To expect businesses that aren't working between Christmas and NY to make that clear

yellowleaves123 · 2022-01-02T10:36:04+00:00

Am I just impatient? Contacted a couple of professionals a few weeks ago to book appointments, I think around the 20th Dec. Self employed people. One has replied once outside of bank holidays. The other I've not heard from. Neither have out of offices on (no telephone numbers, just emails), nothing on their websites or business socials saying they're taking time off. Is this really bad business practice or am I just impatient? I'm self employed and have time off dates on my socials, an out of office reply for emails and a generic one going out in response to any text enquiries, and dates of time off in a voicemail message. If I didn't, new prospective clients would all assume I'm just shit and go elsewhere.

RoomOfRequirement · 02/01/2022 11:01

I wouldn't assume they're not working, I'd assume they're busy and it takes a while to get through e-mails, especially with all of the bank holidays. And they may have taken some leave, but after the 20th, so you wouldn't have gotten the out of office reply but they didn't manage to finish everything before they left.

I think you're being impatient and if these are not urgent appointments I'd just wait.

phishy · 02/01/2022 11:07

Are they small businesses? I wouldn’t expect a response from them at this time.

I do get annoyed when opening hours/days aren’t correct on Google though, I rely on that a lot.

However, I’ve noticed small businesses don’t always update their opening times on Google so I never trust it anymore and if they don’t answer the phone I don’t go over there.

QuitMoaning · 02/01/2022 11:09

@phishy

Are they small businesses? I wouldn’t expect a response from them at this time.

I do get annoyed when opening hours/days aren’t correct on Google though, I rely on that a lot.

However, I’ve noticed small businesses don’t always update their opening times on Google so I never trust it anymore and if they don’t answer the phone I don’t go over there.

The times on Google can be set by anyone until someone claims the business and then it can be a pain to update them. It is Google and social media demanding that you update something you didn’t ask for.

EllieSattler · 02/01/2022 11:10

I don't think it's difficult to post on Facebook and Insta that the office will be closed from 24th Dec to 4th Jan or whatever, no.

Starlightstarbright1 · 02/01/2022 11:12

I emailed someone self employed over holidays- i am not expecting a response yet.. i just wanted it in their inbox when they return.

So yes yabu.

EllieSattler · 02/01/2022 11:12

Actually thinking on, it drives me scatty when businesses that do provide a good service are let down by their communication. The main one for me is the DCs swim school, term starts again on Tuesday and we haven't had any rebooking emails sent out yet.

Devilmakes3 · 02/01/2022 11:13

Personally I expect a lot of people not to be working at this time of year, it is a pretty standard holiday time no? I know that some businesses do as you suggest and use an out of office but it is far from universal.

People’s expectations on other people availability has really gone out of all proportion with the rise of email/internet. I mean 20 years ago you’d have ring a landline no one would have answered and you would have made an assumption. That change is not a good thing. The whole covid version of this of people constantly expecting those WFH to be always available 24/7 was the most extreme version of your expectations.

Lots of my colleagues had to add a little note to remind others that they weren’t available to them 24/7 and didn’t expect that from others either over the last couple of years.

TooWicked · 02/01/2022 11:18

YANBU.

I slipped up with this myself. I didn’t update my opening days/hours anywhere to say I was closed until tomorrow.

In my defence I had covid leading up to and over Christmas and emailed all of my existing clients to say they’d hear from me tomorrow (3rd Jan), but I’m sure I’ve got an inbox of messages from potential new clients who now probably have gone elsewhere. Although saying that, I was never going to work in between Christmas and new year so they’d have had to go elsewhere anyway.

HoardingSamphireSaurus · 02/01/2022 11:20

I'm self employed and have sent regular clients an email with my dates.

I have had 3 online enquiries asking me to help with an urgent job that has to be done between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. I have not replied as their emergency isn't mine. No new tenancy begins on such short notice so the emergency was caused by their lack of thought. I don't need to disrupt my own home life for people who can't organise themselves to do routine admin.

