|
Post by dirtypillows on Oct 25, 2020 19:48:31 GMT
The bottom line is whether the business wants to succeed. And complaining about customers who can be inconvenient is not pursuant to that goal. I'm not saying it's not rude, but it's a secondary issue. Besides, it doesn't sound like the OP was not being an inconvenience. Like she said, if the workers want to be out of there by 6:00, then they need to change the closing time to 5:30. Many businesses have "succeeded" by not catering to rude, self-entitle people who have no regard for anyone but themselves. If the hours posted say 6:00, that means 6:00, not 6:01, and not show up at 5:55, and you can stay as long as you want. Everybody picks their battles and it's never occurred to me to be offended by this particular customer. Shit happens. Staying fifteen minutes afterwards is not that big a deal to me. Everybody's different.
|
|
|
Post by dirtypillows on Oct 25, 2020 19:51:47 GMT
I went to a store, realizing I was cutting it close but figuring by the logic of their postings, I should be able to make a mad dash in and out. The hours posted on their website and door said they "closed at 6:00pm". I arrived at 5:55pm (enough time to grab something and get out). But their doors were already locked? They didn't say "closed at 5:55pm". Why do stores do this? I've seen them close up to 10-15 minutes earlier than their closing time. This just doesn't seem fair. I understand restaurants saying they close at 11:00pm but stop serving hot means at 10:30pm (because of kitchen/ovens etc.). But a regular ol' store with products on the shelf? No excuse. This thread has morphed into a restaurant scenario rather than a regular store story. I have been in stores where they leave one register open to accommodate late comers and slow shoppers. They gradually turn off lights and announce ... we are CLOSED so please come and check out NOW ! This
|
|
|
Post by Catman on Oct 25, 2020 21:31:01 GMT
Catman recalls a story of when Oprah showed up at a store in France well after closing time and went on a tirade because they wouldn't reopen the store for her because she was, after all, Oprah.
|
|
|
Post by dirtypillows on Oct 25, 2020 22:20:20 GMT
Catman recalls a story of when Oprah showed up at a store in France well after closing time and went on a tirade because they wouldn't reopen the store for her because she was, after all, Oprah. I remember that. I can't stand Oprah for so many reasons. She's such a know it all. When that guy publicly humiliated her with his book full of lies, the big 'O' was pissed! How dare anybody outsmart Harpo! The French are known for not liking Anericans. They think we are spoiled (which I can understand) and they also think their culture is superior to any other culture (which I wouldn't argue with - they make the best movies) I don't like Oprhah one bit, but the owner of the store was pretty rude.
|
|
|
Post by lenlenlen1 on Oct 26, 2020 16:49:02 GMT
I went to a store, realizing I was cutting it close but figuring by the logic of their postings, I should be able to make a mad dash in and out. The hours posted on their website and door said they "closed at 6:00pm". I arrived at 5:55pm (enough time to grab something and get out). But their doors were already locked? They didn't say "closed at 5:55pm". Why do stores do this? I've seen them close up to 10-15 minutes earlier than their closing time. This just doesn't seem fair. I understand restaurants saying they close at 11:00pm but stop serving hot means at 10:30pm (because of kitchen/ovens etc.). But a regular ol' store with products on the shelf? No excuse. I work at a place that closes at a specific time, and we try to get out of there at that specific time because we've had a long tiring day and want to get home. But, we have never closed 5 or however many minutes before that time. We just try to be punctual. We do have announcements and we let people that are coming in ten to closing that we're closing at said specific time so they know. We also hand out bookmarks with our hours. And they are posted all over the entrance, and on our website and telephone message. My take away is this: The store should not close until that actual specific time, punctually. But, you also shouldn't be showing up 5 to. Give yourself, and the staff, enough time to carry out the entire transaction without the last minute rush. Especially if its not an emergency. Just come back the next day.
|
|
autumn
Junior Member
@autumn
Posts: 4,544
Likes: 3,635
|
Post by autumn on Oct 26, 2020 20:45:24 GMT
They do it because they want to close by 6:00, which means not having customers in there who arrive at 5:55 staying to check out and leave the store at 6:15. I see some store post their closing at 9:00, but they just don't let anyone else in the store after 9:00, and allow those checking out to remain there and get out no later than 9:30. If I worked in a store and someone showed up minutes before closing, I'd be annoyed. It wasn't a restaurant, and there was no dining, no cooking, no preparation. It was a convenience store where people are quickly in and out with a maximum of ten people in the store. They could close the door at 6:00pm which was their stated closing time, and no, they would not be bothered by having people hanging about in their store. This is not the same as having people linger for preparing a meal and hanging about for a few hours or even a half an hour. If they state they are open until 6:00pm then that should be fact. This is misleading and highly unprofessional AF, not to mention very irritating. I could have been in and out of that store within 5 minutes or less to pick up a single item. And for what it's worth, I didn't know their Saturday hours were closing 2 hours earlier than their regular hours, so it wasn't me being an ass trying to be one of those late-minute shoppers. Even if I was, in the case of a VERY SMALL convenience store that sells small items, there's no reason they cannot accommodate the hours they publicly post. Everywhere I have EVER worked, that includes professional offices, we never stopped seeing clients early so we could get them out of the office by end of day. We stopped booking at the hour we said we said we closed. This is just logical and common sense.
