Using a list of names instead of a line?

I was just wondering if anyone had tried this - the lady I used to henna for at really big festivals does this - just a clipboard and you write your name then the artist crosses it off as they go and it seems to work well, probably only loses 1 in 10 people and is non stop busy...
I'm doing a ppf this weekend doing henna and FP that promises to be really busy. The last one I had like 40 kids in line so they could be waiting a while KWIM? So I thought that since there will be so much else to do there and a lot of the people I will be painting are now "regulars" it would be nice for them to enjoy the festival rather than wait in line.
I thought maybe I'd lose a few, but hopefully it will definitely keep the regulars happy which is important in a small town and hopefully also stop my tent being a crazy crowded place and rather a relaxing place for henna to dry...
Just wanted to know if anyone had experience doing it this way since DH will be parenting the little one that day so can't be a line manager...

Please let us know how this works for you if you try it out. I've tried number systems before, but I have found that if people get too relaxed, or wander off while waiting for their turn, I spend a lot of extra time trying to find the next in line, waiting on them to get up and get ready, sometimes they've not chosen what they want yet, etc. At big festivals every second counts, so I have opted to stick with a traditional stand-in-line method so that the next in line knows they are next and they are ready to hop in the seat as soon as it's empty. If I had a line manager who could prepare the next in line and have them ready and waiting, it might work amazingly well, but I almost always work alone.

Now for HENNA it might be completely different, with people needing to lounge around while it dries, etc...

Yeah we tried the numbers (at the henna tent that is) and it didn't work either and people really struggled to figure out how to rip a ticket out of the raffle numbers book. The names worked well but henna crowd is older so I just wonder how kids will go... I'll update on Monday and tell how it goes. I just did up a numbered sheet with
"EACH DESIGN TAKES 3-5 MINUTES SO IF YOU COUNT HOW MANY NAMES IN FRONT OF YOU AND MULTIPLY BY 5 THAT IS APPROX HOW LONG THE WAIT IS. FEEL FREE TO ENJOY THE FESTIVAL WHILE YOU WAIT BUT PLEASE RETURN PROMPTLY FOR YOUR TURN. IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHILD TO BE PAINTED PLEASE NOTE EACH CHILD ON A NEW LINE."
I'll be there all day on my own so I figure the occasional gap between kids won't hurt so I can stand up and stretch my legs.

the only drawback I can see is that having a small line, draws more people because in their mind "you must be really good" ... but I don't know, we don't get lines like that around here for anyone.

I used a list of names at a bowling alley event the other day. It worked well because the kids were able to bowl instead of waiting in line all night. I don't recommend using lists/numbers for larger events, though. I just don't think that it would work out well in the long run.

The ONLY time having a list works for me is at a birthday party... and I get the host mom to manage it.

I tried ONCE to use a sign-up system - absolute disaster. Another time I tried (at the client's request) a numbering system - had a set number of tickets with times on them. People were supposed to come back a their time slot for painting... all the ticket went within a few minutes and only about 4 ever came back. Everyone who came after lined up and I painted them per usual... only allowing people who had tickets to jump the queue.

It was a complete waste of my time and supplies to organize the system.

If they want to get painted they can wait in line! It is the most efficient for me. I just yell "NEXT!"

OK so to update.. IT WENT OFF!!!!!! Doubled my top earnings ever at a ppf! We're eating well this week!!!!!!

Lots of feedback from my regulars that they loved being able to wander the festival instead of waiting in lines with kids that are waiting for paint! Probably lost about 10 people over an 8hr day but didn't stop working all day and always had people in the tent being painted. It really worked for me!

Now to clarify it is a small town (4000ppl) and today was a carnival with lots if out of towners. The races were at set times and 90% of patrons were in the park for the day or a least for a few hours and there were only 30-40 stalls.

My regulars all came in for FP and or henna and did mainly henna for visitors. I found it a LOT less stressful not having over an hours worth of kids waiting staring at me all day, even though there were always at least that many on paper waiting. If someone missed their go I didn't cross their name off and I slotted them back in.

All positive feedback and I think i got more ppl than I would have had i had line out the door as people who had races at specific times would not have lined up whereas whole teams were writing their names down and coming in for logos and I was working production line style at times.

I would not do this if people were at a market or event with lots of stalls where they would not come back or were only doing one walk through, but at family fun days I will definitely do this again and it made me happy as my regulars were happy and in a small town this is vital for business survival!

So anyways, I'm off to drink some bubbly to the success of today!!!!

It seems like in this day and age, you might be able to get away with texting for the next customer in some cases.

hahahaha... we should get the vibrating coasters like the restaurants use LOL

Perry Noia wrote:hahahaha... we should get the vibrating coasters like the restaurants use LOL

That's an awesome idea. LOL.

I was just thinking that. LOL!

Glad it worked for you!!

Funny how things work in different areas/communities isn't it?

I tried using tickets with numbers, my husband handed them out. then he went looking around..it was hard for me to keep up with the kids parents and the numbers and the kids pushing on my table..I told my husband he needed to stay around when we handed out numbers so he could keep up with who is next..he usually is pretty good about not being to far away..lol