And I expect every other self employed, sole trader, to have taken the week off. What's the point of being your own boss if you can't have proper holidays?

trumpisagit · 02/01/2022 11:21

Yes I agree it's annoying. If they are closed they should state on answer phone, website or email autoreply.

Original poster

yellowleaves123 · 02/01/2022 11:32

Are they small businesses? I wouldn’t expect a response from them at this time.

They are, but so am I. Anyone in my inbox before my time off got a reply before I finished for Christmas so they knew where they stood (and I told them I was off ubtil 4th Jan). That meant I worked 12 hours that day to finish my appointments and admin but thats the nature of the beast. I do think it's a shame when poor communication lets down an otherwise great business. I wouldn't normally do such a long day but I was about to have 2 weeks off so it is what it is.

*I have had 3 online enquiries asking me to help with an urgent job that has to be done between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. I have not replied as their emergency isn't mine. No new tenancy begins on such short notice so the emergency was caused by their lack of thought. I don't need to disrupt my own home life for people who can't organise themselves to do routine admin.

And I expect every other self employed, sole trader, to have taken the week off. What's the point of being your own boss if you can't have proper holidays?*

I agree. I've been off since 22nd and I know I've had a few emergency emails hit my inbox (I use my personal phone for business so still get the notifications) but the emergencies aren't for me to prioritise during my time off. People will have to hang on until I'm back to work. They got my out of office so they know I'm not working.

OP posts:

Original poster

yellowleaves123 · 02/01/2022 11:36

People’s expectations on other people availability has really gone out of all proportion with the rise of email/internet. I mean 20 years ago you’d have ring a landline no one would have answered and you would have made an assumption. That change is not a good thing.

I've gotta say, I don't really get this mindset. We have the internet and have done for 20 years. Good use of the internet and e-communication is critical. If you don't do it, you will lose out on a lot of clients to those who utilise their emails well, and also you are cutting out many potential clients (I'm 30 and 99% of my friends make all enquiries via email, they won't engage with businesses who don't have an internet presence, even if it is just a very basic website or Facebook page). The days of landlines and answerphone communication is over.

OP posts:

Original poster

yellowleaves123 · 02/01/2022 11:37

In fact...a lot longer than 20 years!

OP posts:

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 02/01/2022 11:41

I have business email, phone, FB page, IG etc which all says I'm off until Tuesday 4th.

So one person (new enquiry) has taken to contacting me on my personal FB and that I am ignoring!

Original poster

yellowleaves123 · 02/01/2022 11:47

*I have business email, phone, FB page, IG etc which all says I'm off until Tuesday 4th.

So one person (new enquiry) has taken to contacting me on my personal FB and that I am ignoring!*

There's always one - I've had one too!

OP posts:

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 02/01/2022 11:50

I have a small business and my social is updated with my holiday hours.

That hasn't stopped several people contacting me and getting pissed off because I won't give up my holidays to help them, though

Personally I just assume most small businesses will be closed at this time of year and wouldn't expect to hear back from anyone until the 4th. If they did reply sooner, I'd just see it as a bonus. Yes, they should update their socials but IME people ignore it anyway!

Kshhuxnxk · 02/01/2022 11:50

I would always assume if not a shop businesses are closed (or should be) at this time of year tbh.

TyrannosaurusRights · 02/01/2022 11:52

@yellowleaves123

People’s expectations on other people availability has really gone out of all proportion with the rise of email/internet. I mean 20 years ago you’d have ring a landline no one would have answered and you would have made an assumption. That change is not a good thing.

I've gotta say, I don't really get this mindset. We have the internet and have done for 20 years. Good use of the internet and e-communication is critical. If you don't do it, you will lose out on a lot of clients to those who utilise their emails well, and also you are cutting out many potential clients (I'm 30 and 99% of my friends make all enquiries via email, they won't engage with businesses who don't have an internet presence, even if it is just a very basic website or Facebook page). The days of landlines and answerphone communication is over.

That’s quite a blinkered view.

