Closing Time

A couple of weeks ago I had big Saturday plans: going to a big box store to purchase some much needed household items. I wasn’t sure what time the store was open until on the weekend, and since I didn’t have access to my computer at the time I decided to get the information I needed through Plan B: calling the store. So after paying 50 cents to get the number through 411, I listened to about 4 phone options before getting to “hear store hours”. To my pleasant surprise, the store was open until 9 PM. Terrific, I could take my time!

After running some other errands I rolled up to the store parking lot at about a quarter to 5. Immediately I noticed that something was off; there was a huge outflow from the store’s doors and everyone was leaving the parking lot, meaning the store was clearly closing. Me being the stubborn person that I am, I inherently wanted to find out why it was closing 4 hours before the phone recording said it would. I knew this wouldn’t change the outcome or make my frustration miraculously disappear, but at least I would feel as though I “had my say”.

So after I weaved my way through the exiting masses I eventually got to a security guard who seemed to derive pleasure in stopping me at the store’s entrance. The conversation, which was extremely predictable, went a little something like this:

Security guard: Sir, we’re closing now, you can’t come in the store!
Me: Yes, I can see that, but I just thought you should know that the store’s phone recording says that you’re open until 9 o’clock today.
Security guard: But sir, there is just no way you can come in now because we’re closing up.
Me: Okay, I’m really not trying to come in - I just thought you should know that the phone recording is giving out faulty information and should probably be switched to avoid people facing the situation which I’m facing right now.
Security guard: Okay, but we’re closed.

As necessary as automated phone systems are for obtaining generic information, they have a major drawback: they’re not dynamic or flexible, and they’re not conducive to actual interaction with the brand.

With every passing day more and more people will look to the Internet instead of the phone to get simple information such as a store’s hours. Even if not near their computer, a rapidly increasing number of people are able to access the Internet through an array of handheld devices. So when a store changes their hours, they don’t have to overhaul their phone system – all that’s needed is changing a simple line of text on their site.

Had I turned to the store’s website instead of calling in to find out when they were open, I would have avoided wasting my time and subconsciously developing a negative impression of the brand. What’s more, even if the information I got on the site was wrong I would have had a great outlet to voice my aggravation and displeasure. Instead, my voice is only heard by a security guard who can’t get around the following unproductive fact: we close at 5.