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Many stores, except major department and grocery chains, tend to only be open around 9 to 5 (or maybe 8 to 6 or some variation.) This includes the post office, the bank, the mechanic, the barber, the dentist, etc. Guess what, most people who work also work some variation of 9 to 5.
In order to use the services of these businesses, one has limited options:
1) Take an extended lunch
2) Leave work early and hope to squeeze in at the end
3) Take a vacation day
4) Negotiate with employer to leave a few hours in middle of work
Do these businesses understand that, perhaps by maybe shifting their hours from, say "9 to 5" to say, "1pm to 9", they'd avail themselves to more potential customers? Or is the cost and inconvenience of being open on this schedule just not worth it for some reason unbeknownst to me (please explain)?
Do these businesses understand that, perhaps by maybe shifting their hours from, say "9 to 5" to say, "1pm to 9", they'd avail themselves to more potential customers?
If you need these types of things (bank/doctor/etc) you can't exactly do without them. So I'm not sure there are people out there to "avail" themselves to. It's not like someone is deciding to do home dentistry.
Some businesses do it to deter from crime, especially in urban environments.
The other reason is because that's the time of day most people conduct their business. It costs money to stay open longer, and they lose money if there aren't enough customers coming in.
That said, these businesses do take to account there may be enough people at times who need to use their product/service beyond the typical 9 AM to 5 PM time, which is why banks stay open later on Friday, or several businesses operate on Weekends.
If you need these types of things (bank/doctor/etc) you can't exactly do without them. So I'm not sure there are people out there to "avail" themselves to. It's not like someone is deciding to do home dentistry.
Don't follow.. please explain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 313Weather
Some businesses do it to deter from crime, especially in urban environments.
The other reason is because that's the time of day most people conduct their business. It costs money to stay open longer, and they lose money if there aren't enough customers coming in.
That said, these businesses do take to account there may be enough people at times who need to use their product/service beyond the typical 9 AM to 5 PM time, which is why banks stay open later on Friday, or several businesses operate on Weekends.
They can still be open the same number of hours a day by being open during evenings and cutting back in the mornings when people are at work.
Because just like you, people work there. Why should they work extra hours just to accommodate yourself and others who feel the same?!
You have a lunch hour, so you can fit what you need to do into that, unless you work in the middle of nowhere, then weekends spring to mind.
I work in the bank, customers asked that opening hours be extended. So on one day we opened till 19:30, since then about a year ago, from original closing times of 17:30 to the new hours we get about 2 customers in in that period. So now we are getting rid of the hours.
We fully expect the moaners to appear once again though.
Because every single family in America is a two parent family with one stay at home mom/dad who can run all of the errands while the other makes a livable income.
They can still be open the same number of hours a day by being open during evenings and cutting back in the mornings when people are at work.
Then people at these jobs would complain that they can't be home with their own families for dinner.
Most places in the OP's list are open on weekends. And as for banks...people still physically go to bank branches? I don't think I have set foot in one for close to four years - I even took care of all of my paperwork when buying a house either on-line or on the phone.
Because every single family in America is a two parent family with one stay at home mom/dad who can run all of the errands while the other makes a livable income.
OP, I believe that you bring forth a valid question.
It would be nice for let's say a dentist office or doctor office to be open during non-regular business hours more so than they are now.
Someone suggested going during lunch. So, in that one hour time slot, you will be competing against every other customer to get in a 30 minute appointment. Doesn't seem like the most affective approach.
When I was back home, my doctor and dentist had shortened weekend hours from like 10am to 2pm on a Saturday. That is an alternative solution. I know my current dentist and doctor are not open on the weekends.
Another option might be to go first thing in the morning or late in your work day. Sometimes your boss might be willing to work that out with you.
And as a last resort, you can always take a PTO day or half PTO day.
It is what it is, I guess. Apparently it works, because these places are still in business.
I was saying most of the business you listed are not actually losing any customers due to their hours. Regardless of when they are open people who need to go to a dentist still do. Same with banking and the post office.
But as others have pointed out, many of these businesses do have some kind of hours outside the 9-5 time slot. My dentist is open late one night a week and has Saturday hours. Same with my bank. And isn't the post office open on Saturday?
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