Closed for lunch

[Mw Roofline]

I popped to a local trailer place yesterday lunch time to get a mudgard for one of the scaffold trailers and there was a sign up saying closed for lunch 1 till 2pm.

It's only a small business but there are three staff working there. On the opening times it also said Closed all day Monday (Presumably because they are open Saturday 9am till 5pm)

I bought the mudgard from a bigger place 3 miles away (unfortunately it cost a little more)

Now is it me or in the current climate is it really necessary to shut the whole operation for an hour at lunch, 4 days a week? And closed all day Mondays? What if I wanted to spend £100 on a Monday? That's a lot of lost revenue over 12 months.

I've worked Mon to Sat every week this year (except one weekend off for the wifes birthday). I couldn't possibly close for a whole weekday, what if I missed out on a big job?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I agree with you, of course staff need a break and time to refuel, but surely this is best done if the breaks are staggered and someone or two are continuing to assist customers.
It's crazy not to!
It was not too long ago that I called a builders merchant requiring some materials, asked what time they shut as I was pushed for time but needed to collect for early start in the morning.
I had 2k of materials to buy, turned up at the merchants at 2 or 3 minutes to closing and they would not deal with me, so they lost out and I couldn't get on with the job the following morning.
Never used the place again!

 

[Deluks]

Now is it me or in the current climate is it really necessary to shut the whole operation for an hour at lunch, 4 days a week? And closed all day Mondays?

By the current climate do you mean living in a country where everyone is impatient, and wants everything to be available instantly, and done when they click their fingers?

You had a 6 mile round trip cos you couldn't wait an hour?

and lets face it, mudguards for scaffold trailers hardly sell like hot cakes, and in the 'current climate' they probably aren't making enough profit to pay their staff to work 6 days a week.

 

[skitzee2k]

They should really be staggering their lunches.
I am guessing everyone is off sunday, so one person should be off monday, the other weds and the other friday.
All people get two days off. Each person takes lunch one at 11, one at 12, one at 1.
There will then only be 3 hours a week when there is only one person ready to serve but with no extra hours or staff you have a 8-5 mon- sat store without a lunch break.

Yes, it is stupid and uneconomical to be doing what they are doing ANY time.

 

[oompah]

Yes, it is stupid and uneconomical to be doing what they are doing ANY time.

Have you seen their books to confirm this?

 

[skitzee2k]

Yes, it is stupid and uneconomical to be doing what they are doing ANY time.

Have you seen their books to confirm this?

Don't need to. For almost zero extra cost they could be open another 14 hours a week. So that means if the op had spent their hundred that would cover the extra cost that week so anything else would be profit.

 

[Mw Roofline]

By the current climate do you mean living in a country where everyone is impatient, and wants everything to be available instantly, and done when they click their fingers?

Not impatient, just too busy to wait an hour till they opened.

You had a 6 mile round trip cos you couldn't wait an hour?

Yes, I was back at work when the original shop would have still been closed.

and lets face it, mudguards for scaffold trailers hardly sell like hot cakes, and in the 'current climate' they probably aren't making enough profit to pay their staff to work 6 days a week.

I don't care if they sell like hotcakes or not. The mudguard had come off, leaving two outward bits of metal protruding from the double axled trailer. VOSA would have creamed their pants. I needed one there and then.

 

[big-all]

Don't need to. For almost zero extra cost they could be open another 14 hours a week. So that means if the op had spent their hundred that would cover the extra cost that week so anything else would be profit.

or look at it the other way
if they can mannage most off the week with 2 people then if we shut for dinner and only work 40 hrs they can save a wage

 

[oompah]

Don't need to. For almost zero extra cost they could be open another 14 hours a week. So that means if the op had spent their hundred that would cover the extra cost that week so anything else would be profit.

So stay open an extra 14 hours recieve £100 which equates to takings of £7.14 an hour, and this will cover what over heads?

 

[skitzee2k]

Don't need to. For almost zero extra cost they could be open another 14 hours a week. So that means if the op had spent their hundred that would cover the extra cost that week so anything else would be profit.

So stay open an extra 14 hours recieve £100 which equates to takings of £7.14 an hour, and this will cover what over heads?

Namely the gas and electric. As the phones, the wages (as there aren't any more hours being worked) the rates, the rent, the phones, the public liability insurance, the employees insurance, any leased vehicles etc will all be exactly the same.

So £7.14 per hour will probably cover that. And that is if they only have ONE customer extra per week.

 

[kirkgas]

Namely the gas and electric.

but if they are shut they will use less, TBH it is a valid complaint for some to say they should be open all hours we "might" need them, but how many of us have/are moaning about missing out on family life, working too long hrs etc, maybe this is a family organisation and they all go home for their lunch, at the end of the day it is their choice and if their business can sustain it then fair play to them, taking it to extremes should they have one person in all day sunday as well, just in case someone needs a mudflap, your business= your choice, their business=their choice

 

[oompah]

Another consideration is that the place mentioned by the op is that its primarily involved in the manufacturing/repair of trailors and the shop is attached for various bits and bobs associated with it.

 

[geraint]

Namely the gas and electric.

but if they are shut they will use less, TBH it is a valid complaint for some to say they should be open all hours we "might" need them, but how many of us have/are moaning about missing out on family life, working too long hrs etc, maybe this is a family organisation and they all go home for their lunch, at the end of the day it is their choice and if their business can sustain it then fair play to them, taking it to extremes should they have one person in all day sunday as well, just in case someone needs a mudflap, your business= your choice, their business=their choice

good call... they either want it or have a life.. their choice.. just because tesco is open 24 / 7 does not mean that everyone else shoulld be..

 

[namsag]

I am never going to be a millionaire through work so there is no way i am going to kill myself tryin.

MWroofline life is for living not for spending it working and worrying why someone is not open to sell you a mud guard.
The staff of the shop sound like they have a good balance of work and leisure

TRY IT

 

[conny]

In our workplace the 'leccy' gets hammered at lunchtime.
3 microwaves, 2 kettles, 2 toasters, 1 toasty maker, a small oven and the cold drinks dispenser all running full pelt at the same time.
During working hours the kettles are the only appliances that get a hammering.