Dealing with Drop Ins

KL Smith

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Posts
277
Loc
Jordan Village, ON, Canada
How do you folks deal with this?

More times than I care to count, I'll have a family member or friend decide to drop in for a "visit". As I am thinking to myself, "excuse me, but this is where I work. How'd you like it if I were to drop in for a "visit" at your factory, classroom, office, service department, etc.?"

Just had another one in. My shop is on two floors. The gallery on the main level and the work area below. They come in, look around and say "Oh there's no one here, I guess you have time for a "visit".

Uh, NO! I am busy working downstairs...

Oh, let's see what you're doing...

Urggggggggghhhhhhh!

How do you "nicely" tell them to beat it?

Grumble, grumble grumble....
 
actually, i love company. if I'm really busy, I invite them in back while I work.
 
I also don't mind visitors as long as they don't mind if I work while we visit.

Most of the time they don't stay for long and if they do they always run the risk of being put to work!
 
Hand 'em a broom.

I get folks that drop by to pay a visit. All part of the PR unless it's a relative. I don't have any problem telling folks I'm under a deadline if I need to work. Let 'em know that you'll get back with them when things quiet down, but at the moment you really need to Grumble, er, work.
 
Originally posted by KL Smith:
How do you folks deal with this?

More times than I care to count, I'll have a family member or friend decide to drop in for a "visit". ...
I feel your pain, Kevin. Personally, I find that going to the can and swearing profusely under my breath seems to alleviate the anxiety.
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We do "deal" with this all the time. Usually, I lock the door to my studio and my wife tells our visitor(s) that I'm busy and that I'm up to my armpits in caustic chemicals (which, oftentimes, is the truth)...

Usually, the "guest(s)" stay, anyways,
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in the hopes that I'll appear anon. I do not.

This works for me, but it means my charming wife has to "take the bullet" for me.
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Seriously tho', unless you're straightforward with these people (which will probably make you feel like you're being rude), it will continue ad nauseum.
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Best of luck!
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p.s. At the risk of sounding sarcastic, do you mind a visit next time we're in Niagara-on-the-Lake?
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I usually enjoy drop-ins - unless I am "under the gun" - then I am forthright and just say - I have a ton of work to get done in the workroom. If a customer comes in while they are here... customer is #1!!

So it's not usually a problem and one of the pluses of owning your own business!! When I was last in an office environment - I had friends that would stop in there and that could be a problem - even though I met with lots of people - just not the time or place. Oh, now I look at the fact that I never can go out to lunch and a drop in gives me a break in my routine!

I have had family visitors that seem to be the least aware that they are keeping me from my work - and hang around and expect to be entertained... That has made me want to go to the can and swear profusely under my breath, too!!

Depending on who the drop in is... sometimes I will disappear to the back and let my husband deal with them or vice versa!!

Smile. It makes people wonder what you are up to!!

Roz
 
Easy, send them on errands for you (post office, get lunch, coffe, etc.).

Before you know it, they don't come back.

I don't usually mind it, a little company is ok in small doses.
 
Like some of the others on this thread, I don't mind drop ins. Sometimes its a previous customer dropping by to "see how things are going". I consider that good pr and will build further business in the form of repeat business or new referrals. Either way, I think it's less expensive than a $100 ad in the paper ;)
If it's a relative, I don't mind visiting & usually continue what I'm doing, unless it's a sensitive project.
I consider it to be one of the perks of having my own business and being the boss (of myself)
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Originally posted by printmaker:
Originally posted by KL Smith:
[qb] How do you folks deal with this?


p.s. At the risk of sounding sarcastic, do you mind a visit next time we're in Niagara-on-the-Lake?
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Printmaker, by all means, do drop in. I look forward to meeting you. While it is a casual visit you're talking about, there is a professional side to it too.

That's quite different from the line I often hear, "I had some time to kill, so I thought I'd drop in."

Gee thanks. It's nice to know that my time is apparently worth even less than theirs!

When people come to my home I will give them all the food, drink and time they want. But that is my home. This on the other hand is my place of business. The place where I earn that money for that food and drink:)

Having said all that, it used to be much worse when we ran a business from our home. Apparently some people think that if you work from your home, you're not really working. So it must be okay to drop in anytime during the day:-(
 
When I had a shop dog, lots of people just hanging out got to walk Cubby. They seemed to enjoy it and Cubby loved it.

If I really wanted to get rid of someone, I'd ask them to walk Esther.
 
