Time keeping.

[BlackC55]

Does anyone else have a problem with people keeping appointments for a certain time?

It seems that people think that its ok to be late. I find it so frustrating when people are not on time. I have to run a very tight scedule in the workshop so it is very important that people are on time.
It just messes up my whole day and I end up having to work late and then that starts messing up my home life and plans that I make for the evening. Thursday was so bad I missed out on seeing my daughter that I only see 3 times a week as it is.

Grrrrr

 

[MOCAŠ]

I like people to be punctual (and have a particular dislike of people turning up early and expecting me to be ready for them), but I can accept lateness provided they let me know they're going to be late and give some idea of when they expect to arrive.

 

[BaldGuy]

If ya early go buy a coffee.... That's how I work...

 

[brucemillar]

In your business it's an occupational hazard. Not fair or right but it's going to happen.

On a personal note. I think poor time keeping can be a lack of respect for those who you are dealing with. However as somebody who has to travel lots for meetings it can also show how unreliable our traffic network is (and I include public transport in that).

If I am late then I have to accept the consequences of that. If you tell me "sorry your car won't be ready tonight" then that is fair. However the other side is when (as I am sure you do) you know you were late and you pushed the boat out to get the job done to my timescale. That makes you want to go back again and again.

Habitual late arrivals? Just rude No excuses. They are simply putting on your good will using your good faith to make up for their lack of respect.

 

[brucemillar]

If ya early go buy a coffee.... That's how I work...

Start heading for the kitchen. I'll see you next week. When I get there.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Bad timekeeping is possibly my biggest pet hate, if I say that I'm going to do something at a certain time then I will move heaven and earth (if needs be) to make sure I'm there.

The amount of people that want to view a van at say 19.00 so I sit and wait, and I wait and I wait... Then I get a text message at 21.00 saying "not coming, bought something else'!

 

[neilrr]

Yes. It can be very annoying!

 

[grober]

It basically stems from the same mindset that says its OK for a bank to be out by a £10 on your current account or even allow you access your account cos their computer system crashes for a week .The same mind set of the company that supplies you with H rated tyres when you ordered V rated tyres. The list is endless. I blame the education system which has taught generations of kids that "close enough" is good enough. Not their fault-- they genuinely don't know there is any difference.

 

[developer]

It hacks me off - particularly with mobile phone technology.

If I'm due with you at 8.00am I'll be there or you'll have received a call/text to let you know what's going on if I've hit a snag.

I know a guy who always arrives late at functions. He thinks it makes him look a bit special - we all think he's a d*ck.

 

[BTB 500]

Being on time (or not) is just an indication of how much importance you attach to the appointment.

Unfortunately dealing with inconsiderate people is part and parcel of many jobs.

 

[D-18]

I share your frustration. I do my best to treat other people the way I'd have them treat me and that includes doing what I said I'd do when I said I'd do it.

Unfortunately these days some individuals are just so 'important' that they think everyone else has to work around them. Sometimes delays are unavoidable, but as Developer215 says, it's now so easy to let someone know of an issue.

It must be particularly irritating for someone like yourself who has to schedule work throughout the day and if the first guy doesn't appear, it screws up the whole day.

 

[Harrythedog]

Perhaps your being too accommodating to your customers. Get them booked in an hour earlier instead so you get the time benefit instead

 

[verytalldave]

If I need - really need - to be somewhere on time, then I am often much too early.

Better that than 5 minutes late.

Its simply a matter of good manners and respect.

I have brought my 3 kids up do the same.

 

[jaymanek]

We have just had someone turn up who had an appointment at 8.30... If they think we can finish the car that took their slot after waiting until 9am, diagnose their car, get necessary parts (suppliers close very soon) and repair their car before we close in an hour then they are mistaken!

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I absolutely despise people who can't be bothered with time keeping. Now that I'm retired you'd think that it'd be less of a concern, but no. I still think it's very rude to be late for anything. If I agree to a time for an appointment I make sure I'm there on time, even if it's just a meal at a friend's house. I just have to learn to stop being so stressed when even though I've done everything possible to get there on time, extraordinary circumstances conspire to make me even slightly late.

But it's far worse for my wife. She has her own hairdressing business and regularly has clients turn up late. And of course it's those in the morning who are worst, thereby messing up her schedule through the whole day so that the good time-keepers are kept waiting.

Those who are late often come out with the excuse "I got held up in traffic, you know how it is"! Yes, we know how it is, that's why we leave home/work earlier to get to our appointments on time

 

[verytalldave]

........................Those who are late often come out with the excuse "I got held up in traffic, you know how it is"! Yes, we know how it is, that's why we leave home/work earlier to get to our appointments on time

I know SOMETIMES it really cannot be avoided, but in 99% of cases, leaving 5-10 minutes early makes all the difference.
This is one of my pet hates.

 

[mattc]

I hate poor time keeping. 8.30 means 8.30, not any time from 7 until 10.

People should live by Army timekeeping which means you are in position 5 minutes before the time stated/agreed

 

[renault12ts]

If I was on time for an appointment, but a client kept me waiting for 15 minutes, I would leave...you can't necessarily do similar...but I valued my self respect.

Over the years I've only done this a handful of times...but I never had an adverse reaction because of doing it.

 

[tasn1]

If youre late just drive faster...or get a faster car!

 

[Darrell]

I am always on time, if not early.

The Greeks are habitually late so we make allowances but it took a couple of years to get used to it.

My Dad is the most unpunctual person that I know. When we lived in Eastcote he would come and visit us (he lives in Mill Hill) and be 2 hours late I once called him after he was an hour late with no phone call and told him not to bother visiting his grand-daughter as she had gone to bed. He thought I was out of order by putting her to bed and he didn't speak to me for nearly 6 months.