My dad is a sparky. His customers don’t care if he has a website, so he doesn’t. He has email but I doubt if half his clients know it. He doesn’t need or want more customers, he’s inundated with work and mostly new people find him from personal recommendations (and at this point most of those get passed on to friends in the business as he doesn’t need or want more work). If you want him you call and leave a voicemail and he’ll call back. Frankly I don’t know many busy tradesmen (tradespeople?) who don’t operate this way.

There are lots of small businesses out there who don’t want more clients, or don’t want the type of clients who demand instant communication, or who have chosen for whatever reason that they don’t need or want to be an online thing. And that’s ok.

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 02/01/2022 12:09

I've gotta say, I don't really get this mindset. We have the internet and have done for 20 years. Good use of the internet and e-communication is critical. If you don't do it, you will lose out on a lot of clients to those who utilise their emails well, and also you are cutting out many potential clients

I really think this depends on what kind of business you run and also who your market is.

I'm a dog walker and I've been in business for almost two years now. In that time, I had a website for a year and received precisely zero clients from it. I've also gained the grand sum of two new clients via e-mail.

Every single other client came (originally) from social media and nowadays 99% come via word of mouth. I'm currently operating a waiting list as I have absolutely no space to take on any new customers.

I do update my Facebook page regularly but I don't have a website anymore and I don't go out of my way to advertise my e-mail, though it is on my Facebook page.

People can contact me via Facebook or text and it definitely doesn't appear to have damaged my business to operate this way. As I say, I'm totally full, so if a new client contacted me over the Christmas break and went elsewhere as I didn't respond "in time", it really wouldn't bother me at all, lol.

ChateauxNeufDePoop · 02/01/2022 12:28

@yellowleaves123

People’s expectations on other people availability has really gone out of all proportion with the rise of email/internet. I mean 20 years ago you’d have ring a landline no one would have answered and you would have made an assumption. That change is not a good thing.

I've gotta say, I don't really get this mindset. We have the internet and have done for 20 years. Good use of the internet and e-communication is critical. If you don't do it, you will lose out on a lot of clients to those who utilise their emails well, and also you are cutting out many potential clients (I'm 30 and 99% of my friends make all enquiries via email, they won't engage with businesses who don't have an internet presence, even if it is just a very basic website or Facebook page). The days of landlines and answerphone communication is over.

Daft generalisation - depends completely on the industry.

EllieSattler · 02/01/2022 12:48

@fairylightsandwaxmelts

I've gotta say, I don't really get this mindset. We have the internet and have done for 20 years. Good use of the internet and e-communication is critical. If you don't do it, you will lose out on a lot of clients to those who utilise their emails well, and also you are cutting out many potential clients

I really think this depends on what kind of business you run and also who your market is.

I'm a dog walker and I've been in business for almost two years now. In that time, I had a website for a year and received precisely zero clients from it. I've also gained the grand sum of two new clients via e-mail.

Every single other client came (originally) from social media and nowadays 99% come via word of mouth. I'm currently operating a waiting list as I have absolutely no space to take on any new customers.

I do update my Facebook page regularly but I don't have a website anymore and I don't go out of my way to advertise my e-mail, though it is on my Facebook page.

People can contact me via Facebook or text and it definitely doesn't appear to have damaged my business to operate this way. As I say, I'm totally full, so if a new client contacted me over the Christmas break and went elsewhere as I didn't respond "in time", it really wouldn't bother me at all, lol.

I agree with this. Every small business I have used in the last few years has been found on social media, usually by recommendations on local pages and their FB page linked to it. Pet care, hairdresser, activities for the DC, boiler fitter, tiler etc.

QuitMoaning · 05/01/2022 14:31

@EllieSattler

I don't think it's difficult to post on Facebook and Insta that the office will be closed from 24th Dec to 4th Jan or whatever, no.

Unless they don’t have a Facebook or insta account (get me and my cool lingo, using insta instead of Instagram). My OH business doesn’t have either of those and has no interest in setting up those accounts or maintaining them.

(And I am not on Facebook as it irritates me intensely)