Holiday Hours

[Jana Lewis]

Our office is closed on Thanksgiving Day and on the day after, I have had numerous calls asking what our hours will be and nine times out of ten I have gotten the same question.

" Your not going to open on FRIDAY?" ( incredilous! )

I am in a 75 year old practice, we are a family owned and operated business with very loyal patients, I have never considered this practice a "retail" enviroment, more a professional enviroment. I am confused as to what the people who call in actually think! If you were a regular GP would you as a patient EXPECT your office to be open on a holiday weekend?

Thoughts?

[trevbigg]

I have seen it where people have expressed the reason for being closed as "we want our families to enjoy the holidays as you enjoy being with your families at this time."

Something along those lines seems to make people understand that the person on the other end is just that - a person with a life too.

[hcjilson]

Please don't feel you have to apologize for them.( This comes at the later end of a 43 year career. Now that I wind up my career the way I began it, as a one man operation, I have finally learned that my hours are my hours. I have them on my answering machine as well as the admonishment to call ahead before coming.

As a one man shop I cannot be there all the time. I do not apologize for this, and you shouldn't either. Your clientele will either wait, or go elsewhere.(ususally not)Take the time off and enjoy it- your customers will be there when you get back.

Have a nice weekend!

hj

[LENNY]

The best part if you are open and got 20 cals 2 days ago about Friday.
Watch nobody is going to show up!
They all will find something else to do !
I hate this!

[Joann Raytar]

hcjilson said:
Please don't feel you have to apologize for them.

Ditto Harry. Our Doc has banned the use of "we're sorry" and "we apologize for any inconvenience" when we make up our closed for the holidays signage. I think it is mostly out of respect for his staff. We give him 100% all year and he wants us to know that we deserve this time with our families.

[Chris Ryser]

Jana Lewis said:
Our office is closed on Thanksgiving Day and on the day after,
" Your not going to open on FRIDAY?" ( incredilous! )

I am confused as to what the people who call in actually think! If you were a regular GP would you as a patient EXPECT your office to be open on a holiday weekend?

Thoughts?

Americans have alway's believed that a business whatever it is should be open and functioning 31 hours per day, after extending the day another 7 hours.

As owners or employees we should all be entitled to some day off, but the competition could be doing the reverse to gain some more business.

One should have a principle to do what one thinks is right and enjoy a holiday without worrying yp loose the odd sale and you will be surprised that you might not even do that.

[BobV]

Jana, we had the same problem, too. This is the first year the doc has given all the holiday weekend off. Now, most of our patients are of medicare age and I wonder, do most of these folk Not have a family or friends to spend the time with? Of course, I don't feel the least bit guilty for allowing myself the time off to spend with my family.

To go one step further, if you have medicare age patients, how many of you were prepared for your lunch break only to find two or three customers in your optical, waiting for help? My gosh, I have my hours listed on voicemail, or I tell them when I can get the phone. I even had one lady tell me she would be there 5 minutes before I took my break.

Bob V.

[Bev Heishman]

We are open the day after Thanksgiving and Sat. No Doc's,though and reduced staffing. We are closed the day before Christmas, Christmas, the day before New Years and New Years Day. Personal days or Vacation Days may be used to cover the the days prior to a holiday. Other than this, we are closed only for Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day.

[Johns]

We're open, and are usually the only optical in town that is open. It is one of our busiest days due to all the kids out of school, especially college kids home. We will take a few days off in Dec. for our annual Hoiday get-away w/ the staff, but we are retail, retail, retail. (And yes, our professional staff of ODs will be working as well - they're schedules are full)

[harry888]

I agree with Johns. Day after thanksgiving is usually one of my busiest days (actually, it is the afternoon that is busy) because college students are home and need contacts.

The days I close are during the February school break. Everyone gets out of Dodge, especially staff with kids.

Harry

[hcjilson]

I think it depends on where you are located. They don't call the day after Thanksgiving "Black Friday" for nothing. It is the day many businesses move into the black for the year. There is no question as to whether or not this is the busiest shopping day of the year.

Most offices in a professional setting will do very little business because everyone is going to retail areas to shop. My end of Hyannis is mostly medical offices and I know there will be very little traffic there.It makes little sense to open in a setting like that......unless, of course, you like to dust!:D

A retail (ie. street shops, malls etc) setting is different. Thats where the people are and of course you will do some business.Many leases require tenants to be open.

The answer to the question posed by this thread is, that it depends on where you are located.

When all is said and done, when I get through playing golf this AM (if it doesn't start raining) I will probably drive into Hyannis to see if there are any messages waiting, but it won't be an "official" opening.

[EyeManFla]

I always find it funny that people who live around here. are retired and have all the time in the world, always get their noses bent because we close for a holiday or, God forbid, go on vacation.

Now we opened on Friday and Saturday, of course I was on my hunting trip, and had two good days.

I will, however, close early on Christmas Eve, most likely Noon.

[TammyD]

As a consumer, I must admit that is it really difficult to find the time to attend to "little details" (please note the sarcasm) like getting my prescription updated. I was frustrated this year because I planned to make a lot of calls to utility companies the day after Thanksgiving, and I found that everyone was closed Friday. The difference? I can't give my business to a different utility company (for most things), so they keep my business anyway. An eye doctor probably would not be so lucky. Two prescriptions ago, I got my glasses while out of town on a business trip because that was the only time I had a few free hours available.

As much as we like to think of ourselves as being in a professional, service-oriented industry, the CONSUMER generally thinks of the "stuff" they carry out the door. Until we can CHANGE the mindset, we need to ADAPT to it, otherwise, quality eye care may be lost.

[CME4SPECS]

I have yet to meet any one who wishes that they would have spent more time at the office than home with the family!

I have not been open on Saturday for 5 years, my sales were unaffected when I made that decision. I was able to attend my kid's Saturday soccer and basketball games and do not regret that one bit.
I closed Thanksgiving and the Friday after.
For Christmas I'll close the 24th-28th. When I return Monday I'll here about it...I always do. I offer no apology for taking an extended holiday. I'm as human as the consumer that had the same amount of time home with their families.
I have caller ID on my phones, I see that I get calls at 7 am & 11 pm. You are not going to satisfy EVERYONE'S schedule unless you are open 24-7! So I don't worry about it, I don't take a lunch hour and haven't had a vacation in years. I just sneak in a day or 2 off when the opportunity arises.
So take some time off for the holidays, the few dollars that you miss out on will not make you or break you and you'll be recharged come Monday morning!