Closing time, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here.....

[shelleygirl]

Anyone else deal with patients who come in 5 minutes before you close and want to waste as much of your time as possible? It seemed that any patient we stayed late for did not spend hardly any money and was so demanding, it's never worth it. The last one spent an hour to choose a frame and then didn't have any money to pay for them. So one hour of overtime for 3 people for nothing. :angry: Our owner who is the coolest guy ever started the policy that our doors lock at closing time. If someone comes in at 5 til, we tell them they have 5 minutes then we will have to finish up during business hours. It has worked like a charm, we just say our staff has children in daycare they have to pick up, they never get pissy with that excuse. What's your closing time nightmare story????

[wolfman]

The one that comes in five minutes before. Spends 45 minutes looking at frames and then asks what time you close. my response "we closed at 5:00" Their response. "Oh I'm sorry I will only be a few minutes" sure enough they only take another 5-10 minutes (and don't buy anything) but then on the way out remember that they have to go to the bathroom. And of course Murphy's law says it can't be the quick and easy bathroom stop. There have been days I get out of here an hour to hour and half after we close. :angry:

[shelleygirl]

to tell the patients you are about to close and that you will re-open at such and such time? You could just say that, you aren't telling them you won't stay but just stating your office hours. That might work as long as you won't get in trouble.

[EyeFitWell]

If you work in this job, expect to stay late. It happens, and I've never had a boss who'd allow me to kick someone out just because the clock struck five.

[shelleygirl]

at 4:30 and we leave at 6:00 so it only effects those who wander in right before closing time, we are an optical boutique/doctor's office so we don't follow the typical retail rules. Our owner is awesome and very well off from this business and believes that he runs the office, the office doesn't run him. Before that change, the people that did come in either didn't order anything or only ordered basic stuff, not enough to cover overtime. To each their own.

[Fezz]

Tell them to BEAT IT!!!

[chip anderson]

Wolfman: If you have customers that keep you and hour and a half late while in the bathroom. At least you know what the customer is full of.


Chip

[For-Life]

if you work until 6pm, think how many others work until 6pm

[Christosfer]

I have had issues with this at a few places, one employer said we are here until the last patient is done. There have been several occassions where it's an hour or more and then they cancel. Doctors bringing out the last patient minutes before or after closing. :D
They finally said that it is okay to tell someone that you have to leave 20 minutes after closing. I was in big trouble for telling someone that we were closing when they walked in at closing time to meet someone who was going to pick out glasses for someone who was not there yet. I was supposed to wait until they got there and stay as late as they wanted apparently. I agree, tell them your hours and say we can finish up during the next business day.

How about this one; what would you say about mandatory, unpaid meetings?

[obxeyeguy]

if you work until 6pm, think how many others work until 6pm

Huh?? If I work till 6, but only get paid till 5, how does that work?? Point is , these opticians are being kept late and the owners in some cases are not compensating them. This thread is about rude inconsiderate people coming in to retail establishments and having no idea, period.

Right or wrong on the owners part, its a reality in any retail business. Not all employees are willing or able to put in extra time off the clock, and they are not Government employees who all punch out at 5:00PM.

[For-Life]

Huh?? If I work till 6, but only get paid till 5, how does that work?? Point is , these opticians are being kept late and the owners in some cases are not compensating them. This thread is about rude inconsiderate people coming in to retail establishments and having no idea, period.

Right or wrong on the owners part, its a reality in any retail business. Not all employees are willing or able to put in extra time off the clock, and they are not Government employees who all punch out at 5:00PM.

My argument was more about having respect for those who do not work 9-4pm.

And fyi, I am a government employee and regularly stay passed the hours I am technically paid for.

[obxeyeguy]

My argument was more about having respect for those who do not work 9-4pm.

Why would I care what other peoples hours are, as they are being fairly compensated for those hours worked. If I work 9am to 5 pm, and get held up to 6PM without pay, I should think about the poor soul that works at XYZ chain that is open to 9PM?? Isn't that the position that they agreed to and the hours?

