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Post by curiouscrafter on Nov 18, 2019 1:34:22 GMT
A few years ago I called a scrapbook store (or so I thought) to discuss a shipment I had just received from them. Turns out its a home business scrapbook mail order store, which I had no idea. I called at 8:30am on a weekday, clearly woke someone up when she said "hello", I apologized and said I must have the wrong number as I was calling a business (which doesn't typically answer the phone "Hello")...she asked which business, and I told her. She said "this is the right number, but I'm in bed, we work from home and start later in the morning"...um awkward!
I went to the website and nowhere did this tell me the "phone hours" or that it was a home based business that if I called I could be waking them up. I was a bit put-off as the customer. I'm fine with a home based business but publish your hours, or don't answer the phone if you are still in bed.
I think your situation is different as someone showed up at your door! But I would suggest you get a different phone line, and turn off the ringer after hours, and not publish your home address. The company I dealt with had a PO box, so I couldn't just show up at her door. But yah, I would be super annoyed - but he has to set boundaries and until he does, then people will think he is available all the time.
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Deleted
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Jun 26, 2024 17:09:11 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2019 1:38:34 GMT
You would save yourself a lot of grief by getting a second line. You can have the calls rollover to your personal line during business hours and then sent to VM during hours you don't want to receive calls. Also, as katlady suggested, get a closed sign for your front door that also lists your business hours and the number to call.
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Post by stormycat on Nov 18, 2019 3:04:51 GMT
You font even need a separate line. Get a google voice number, it’s free. Then you can set a special ring tone assigned to it, so you know it’s always a business call.
I am a Foster parent, and will not give my real number to bio parents. This way they can still reach me, and I can remain semi private.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 18, 2019 4:18:33 GMT
At the very least I would have a separate line for the business. Since everybody seems to know the number you already have, I would just use that as the business line and get a new personal number and not share that one with anyone. Take the original line and switch it to a cell phone (if it isn’t already) so you can turn on Do Not Disturb when the business isn’t open for calls. People can still leave a message, only your phone won’t even ring.
And since many people WILL call after hours specifically to listen to a message that tells your hours and other pertinent info, make sure you have a voicemail message that includes all of that information. If people call, get the message and hear that you are *closed* on Saturdays, my guess is you will have a lot fewer people showing up at your house on Saturdays. I’d also put up a clear sign with the business hours at the house too.
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Post by chlerbie on Nov 18, 2019 4:49:41 GMT
I run an ebay store as my business and it's tough when people expect me to always answer emails every hour of the day, every day of the week. I get that it's the nature of an online business, but it seems most people think that I'm like Amazon and never need to take any time off for any reason.
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Deleted
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Jun 26, 2024 17:09:11 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2019 5:09:57 GMT
Thank you for your responses. I've never been anything but polite to callers despite how annoyed I get except for the one guy who called at 6:30 in the morning. We have considered various phone line options but I think the best course for us is to just let the calls roll in the evening and on Sundays. Sometimes DH wants to take calls in the evenings and I screen his requests by getting information to be sure it is something he can even repair. We get a lot of requests for equipment that he doesn't service despite having very clear signage. I'm surprised so many people intentionally call a business after the hours they would expect them to be open to just leave a message. The only time I've done that was for the HVAC people when our heat pump died on Christmas day and we had no heat. It was an emergency so I wanted them to call me back as soon as they opened the next morning and they did. I don't like playing phone tag so I only call when I would expect someone to answer. I may not get anyone but at least I have a chance. In our small town, there are no locally owned store fronts open on Sundays, except I think one drug store, and no repair businesses open on the weekend at all. As long as your dh is wanting the phone answered in the evenings he/you are encouraging the calls to continue. Sometimes you answer and those hoping you will answer will call. I am another that calls at odd times expecting to go to voice mail. I do NOT expect a response outside of normal business hours. I am quite content if the business calls back and leaves me a voice mail with what i want to know. You really should think about using technology to run your business. A google number for your business or keep the current number for the business since it is out there, and get a second number to use as a private number.
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Deleted
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Jun 26, 2024 17:09:11 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2019 5:11:13 GMT
Society's communication norms are changing. You can either use technology to adapt or continue to be annoyed that lots of people don't live by your norms.
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samantha25
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,944
Jun 27, 2014 19:06:19 GMT
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Post by samantha25 on Nov 18, 2019 5:35:17 GMT
Another idea... can you send your voice mail to email so you can read replies vs. listening (Xfinity has this option)? May take less time to retrieve and go through the calls and you could turn off the ringer when you don't want to be bothered.
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Post by ametallichick on Nov 18, 2019 7:58:59 GMT
I totally understand your frustration. Me and my dh own a small business. But I made it a rule that we do not answer the phone outside of our business hours. And my address is not listed on most sites and if it is, it is listed that you cannot visit it or something to that effect. Our hours are stated on our website, google, yelp, etc. The only time I have to do something outside of my business hours, is if I have to reply to a damn yelp message. Even if it’s outside of our business hours, I still have to reply because it goes against our response time. It pisses me off beyond belief that some asshat can send a message at 3 am and the clock starts ticking! I’ve complained to them more times than I can count! I’d get your address off as much as you can and post your hours everywhere. Have an outgoing voice message that has your hours (people are clueless) and let it go to VM. I actually had an ass of a customer call last Christmas Day!!! 😡
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Post by gar on Nov 18, 2019 8:36:23 GMT
If I’m calling a business, I assume it’s a business and they have business hours and voice mail for times outside those hours. The onus is on you, not the customers, to set boundaries. And by boundaries, I mean have a separate line and voice mail for the business and don’t answer it except during the hours you determine are your business hours. This is it in a nutshell. Dh has his own business too and it's the only way. You'll never 'teach' everyone to think as you'd like them to.
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Post by gillyp on Nov 18, 2019 8:53:00 GMT
Another one here who only rings during “usual” business hours if I have to speak with someone. If I only want to leave a messsage I’ll ring outside normal hours because I figure I’m not taking someone away from their work or more important calls to deal with something that can wait until they can schedule me in.
My own business is open 8am-10.30 pm and I’ll often send emails late at night not expecting a reply until the recipient is in a position to respond. I don’t open my own emails until I’m ready to deal with them and assume others do the same.
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mallie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,253
Jul 3, 2014 18:13:13 GMT
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Post by mallie on Nov 18, 2019 19:07:42 GMT
Reality is that people call any kind of business at all hours. I worked for major national chains and small businesses and non-profits for my entire career and I can tell you that it's not about being a home business, it's about being an entity that deals with the public. People call at all hours because they may:
1. Be looking for the hours, holiday open/close info and expect to get an automated message for that info. 2. Want to leave a message for a call back later because they reason if they leave it up to the business to call back, it will be when the business has the time to devote to the phone call. 3. Be inconsiderate assholes.
That's the reality. How you chose to deal with that reality is on you.
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Deleted
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Jun 26, 2024 17:09:11 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2019 22:37:22 GMT
My ex had a law office attached to our home. We had a separate entrance to the office, totally apart from the main house, yet clients (or prospective clients sometimes!) would come and knock on our home door at night or on the weekends if they didn't get a prompt answer via the office #. It's as though people don't care that you have a home life!! You should be at their disposal 24/7 (and these instances were minor!!!). Yeesh!
As far as the business being attached to our home, it REALLY did make us work so many more hours and sometimes in the middle of the night......
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