|
|
autumn
Junior Member
@autumn
Posts: 4,544
Likes: 3,635
|
Post by autumn on Oct 26, 2020 20:48:54 GMT
I went to a store, realizing I was cutting it close but figuring by the logic of their postings, I should be able to make a mad dash in and out. The hours posted on their website and door said they "closed at 6:00pm". I arrived at 5:55pm (enough time to grab something and get out). But their doors were already locked? They didn't say "closed at 5:55pm". Why do stores do this? I've seen them close up to 10-15 minutes earlier than their closing time. This just doesn't seem fair. I understand restaurants saying they close at 11:00pm but stop serving hot means at 10:30pm (because of kitchen/ovens etc.). But a regular ol' store with products on the shelf? No excuse. I work at a place that closes at a specific time, and we try to get out of there at that specific time because we've had a long tiring day and want to get home. But, we have never closed 5 or however many minutes before that time. We just try to be punctual. We do have announcements and we let people that are coming in ten to closing that we're closing at said specific time so they know. We also hand out bookmarks with our hours. And they are posted all over the entrance, and on our website and telephone message. My take away is this: The store should not close until that actual specific time, punctually. But, you also shouldn't be showing up 5 to. Give yourself, and the staff, enough time to carry out the entire transaction without the last minute rush. Especially if its not an emergency. Just come back the next day. It takes less than 5 minutes to make a single transaction and leave the store.
|
|
autumn
Junior Member
@autumn
Posts: 4,544
Likes: 3,635
|
Post by autumn on Oct 26, 2020 20:52:03 GMT
The bottom line is whether the business wants to succeed. And complaining about customers who can be inconvenient is not pursuant to that goal. I'm not saying it's not rude, but it's a secondary issue. Besides, it doesn't sound like the OP was not being an inconvenience. Like she said, if the workers want to be out of there by 6:00, then they need to change the closing time to 5:30. Many businesses have "succeeded" by not catering to rude, self-entitle people who have no regard for anyone but themselves. If the hours posted say 6:00, that means 6:00, not 6:01, and not show up at 5:55, and you can stay as long as you want. I am also a responsible person, and when I realized on the sign that they closed in 5 minutes, I'm considerate enough that if I were permitted in (like other places that keep true to their word re: closing hours) I would have made sure to be very timely in my actions). To linger when you know they need to close up is downright disrespectful and rude, and I would never do that. But I WOULD be out of there on time after buying a single item.
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Oct 27, 2020 17:24:50 GMT
Just because you say you would be in & out-doesn't mean you will, or the next person.
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Oct 27, 2020 17:29:09 GMT
I went to a store, realizing I was cutting it close but figuring by the logic of their postings, I should be able to make a mad dash in and out. The hours posted on their website and door said they "closed at 6:00pm". I arrived at 5:55pm (enough time to grab something and get out). But their doors were already locked? They didn't say "closed at 5:55pm". Why do stores do this? I've seen them close up to 10-15 minutes earlier than their closing time. This just doesn't seem fair. I understand restaurants saying they close at 11:00pm but stop serving hot means at 10:30pm (because of kitchen/ovens etc.). But a regular ol' store with products on the shelf? No excuse. I work at a place that closes at a specific time, and we try to get out of there at that specific time because we've had a long tiring day and want to get home. But, we have never closed 5 or however many minutes before that time. We just try to be punctual. We do have announcements and we let people that are coming in ten to closing that we're closing at said specific time so they know. We also hand out bookmarks with our hours. And they are posted all over the entrance, and on our website and telephone message. My take away is this: The store should not close until that actual specific time, punctually. But, you also shouldn't be showing up 5 to. Give yourself, and the staff, enough time to carry out the entire transaction without the last minute rush. Especially if its not an emergency. Just come back the next day. As a small business, I always wait until the radio station chimes-then go to close the window drapes. If someone is pulling in-I'll wait for them. Despite the fact I have been working for over 18 hours, have been open all day & this....decides to come now. But for big box it comes down to making sure everyone is out of the store, then employees timed out. Otherwise it's a lot of overtime to be paid(yes even 5 minutes for say 20 employees-big box remember). If this happened every day-huge overtime.