I worked hard to get the hours I work, and yes, they are 9-5, M-F. My personal hours do no where near reflect the "office" hours, but that is by choice. That is why there will always be the "bosses" and the "employees".

[For-Life]

Why would I care what other peoples hours are, as they are being fairly compensated for those hours worked. If I work 9am to 5 pm, and get held up to 6PM without pay, I should think about the poor soul that works at XYZ chain that is open to 9PM?? Isn't that the position that they agreed to and the hours?

I worked hard to get the hours I work, and yes, they are 9-5, M-F. My personal hours do no where near reflect the "office" hours, but that is by choice. That is why there will always be the "bosses" and the "employees".

Because you should care about your customers. If you don't, they will leave, and with no customers, you have no job.

Plus, many opticians are paid salary. Therefore, that should be included in the salary.


FYI - I have to be the only poster who gets criticized for taking the owner's side and then criticized for taking the employee's side. Maybe that shows you something.

[Happylady]

I was in big trouble for telling someone that we were closing when they walked in at closing time to meet someone who was going to pick out glasses for someone who was not there yet.

How about this one; what would you say about mandatory, unpaid meetings?

You should get paid for meetings. Is it even legal not to pay you? My boss even provides dinner for our meetings, usually pizza or Olive Garden.

And I think that if someone walks in right at closing and is planning on meeting someone who isn't even there yet, they should be told you are closing and you can't wait. That is just ridiculous! It's one thing to be kept a few minutes but it's rude to keep someone for a long time.

Sometimes I tell people it's okay if I don't have plans but at least they are polite enought to ask.

[Ory]

I've had quite a few patients who will book time off for an eye exam but will go elsewhere for their glasses because our hours aren't as convenient as the mall. So be it. You have to set a line between business and personal - we'd make more money if open longer hours, but I wouldn't want to work them and neither would my staff.

I care about my patients and I care about my job, but I care much more about my family. If that means some patients get their medical devices from someone else that's ok. You can't be everything to everyone.

As for being stuck late - our office closes at 5:30. We have some employees who are paid until 6. There's always a few odds and ends to finish up but the majority of the time they get to leave early. So when a patient is shopping late, they know they've been compensated already.

How about this one; what would you say about mandatory, unpaid meetings?

That's just wrong and if you check with your state labor board I'd bet it's illegal too.

[obxeyeguy]

Because you should care about your customers. If you don't, they will leave, and with no customers, you have no job.

Plus, many opticians are paid salary. Therefore, that should be included in the salary.


FYI - I have to be the only poster who gets criticized for taking the owner's side and then criticized for taking the employee's side. Maybe that shows you something.

A lot of employees do care, right up to their 40 hours. As far as a salary employee, that very much depends on the person, once again. Salary can be a glorified term for expecting 50Hrs and only paying for 40Hrs.

Many are willing to go the extra mile, and many stare at the clock close to closing. The latter are the ones who could care less about the "customers" that provide their job, and never will, only the check. This group will always be an "employee", and nothing more. The first group are the ones I look for, as they will treat it like they own it.

Maybe that shows you something.

[GAgal]

How about this one; what would you say about mandatory, unpaid meetings?

I would be ticked off! :angry: My time is just as valuable as anyone else and I should be compensated for it.

[Dave Metzger]

Woman comes in at 3 30 pm I close at 5 00. She takes my boards apart and there is a pyramid of frames sitting athte dispensing table. At 6 pm she tells me she can't decide and will come back tomorrow. She came back the next day at 4 pm and DID order 2 pr, but she bargained hard and I walked away with a small profit. This was back in the old days, 1980. Fast forward and she became one of my best customers and a constant source of high value referrals. I'll use the A-Roid defense.

I always accommodated my latecomers unless I had Yankee or Mets tickets, had a tee time or my kids had a play or recital.

