TIPS Crisis Communication & Conflict Resolution 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to TIPS training, which phrase is LEAST effective when communicating a refusal of service?
- 'I'm concerned about your safety tonight.'
- 'You've had enough — we're done here.' (Correct answer)
- 'I want to make sure you get home safe.'
- 'Let me get you some water and call a ride for you.'
Correct answer: 'You've had enough — we're done here.'
Blunt dismissals like 'we're done here' invite confrontation, while TIPS promotes empathetic, care-based language.
Question 2: A group of patrons is encouraging an intoxicated friend to keep drinking. The TIPS approach prioritizes:
- Cutting off the entire group immediately
- Redirecting the group's attention by suggesting food or non-alcoholic options (Correct answer)
- Removing the intoxicated patron's glass without explanation
- Waiting to see if the group self-regulates
Correct answer: Redirecting the group's attention by suggesting food or non-alcoholic options
Redirecting the group with alternative offerings addresses peer pressure without creating confrontation.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes the 'broken record' technique in TIPS conflict resolution?
- Repeating the same calm refusal message without escalating (Correct answer)
- Playing music to distract an upset patron
- Documenting the patron's behavior repeatedly in the incident log
- Calling police each time a patron refuses to comply
Correct answer: Repeating the same calm refusal message without escalating
The 'broken record' technique involves calmly repeating your position without getting drawn into arguments or justifications.
Question 4: In TIPS, why is it important to offer an intoxicated patron an alternative such as food or water before cutting off alcohol service?
- It satisfies the legal requirement to document alternatives offered
- It provides a face-saving transition that reduces conflict potential (Correct answer)
- It delays the confrontation until management arrives
- It ensures the patron spends more money before leaving
Correct answer: It provides a face-saving transition that reduces conflict potential
Offering alternatives gives the patron a dignified way to accept the intervention without feeling singled out.
Question 5: A patron becomes physical after being refused service. The TIPS-trained response is to:
- Physically restrain the patron until police arrive
- Prioritize staff and patron safety and immediately contact law enforcement (Correct answer)
- Engage the patron in dialogue to calm them down
- Have multiple staff members surround the patron
Correct answer: Prioritize staff and patron safety and immediately contact law enforcement
Physical confrontations are beyond TIPS intervention scope; staff safety and law enforcement notification are the correct priorities.
Question 6: What role does 'empathy' play in TIPS crisis communication?
- It is discouraged because it may appear to endorse the patron's behavior
- It helps the server connect with the patron's emotional state to reduce defensiveness (Correct answer)
- It is only used when the patron has a medical emergency
- It replaces the need to refuse service in most cases
Correct answer: It helps the server connect with the patron's emotional state to reduce defensiveness
Expressing empathy lowers a patron's defensiveness and makes them more receptive to accepting intervention.
Question 7: When using TIPS techniques, an intervention is considered successful when:
- The patron is removed from the premises by law enforcement
- The patron accepts the intervention without escalation and a safe outcome is achieved (Correct answer)
- Management formally documents the incident in writing
- The patron agrees that they were intoxicated
Correct answer: The patron accepts the intervention without escalation and a safe outcome is achieved
A successful TIPS intervention results in a safe outcome for the patron and others, regardless of whether the patron admits intoxication.
TIPS Crisis Communication & Conflict Resolution 3
According to TIPS training, which phrase is LEAST effective when communicating a refusal of service?