|
|
autumn
Junior Member
@autumn
Posts: 4,544
Likes: 3,635
|
Post by autumn on Oct 27, 2020 20:46:56 GMT
I work at a place that closes at a specific time, and we try to get out of there at that specific time because we've had a long tiring day and want to get home. But, we have never closed 5 or however many minutes before that time. We just try to be punctual. We do have announcements and we let people that are coming in ten to closing that we're closing at said specific time so they know. We also hand out bookmarks with our hours. And they are posted all over the entrance, and on our website and telephone message. My take away is this: The store should not close until that actual specific time, punctually. But, you also shouldn't be showing up 5 to. Give yourself, and the staff, enough time to carry out the entire transaction without the last minute rush. Especially if its not an emergency. Just come back the next day. As a small business, I always wait until the radio station chimes-then go to close the window drapes. If someone is pulling in-I'll wait for them. Despite the fact I have been working for over 18 hours, have been open all day & this....decides to come now. But for big box it comes down to making sure everyone is out of the store, then employees timed out. Otherwise it's a lot of overtime to be paid(yes even 5 minutes for say 20 employees-big box remember). If this happened every day-huge overtime. Might I suggest something like changing your closing time to 5:45pm instead of 6:00pm (using this as an example). Again, every place of business I've worked at takes all of this into account when they "close at 6:00pm" it means they realize they will have employees working after those hours to conduct close-outs and paperwork. If that's not convenient and you want your employees to do less work and do less business in this pandemic, then "close" your shop an hour earlier so your employees can do all their business before your designated "closing time." Every office I've worked at: We're open until 7pm meant our last appointment was booked at 7pm. That also meant I would expect to be at the office another 60 minutes finishing paperwork and so was my boss, and that's all part of conducting a business and accommodating those clients and customers who were paying very good money to make appointments in our office. Do the right thing. I'm completely shocked and especially during this pandemic when people are bitching about not having a job that they're going to do something this petty.
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Oct 28, 2020 17:25:08 GMT
As a small business, I always wait until the radio station chimes-then go to close the window drapes. If someone is pulling in-I'll wait for them. Despite the fact I have been working for over 18 hours, have been open all day & this....decides to come now. But for big box it comes down to making sure everyone is out of the store, then employees timed out. Otherwise it's a lot of overtime to be paid(yes even 5 minutes for say 20 employees-big box remember). If this happened every day-huge overtime. Might I suggest something like changing your closing time to 5:45pm instead of 6:00pm (using this as an example). Again, every place of business I've worked at takes all of this into account when they "close at 6:00pm" it means they realize they will have employees working after those hours to conduct close-outs and paperwork. If that's not convenient and you want your employees to do less work and do less business in this pandemic, then "close" your shop an hour earlier so your employees can do all their business before your designated "closing time." Every office I've worked at: We're open until 7pm meant our last appointment was booked at 7pm. That also meant I would expect to be at the office another 60 minutes finishing paperwork and so was my boss, and that's all part of conducting a business and accommodating those clients and customers who were paying very good money to make appointments in our office. Do the right thing. I'm completely shocked and especially during this pandemic when people are bitching about not having a job that they're going to do something this petty. Um....where did I say I won't stay open? I was talking about big box retailers doing that. I also open before the "opening" time. I grew up in a family business, it was basically ingrained in me that that was part of customer service. However, big box retailers-you would have to talk about those really in charge-which are not the employees, or even the managers. They are told by corporate when the to close the doors, when to open, how many hours employees can work-but won't get paid overtime needlessly, etc.
|
|
|
Post by poelzig on Oct 29, 2020 2:08:33 GMT
As a small business, I always wait until the radio station chimes-then go to close the window drapes. If someone is pulling in-I'll wait for them. Despite the fact I have been working for over 18 hours, have been open all day & this....decides to come now. But for big box it comes down to making sure everyone is out of the store, then employees timed out. Otherwise it's a lot of overtime to be paid(yes even 5 minutes for say 20 employees-big box remember). If this happened every day-huge overtime. Might I suggest something like changing your closing time to 5:45pm instead of 6:00pm (using this as an example). Again, every place of business I've worked at takes all of this into account when they "close at 6:00pm" it means they realize they will have employees working after those hours to conduct close-outs and paperwork. If that's not convenient and you want your employees to do less work and do less business in this pandemic, then "close" your shop an hour earlier so your employees can do all their business before your designated "closing time." Every office I've worked at: We're open until 7pm meant our last appointment was booked at 7pm. That also meant I would expect to be at the office another 60 minutes finishing paperwork and so was my boss, and that's all part of conducting a business and accommodating those clients and customers who were paying very good money to make appointments in our office. Do the right thing. I'm completely shocked and especially during this pandemic when people are bitching about not having a job that they're going to do something this petty. Are you trolling? The people in the store are the ones who are bitching and petty?!!!!!! Do the right thing?!!!!!!! Did you really post those comments? Damn dude you are seriously delusional.
