more-It's his/her birthday, If you don't, it will make him/her cry.  My all time favorite was a lady who came up pleading used all the above excuses (yep they are that common) and when I asked the kids where were you that you didn't get here earlier...they were at the movies, and then had Ice cream and admitted that they had just got there....SOOOOO Here's my card, Call me if you want me to stop by your house later.

Someone else has already responded that you have to be consistent.  You are in charge, you cannot afford to be wishy washy. Once you say the line is closed, this is the last person, keep to it, that's it, you're done.

Good luck, hope you find the combination that works for you.

Jenny

[Sherry]

The only time I've had a problem with wanting to paint people who come up after the line is closed is when I've made a wrong judgement on closing the line.  The unknown factor is always what the customer ends up choosing.  I've had times when each customer seemed to pick the quickest designs I have and here I was making such a big deal about closing the line and I'm left with time on my hands.  When I see this happening, I try to go super slow, adding glitter, taking pictures, the whole works to drag the time out, because I know I shouldn't take on a new person after I've turned others away.

[Alison]

Wow - Jenny.  Once again, we are On the Same Wavelength. 

I especially like your idea for preparing to let them know that they'll be paying $20/face if you're staying overtime.  That says it all. 

But I would Not want to ask my client about that ahead of time.  I have actually had clients ask me if I would charge the people at their party (or after my 2-hour minimum), but I Always refuse that.  It causes at least 2 problems:

One is that it encourages the client
not to pay
for my time at her party.
She might just take the minimum to get me there, and then think of this as a way out of actually paying for All her guests.

The other problem is that charging guests (I would be insulted if I was a guest and the hostess started charging for the party stuff) switches you from the Entertainer who everybody wants
to a door-to-door-salesman - people start to weigh how much they want the Entertainment compared to how much they want the money in their pocket.