Let me illustrate this with the transcript of a telephone call I had in London whilst trying to arrange the servicing of my car.
Garage: Yes, Mr Rae, we can certainly do all that. If you drop the car off we’ll be happy to get started.
Me: Splendid. When would you like me to drop the car off?
Garage: Any time between nine and five.
Me: Okay – I’ll bring it in on Saturday.
Garage: Oh no [laughs], we’re not open on Saturdays. Goodness me.
Me: I imagine Sunday is out.
Garage: [hearty laugh] My wife’d kill me. Sunday, haha.
Me: The thing is that, well, those times are pretty similar to the times when I am required to be at work.
Garage: At work?
Me: Yes.
Garage: Every day?
Me: Every day except Saturday and Sunday. I get those off.
Garage: Oh! Well, maybe your wife –
Me: My wife also works.
Garage: Every day?
Me: Yes. Perhaps I could leave it outside and put the keys in your letter box or something?
Garage: One second.
Garage: [muffled] Bob, this guy can’t bring his car in.
[inaudible response]
Garage: [muffled] He’s working all that time.
[inaudible response]
Garage: [muffled] Yeah, every day. Well, except, apparently he gets Saturday and Sunday off.
[inaudible response]
Garage: [muffled] Well, get this… apparently she also works.
[inaudible response]
Garage: [muffled] Yeah, every day. He’s wondering if he can leave it outside.
[inaudible response]
Garage: Alright, look mate. We think you can probably leave it outside.
Me: Okay, great.
Garage: So just any time, I suppose.
Me: Wonderful. Where shall I put the keys?
Garage: Probably best if you drop them off while we’re open. They’ll get nicked otherwise.
The same conversation is being had daily across the UK, and pretty much across the entire spectrum of service provision. Parcel delivery, fridge repair, license renewal, escort services. Contrast that with the US – I just dropped our car off at the dealer for its service – I could drop it off, they tell me, any time between 6am and 9pm. Seven days a week. It’s true that things are starting to change in the UK – some supermarkets are open late, and more and more busineses are open at the weekend. However, your chances of getting anything done after 5pm on a weekday or at all on a Sunday are somewhat minimal. If you want to make a killing in the UK, I suggest you start a business which is open at times convenient for your customers. Your competitors won’t know what hit ’em.
Hah – you think the UK is bad? Try over here in Switzerland, it has the opening hours of pre-war Britain.
Mind you, you can drop your car off 24/7 at most garages by leaving it in the forecourt and posting the keys in a safety deposit box. The Swiss are organised if nothing else.
Oh god, this is the bane of my existence over here. Just the other week my husband and I went to a restaurant at 7pm on a Sunday and it was — you guessed it — closed. We had to go out to eat because we’d missed the grocery store, which closes at 4. Grumble grumble grumble…
Don’t get my started on parcel delivery! The terse notes they leave drive me mad, e.g.: “You weren’t here! We’ll be back, and if you’re not here again, we’ll send your package back to where it came from. Here’s a number to call, but no one will answer.”
The last time, I taped a note to my door that said, “I WORK! Leave it on the mat.) I found the note crumpled up on the floor, but at least they left the package with my neighbors.
Only in the cities is the US like that– plenty of small towns lock up, turn off the lights, and roll up the streets at 6PM.
Is there something wrong with putting your car keys and paperwork through the garage letterbox and leaving your car outside? I have known nothing else in my twelve years of car ownership.
With regard to extended opening hours – you can’t just open up a shop at the hours you think people would want to come in. There are laws about things like this, they definitely apply on Sundays if your shop is over a certain size (hence our need for lots of corner shops stuffed with random things like tinned beef stroganoff). Staff must have adequate rest and pub-time with their mates.
Lindy, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.