Downside of staying late, 2/05/1988 5 15 pm, "gentleman" comes in with hand in pocket and I greeted him and he responded by brandishing a switchblade. Luckily the police staked out my shop and he was apprehended, so he cured me of staying after hours.

[GAgal]

Here is my horror story! In GA, there has to be an LDO on the premises to sell or dispense, so I agree to work until 7:00 once a week so those who work my regular 9-5 hours can be serviced on a regular basis. A customer comes in at 6:45 to look for glasses. I spend 30 minutes with him and his wife picking out glasses. Before we started frame selection, I ask if he has insurance and he said no. We begin the order, and he says do you take my insurance? :hammer:Yes, we do I call and get authorizations. I then asked wife if she would like me to get an authorization for her while I'm on the phone and she says no, she's not getting anything today. Spend time on lenses, extras and benefits. Pt changes mind 3 times :( Finally get order done and now after 7:30. The wife now decides she wants glasses. Get back on phone and get authorization that the wife did not want me to get earlier. I then help the wife pick out the frame and do the order. Now its after 8:15. Tell them the combined total of their out of pocket is $65.60, will that be cash, check or charge? BIG sign says all copays and out of pocket expenses are due at time of order is placed at the front desk and throughout the dispensary. The wife says, "We have to pay now? I didn't bring any money?:angry: DOH! Sometimes, I have to bite my tongue so hard it bleeds!

[SarahMP584]

Oh man people do it at costco allllll the time. I can't stand it. There is one family that is notorious for it. They come in with their two teenage daughters and their boyfriends, they poke around at my meticulously straightened frameboards and just as I start to think they are just looking around, THEN then get down to business wanting to order contacts or whatever. Just as I have done my counts on my register....argggg

[cocoisland58]

We are in an area where, how shall I say it, many foreign people live. They are notorious for coming in with the whole family at five minutes till closing (on purpose) and staying for an hour if we let them. This way they get all the attention. Sometimes they call ahead to ask what time we close and tip us off. We have started to tell them we close a half hour earlier and it works. The thing is they don't buy anything but they like to linger and bargain with us. I have dimmed the lights on a few of them. I have no problem telling people that we closed five minutes ago and locking the outside door. They get the message. We are open two late nights and saturdays to accomodate everyone that we can, but fridays we would like to go home and have a life too thankyou. I am very much into customer service but when the customer is blatently rude that is a different situation.

[Jubilee]

I usually have no issue staying a half hour or so late. However for those who need even later, and Mondays are out of the question (the day we are open till 7) .. I tell them I would be happy to make an alternative arrangement, however I need to plan because of daycare. Most understand, and I haven't had anyone complain... (well except the boss, who doesn't like me getting OT)

[chip anderson]

Any of you ding bats looked at the economy? Got a clue how many opticians and optician wanabes would love to have your job. Put in the extra effort if it doesn't happent too often (never mind banging the cabinet doors when someone has a late patient). Just be damn glad you have a job when so many others don't. Hope you extra effort helps your establishment survive when so many are failing.

Chip

[Matthew]

Well i rarely have somebody come in late and just waste my time. Usually they're there to buy something and I am all for helping a person AND making a sale. :cheers:

And this is my 25th year at the same company....

[bob_f_aboc]

There is one day every year that I don't mind staying late at all: New Year's Eve!

When I worked for LC, we 'closed' at 6. I would ususally stay until 9 or 10 taking care of patients that forgot their benefits expired in a few hours.

Now that I'm in private practice, we close at 12:00 on New Year's Eve. I have no problem staying late for the late boost in sales.

The people that bug me most are the ones that will see our 8-5 posted hours and come in at 6:15 because the doc had a tough case for the last appointment. Then they proceed to browse for an hour and may or may not buy anything.

I have also had patients stop me in the parking lot to ask if I would reopen the office so they could look at glasses.

The funny thing is the people that want the special service are the cheapest, most non-commital people out there.

Very few people remember how to properly a$k for $pecial $ervice.