The Angry Customer at the Bank Counter
You are delivering a cassette to a bank branch. A customer whose account has been frozen is shouting at the teller, blocking the queue, and filming. He turns to you and says, "You're with the money people, you tell them to give me my money." He steps toward the trolley and puts his hand on it. The teller looks frightened. There is no visible weapon, but the man is large, flushed, and speaking fast. Two colleagues are behind the counter; the branch manager is on the phone. Your partner is at the door. The cassette is sealed and signed for.
1. Explain how you de-escalate the situation and set a boundary around the trolley without using force.
Read the worked answer
Stay calm and keep your voice low and steady. Do not mirror his volume or argue about the account, which is not your role and which you cannot resolve. Acknowledge the frustration in one sentence - "I can see this is very frustrating" - then state the boundary plainly: the trolley is secure bank property and he must take his hand off it. Give him a face-saving route: the branch manager is the person who can discuss the account, and he is on the phone now. Use open hands, keep a safe distance, and position yourself between him and the trolley without crowding him.
If he removes his hand, continue the delivery and let the manager take over. If he does not, repeat the instruction once, calmly, and ask the manager to intervene; do not grab, push, or restrain him, because that would escalate and could be unlawful. Do not touch his phone or tell him to stop filming in a public area. If he becomes violent or tries to take the cassette, withdraw to a safe position, protect the load, and call the police. Your partner at the door should be aware and ready to assist or call, not to join a confrontation.
2. The man calms down and leaves. The teller is shaken. What do you do before leaving the branch, and what do you report?
Read the worked answer
Before leaving, confirm the delivery is complete and the paperwork is signed, and check that the teller is unhurt and has support from the manager. Offer a brief, factual account of what you saw in case the branch needs it for its own report, but do not give legal advice or comment on the account. Ask whether the branch wants the incident noted and whether they will review CCTV. Keep the interaction short and professional; the teller's welfare comes before paperwork.
Report to your control room: time, location, a description of the man, what he said and did, that he touched the trolley, that he was filming, and how it was resolved. Note the branch manager's involvement and whether police were called. Write the report factually and without labelling the man, since a report may be read by police or in a complaint. If the same customer appears at future deliveries, flag it so the crew can plan. Consider a short debrief with your partner about what worked.