Debate time: When a customer walks in 5 minutes before closing, do you take them or lock the door?

I was working a Saturday shift in my shop in Portland last month when a guy walks in at 5:57 PM with his kid who needed a full haircut before a wedding. I took him because I hate turning people away, but it pushed my cleanup to 6:30 and I missed my dinner plans. On the flip side, my buddy down the street locks up at 5:59 on the dot and says it saves his sanity. What do you all do when this happens and how do you handle the guilt or the frustration?

4 comments

4 Comments

karenb976d ago

I read this whole article once that said the real issue isn't the customer, it's that we don't build a buffer into our closing time. Like, if you close at 6, you should plan to have all your tasks done by 5:45 so the last 15 minutes are just a nice slow wind down, not a mad rush. That way, if someone walks in at 5:57, you've already got wiggle room and you're not sacrificing your whole evening. I feel you on the guilt though, I've been that person stuck at work way past closing because I couldn't say no. It's a tough spot but that article honestly made me rethink my whole approach to closing time.

ward.kim1d ago

Set that buffer too and @dixon.james is right, saved me a ton of hassle.

dixon.james6d ago

That article made a lot of sense though (not gonna lie, I saved it to my bookmarks). I try to do the same thing now, even if it means starting my closing routine a little earlier.

cole_flores441d ago

Oh man, that's exactly what I started doing too. I used to let people walk in right at closing and then feel obligated to serve them, and I'd end up not getting out of there until almost 7 o'clock. Now I shut down the main things like 20 minutes early and if someone comes in late, I just tell them I'm closed but I can help them tomorrow first thing. It's funny how much smoother everything runs when you just give yourself that little bit of breathing room.