Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA): what to do if the recipient becomes aggressive

There are scenarios when you as a driver have to refuse delivery of alcohol:

• when the recipient is under 18
• when the recipient refuses to show ID
• when the recipient appears to be intoxicated

Sometimes the recipient doesn't take this well and they become aggressive or abusive.  How to handle these situations?

If a member of the public or a customer is being abusive towards you. Acknowledge the person and their concerns to defuse the situation:

• “I understand you're upset at the moment, I’m here to help you.” 
• “I understand that you are upset, however at this time I can not complete the delivery due to duty of care “
• “I understand that you are upset, however at this time I can not complete the delivery. I will get in a lot of trouble otherwise, but you can contact [insert name or the alcohol seller] and they will be able to get you a redelivery  “

Stay Calm, respectful and don’t raise your voice.  

• Be aware of you Body language, Stand tall and confident
• Make eye contact and smiling is helpful in disarming a difficult situation

Stand at least one arm's length between you and the person

• If a solution isn’t found when making a delivery, advise the customer to call the contact centre of the Sender (for example, BWS or Dan Murphy's)
• If the customer insists on grabbing the delivery do not struggle, remove yourself from the situation and report it to Sherpa support immediately
• If you feel unsafe at any stage, return to your vehicle and leave the location, when it is safe to do so contact Sherpa support and notify them of the incident

In serious situations contact the police

Whatever you do, DON'T respond to aggression with aggression. Reacting aggressively will only further escalate the situation and can lead to:

• You getting injured and possible damages to your property

• Eventual loss of revenue and ability to be on the road