|
|
|
Post by The Herald Erjen on Oct 29, 2020 3:05:08 GMT
As a small business, I always wait until the radio station chimes-then go to close the window drapes. If someone is pulling in-I'll wait for them. Despite the fact I have been working for over 18 hours, have been open all day & this....decides to come now. But for big box it comes down to making sure everyone is out of the store, then employees timed out. Otherwise it's a lot of overtime to be paid(yes even 5 minutes for say 20 employees-big box remember). If this happened every day-huge overtime. Might I suggest something like changing your closing time to 5:45pm instead of 6:00pm (using this as an example). Again, every place of business I've worked at takes all of this into account when they "close at 6:00pm" it means they realize they will have employees working after those hours to conduct close-outs and paperwork. If that's not convenient and you want your employees to do less work and do less business in this pandemic, then "close" your shop an hour earlier so your employees can do all their business before your designated "closing time." Every office I've worked at: We're open until 7pm meant our last appointment was booked at 7pm. That also meant I would expect to be at the office another 60 minutes finishing paperwork and so was my boss, and that's all part of conducting a business and accommodating those clients and customers who were paying very good money to make appointments in our office. Do the right thing. I'm completely shocked and especially during this pandemic when people are bitching about not having a job that they're going to do something this petty. They're getting paid for their time, not their work, which is why I still think my "bunch of bastards" theory is the most accurate.
|
|
|
Post by movieliker on Oct 29, 2020 4:09:39 GMT
I went to a store, realizing I was cutting it close but figuring by the logic of their postings, I should be able to make a mad dash in and out. The hours posted on their website and door said they "closed at 6:00pm". I arrived at 5:55pm (enough time to grab something and get out). But their doors were already locked? They didn't say "closed at 5:55pm". Why do stores do this? I've seen them close up to 10-15 minutes earlier than their closing time. This just doesn't seem fair. I understand restaurants saying they close at 11:00pm but stop serving hot means at 10:30pm (because of kitchen/ovens etc.). But a regular ol' store with products on the shelf? No excuse. Some do. Some don't. The good ones don't. The bad ones do. It also depends on the size. A girlfriend of mine had her own ladies clothing shop. She was also married with a child. Often she was the only one working there. If she had something outside the shop that had to be done, she closed and left. But big stores and chains often insist their employees stay open until the last minute of their posted hours. But some are run by the employees who often close and leave early if it's slow. Also I understand if employees have been there all day, they hate these last minute customers who walk-in in the last 5 or 10 minutes. They know whether they spend money or not, they could be there another 30 minutes just looking, demanding help, and making a mess the employees will have to clean up.
|
|
autumn
Junior Member
@autumn
Posts: 4,544
Likes: 3,635
|
Post by autumn on Oct 30, 2020 2:07:27 GMT
The closing time motto may be, all out and closed by specified time, not stay till six when staff have to then linger to close. Wages have to be paid. What we used to do is stay open, as advertised: our hours are X:00 until Z:00. End of story. We kept the doors open. Fifteen minutes before we closed, we would make an announcement: "Please be advised, we will be closing our doors in 15 minutes. Thank you." Then with ten minutes to go: "Please be advised, we will be closing our doors in 10 minutes. Thank you." Then finally, "Please be advised, we will be closing our doors in 5 minutes. Thank you." Meanwhile, at 15 minutes before closing, the music would be turned off, to make it clear we're closing. The lights would start to go off and dim, to make it clear we're closing. Any indication outdoors that might otherwise indicate our offices might otherwise be open, were turned off. I would also personally go around to people who might otherwise be "lingering" at that 15 minute-to-go mark, and gently remind them "we're closing in 15 minutes." There are ways to do this tactfully, enhance the shopping experience, keep customers happy while keeping them informed and also keeping the hours "as posted". If the owners/managers don't want to do business "until 6:00pm" then they should change their damn hours on their website or what they post at the doorway so no one is inconvenienced and they still get their employees ONLY FOR THE HOURS they're WILLING to pay for.
|
|