90% of the time I don't like nor have time for company. I don't like people in my workspace either. In our shopping center everyone is like family...which is nice. But sometimes that can be a bad thing when I am busy (& their kids drop in to give me hugs & steal my candy! ;) )
 
One day recently I kept track, mentally, of how much "visiting" time I had in that day, and it amounted to nearly half my day! And I wondered why I didn't get much work done! Especially when I was in there by myself!
Being the new owner of my shop, my friends want to come in and see, and I have a lot of friends! But lately, because my work area is right in the middle lf the shop, I've taken to telling them excuse me while I work while we chat. The only problem with that is, I tend to make mistakes because I'm not paying attention like I should. I can't afford those mistakes! After a couple of
*%3@!%'s, I finally say, "I guess visiting and working don't mix" and they get the message and leave. But, I really love the company. I'm torn. I have to learn how to do this politely, because I'm getting behinder and behinder, especially now that I'm fresh from surgery (and that's bringing visitors too, to see how I'm doing) and not moving so fast anyway. (Good idea about handing them the broom/vacuum cleaner)Thank goodness for BOB helping (Hi BOB!)(he's a lurker here... busted!) Everyone say HI BOB!!!
I don't have a work area to hide in, almost wish I did. So I need to hone my skills at being up front and honest with them, and I know they'll understand. Working on it.It's hard!
 
Actually, my worst "drop in" is a certain woman to whom I am married but who shall remain nameless.

Anyway, the nameless one comes in several times a week after bringing home the bacon (Hey, somebody has to do it and it's not me, yet). Frequently, she will ask what she can do to help and I will make a suitable suggestion such as:

Dust?
Vacuum?
Update prices on my vendor list for shop supplies?

Based solely on the looks I receive following these comments I can only assume this was not the help she had in mind. Maybe next time I will try something like:

Yeah, there's a beer in the fridge taking up too much room. Care to finish it off for me?

or:

The Customers really hate that dark chocolate in the candy bowl, perhaps you could get rid of it?


Hmmmm, I guess I just need to figure out what kind of help she is offering. Could be fun...
 
I just "dropped" in on another frame shop in the next town. I was good and only stayed about 8-10 minutes. I told her up front I just wanted to say "hi" and not get in her way. She seemed to like the short visit (break from work) and we talked business anyway.

When I "drop" in, I try to be as quick as possible, usually just a PR stop, gotta keep up the networking.
 
I work about 34 hrs a week in my shop and about 30 of those hours are just me alone. I love when friends or family show up. In fact when my husband shows up i usaually send him for coffee or lunch and we get some time to spend together. I suppose it's all how you view the picture! :cool:
 
"Hand 'em a broom."

best way in the world to shoo em out!!!!!!!
 
Danimal,
Too funny!!!

I have just started asking them (friends) to come in the back and talk while I work. I love visitors! And they love watching!

But if it is a "customer" (not friends or family) who is not really a "customer" but a TIME WASTER!! those make me mad.

They have no intentions of spending money but want to play Frameshop for a while. They usually try to turn the subject to what ever is going on in their life at the time, instead of framing.
I haven't had one in a while but man they make me mad!!!

Jennifer
 
I wished someone would come up with a great idea soon.
Because I work so many hours, the shop is the only place I get to visit up with friends, but it's also my work place. I could not and would not go to their place to see them so why come here and yak all day.
I lost some valuable time the other day because I could not say " NO ".
Outside of being Rude I just don't know how to deal with this. Tell them to go away as politely as possible and you risk becoming a recluse. Let them stay and you loose busn and lots of valuable time..No winner!
 
Look it as a gift, be happy that you are the kind of person people want to visit. It means people think you are desirable. My employer, years ago, took a couple of the visitors to the good will store and bought a couch for the backroom so they could sit while he worked. There were three of them who sat on that couch daily while he worked.

We get at least one a day. It creates relationships that are truly the best and cheapest advertising you can get. It sounds crass, but it's just another way of networking and building your business. Yes, it can keep you from working, but so would a committe meeting where you stand a chance of not making any useful relationships.
 
Wally had the right idea: Put them to work!

Cleaning, sorting mats, doing inventory, vacuuming, doing your shopping, laundry, the works!

Just tell them: "I am SO happy you dropped in, I have no time to do XYZ", and take it from there.

This may have a dual desirable effect: They will be more unwilling to stop by, and some of the work listed above will be taken care of!
 
I used to tell people I felt like it was a cocktail party without the cocktails. Then I would say you could at least bring food! Now most of them do.

I have the extra pounds to prove it.
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Mark
 
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