Introduction: The Underestimated Challenge at the Cloakroom

The process at the cloakroom seems simple at first glance: Guests check in their coats, pay at the entrance, and collect them after the event. However, delays often occur during payment that can slow down the entire process.

Dealing with cash – counting coins, handing out change, or reorganizing cash supplies – costs valuable seconds per transaction. These small delays add up and lead to unnecessarily long lines. But the impacts go further: Long wait times not only decrease guest satisfaction but can also directly affect your revenue.

Summary: Why Cash Delays the Process at the Cloakroom

• Slowed Processes: Cash payments take longer, especially due to handling change or large bills.

• Time Wasters with Many Check-ins: Seconds per transaction add up to several minutes of delay.

• Burden on Staff: Staff is under pressure to process payments quickly while dealing with cash handling.

• Reduced Revenue: Guests spend more time in line and less time at the bar or other revenue-generating areas.

1. How Cash Slows Down the Process

During check-in, guests pay their cloakroom fee – usually in cash. And this is where the problem starts. Even at smaller events with only 500 check-ins, the delays per payment are significant.

Calculation:

If on average 10 seconds are needed for counting, change, and handing over the cloakroom tag per cash payment, with 500 check-ins this results in 5,000 seconds, which is over 1 hour and 20 minutes of additional burden on the staff and longer wait times for guests.

The larger the event, the more serious these time losses become. Digital payment methods could significantly speed up this process and provide guests with a smoother experience.

2. Lost Revenue Due to Long Lines

The time guests spend in line at the cloakroom comes at the expense of other areas of the event – especially at the bar. Particularly in clubs, where around 72% of revenue is generated from drink consumption, long lines can cause significant revenue losses.

In larger venues like trade shows or convention centers, the situation is similar: Guests who are frustrated by long wait times provide less positive feedback or participate less in paid offerings. Every minute they spend in line is lost revenue potential.

3. Burden on Staff

Not only do guests feel the impact of long lines, but the cloakroom staff also faces additional pressure. Especially in hectic moments – when check-in is underway and the line is growing – cash handling becomes a challenge.

Counting coins, dealing with overly large bills, or discrepancies in the cash register significantly increases stress. We have detailed how this stress affects the attractiveness of the job at the cloakroom in our blog post “How Cash Burdens Cloakroom Staff”.

Such burdens not only lead to errors in the process but can also affect the mood and efficiency of the staff.

Conclusion: Cash Slows Down the Process and Costs You Revenue

Using cash at the cloakroom seems like a simple solution but causes significant drawbacks. Delayed processes, dissatisfied guests, and burdened staff are just some of the consequences. These problems not only affect the overall impression of your event but also directly impact revenue.

The good news: With modern processes, you can avoid these challenges and greatly improve the workflow at your cloakroom.

Would you like to learn how to speed up processes at your cloakroom while also increasing guest satisfaction? Download our free PDF “How to Go Cashless at the Cloakroom” and discover practical solutions for modern events.

➡️ Click here to download the PDF!