How many hours a day do you work?

[Benny Smyth]

On Monday at around 9am, I received an enquiry which I responded to within about 30 minutes. Throughout the day, the potential client emails me with questions and I answer every email within 90 minutes. The last email I received was at 11:30 at night, by which point I was tired and already in bed with my hot chocolate, so I didn't reply to it. "I'll leave that one for tomorrow", thought I.

I then woke up on Tuesday morning to an email from the client who expressed severe displeasure at the fact that I had not replied to her email from the night before in a timely fashion. My initial reply (you know, that one you type but don't send) included the words "How many hours a day do you work?" Anyway, sent an email back that was nice and polite, but I've not heard back, so I assume that I've missed out on that booking.

I'm thinking that I shot myself in the foot by replying reasonably quickly to all the previous emails and maybe raised expectations, but having emailed this particular client from 9am to 11:30pm, I don't think it's too much to understand that a 14 and a half day was a bit too much.

So the question is, how do you balance everything? Do you have set 'working hours'? Do you stop replying to messages after a certain time? Or do you answer everything as quickly as possible, regardless of the time, day or month?

[funkymook]

On Monday at around 9am, I received an enquiry which I responded to within about 30 minutes. Throughout the day, the potential client emails me with questions and I answer every email within 90 minutes. The last email I received was at 11:30 at night, by which point I was tired and already in bed with my hot chocolate, so I didn't reply to it. "I'll leave that one for tomorrow", thought I.

I then woke up on Tuesday morning to an email from the client who expressed severe displeasure at the fact that I had not replied to her email from the night before in a timely fashion. My initial reply (you know, that one you type but don't send) included the words "How many hours a day do you work?" Anyway, sent an email back that was nice and polite, but I've not heard back, so I assume that I've missed out on that booking.

I'm thinking that I shot myself in the foot by replying reasonably quickly to all the previous emails and maybe raised expectations, but having emailed this particular client from 9am to 11:30pm, I don't think it's too much to understand that a 14 and a half day was a bit too much.

So the question is, how do you balance everything? Do you have set 'working hours'? Do you stop replying to messages after a certain time? Or do you answer everything as quickly as possible, regardless of the time, day or month?

I tend to reply straight away if I can, regardless of the time, if I can read the email I can respond - or if I’m out and check email on my phone I'll send an acknowledgement and say I’ll reply as soon as I get home.

But if I got a comment like that (especially after a day of swapping emails) I’d think to myself I hadn’t created any connection with this person, we should be on better terms than that by now, and politely tell them I was no longer available, my gut instinct is they’d be terrible to work for.

[Excalibur]

The facetious reply is:
" He who snoozes, loses", to borrow a turn of phrase from Spirits High.

The serious one is that I tend not to make phone calls to customers after 9pm, or email much after 10pm. To my way of thinking, eleven o'clock at night is no time to be making decisions. Unless time really was of the essence, morning would do just fine.

Benny, most of the replies to my quotes start " thank you for your prompt reply ", so I think that's important. Carry on as you are.

Martin, I've got to disagree with you here. I've had customers who wanted reassuring about minor points for two days running, who booked, and then turned out to be an absolute pleasure to work with.
Blimey, you're doing business with them, not falling in love!!!

( I know where Martin's coming from, and the lad knows more about this than I ever will. He has taught and helped me many times in this area. I just think he's being overly pessimistic over this. )

[Shaun]

Sounds like you had a lucky escape Benny. I don't think it's unreasonable to wait till the morning to an email received at half 11 at night.


That said, if I'm up and about I've seen me replying to emails in the middle of the night, so no set hours really. Depends if I've had a bottle of vino or two...I don't want to be dealing with customers if I've had a drink or 6.

[SC Events]

I generally work between 9am - 6:00pm, so during those times I will most likely be around to answer the office phone and reply to emails quite promptly.

Outside of those hours, i'll either be socialising, relaxing or, my favourite, sleeping However, if i'm awake and not doing anything, i'll generally reply to emails until about 10pm(ish).

[yourdj]

I'm thinking that I shot myself in the foot by replying reasonably quickly to all the previous emails and maybe raised expectations,

There is your problem, although she must be a bit funny to get stressed with that.
I always get twitchy after about 2.5 days if i have not responded to someone (for instance when I am on holiday).

i have taken note from a busy venue wedding manager that often takes a day or two to respond and have been far more relaxed with my emails in the last year as people will get used to it. If you respond in an organised and pleasant manner its not necessarily a bad thing as it shows you are obviously busy.

I don't email back anyone between the hours of 10am and 6pm and often leave it until the next day as clients will expect you to follow suite all year (our work is very seasonal), unless its an initial enquiry. Even with enquiries however, I leave the venues that I am not too fussed about, but generally respond within 5 hours for good venues on my doorstep or dates that are just too good to be true. In fact i have one right now, which i intend to get back to them tomorrow.

General emails that don't have immediate priority leave, and the more urgent ones deal with immediately.
I only do about 4 - 5 hours in the office a day now on average, but often have several meetings in the evenings of a week.
Having said that i have a well optimised website and a variety of venues recommending me so am pretty lucky in that respect.

As a new business I would look to double that for the first few years probably??

[funkymook]

I only do about 4 - 5 hours in the office a day now on average......
....As a new business I would look to double that for the first few years probably??

So 8 -10 hours a day in the office?

[yourdj]

So 8 -10 hours a day in the office?

No sorry i thought about that after posting, maybe a bit of an exaggeration.

Having said that, I am technically working now (designing a brochure - its now 12.30am), so its pretty hard to gauge if you don't actually travel to an office and switch off after work. my wife gets to work at 9am leaves at 5pm and that is that. bit harder for us work at home people especially when you include the time spent going to meetings (often 6pm - 9pm), wedding fairs and the likes.

Lets say for arguments sake 10am-5pm on average in the office/around the home on the first 1-3 years of business until things get established. In terms of admin client communication electronically (especially over the phone) - office hours 10am-5pm. It also depends on what you get done on the time you are working? Some days it takes me 7 hours to answer emails and others I get everything done in a couple of hours, depending on my mood and other distractions.

Perhaps put your office hours of operation in your signature Benny?? Then there is no confusion.

Sounds like you had a lucky escape Benny..

My thoughts exactly. bit of a control freak if there was no other reason. Very peculiar.

[djdave01]

I once received a phone call enquiry at 2.30am. I wasn't long home from the Saturday nights gig. Told the woman the office was closed and to call back during the day, she never did.

[Excalibur]

Sounds like you had a lucky escape Benny.
.

For the reasons outlined above, I disagree. Unless there are issues we're not aware of in the conversation Benny had with the client, I think that's a dangerous assumption to make.

I don't think it's unreasonable to wait till the morning to an email received at half 11 at night..

Here I must agree totally.

That said, if I'm up and about I've seen me replying to emails in the middle of the night, so no set hours really. Depends if I've had a bottle of vino or two...I don't want to be dealing with customers if I've had a drink or 6.

Broad agreement again. The saving grace of email is that it's likely that when the customer receives one, there won't be a bell ringing at the side of their bed, or worse, downstairs!! I have often replied to new NaD enquiries when I've returned from a gig for that reason.

I feel prompt responses are appreciated by customers, it stops them thinking we're ignoring them. As in all things of course, there is a happy medium. Try to achieve that.