Irish people and time keeping...

Biedronka · 03-11-2011 5:24pm #1

So, why is this so difficult for most of you? It really drives me crazy -almost every single person I make appointment with is not on time!
People who provide any kind of service and coming to my house, to fix something etc -I try to make appointment with them and I hear -
between 4-6.. WHAT>??? Are you kiding?I am not going to sit all afternoon and wait for you -forget!
This happens all over again
-with delivery man, plumbers, electricians, babysitter.
I thought its recesion and people should really care about their customers, but no -they just dont care, there are busy, they alway have exuse!
From now on I will not let in anybody who is over 5 minutes late, thats it. :mad:

hondasam · 03-11-2011 5:25pm

Biedronka wrote: »

So, why is this so difficult for most of you? It really drives me crazy -almost every single person I make appointment with is not on time!
People who provide any kind of service and coming to my house, to fix something etc -I try to make appointment with them and I hear -
between 4-6.. WHAT>??? Are you kiding?I am not going to sit all afternoon and wait for you -forget!
This happens all over again
-with delivery man, plumbers, electricians, babysitter.
I thought its recesion and people should really care about their customers, but no -they just dont care, there are busy, they alway have exuse!
From now on I will not let in anybody who is over 5 minutes late, thats it. :mad:

You could move if you are that unhappy with Irish people.

Vicxas · 03-11-2011 5:25pm

Sucks to be you.

CreepingDeath · 03-11-2011 5:27pm

Biedronka wrote: »

So, why is this so difficult for most of you?

If you want punctuality go to Germany or maybe Switzerland.

Dravokivich · 03-11-2011 5:27pm

Sorry, traffic is brutal, I'll be with ya with a better response later this evening.

kfallon · 03-11-2011 5:27pm

I am always on time!

The King of Moo · 03-11-2011 5:28pm

Biedronka wrote: »

So, why is this so difficult for most of you? It really drives me crazy -almost every single person I make appointment with is not on time!
People who provide any kind of service and coming to my house, to fix something etc -I try to make appointment with them and I hear -
between 4-6.. WHAT>??? Are you kiding?I am not going to sit all afternoon and wait for you -forget!
This happens all over again
-with delivery man, plumbers, electricians, babysitter.
I thought its recesion and people should really care about their customers, but no -they just dont care, there are busy, they alway have exuse!
From now on I will not let in anybody who is over 5 minutes late, thats it. :mad:

That happens in a lot of other countries.

It's the exact same in the U.K and Italy (among others), and the Spanish "Mañana" culture is famous.

Snakeblood · 03-11-2011 5:28pm

hondasam wrote: »

You could move if you are that unhappy with Irish people.

It might not be the only trait of Irish people there is.

PCPhoto · 03-11-2011 5:29pm

you must remember people do not work to your schedule ...they work to a schedule.

if someone lets say a plumber tells you he/she will be out to your place at 4pm .... but gets a flat tyre en route or is delayed by traffic or heaven forbid they have to work late at a previous job.

do you give out to them .... if they give you an approximate time they are telling you they will try to be there for 4ish ...but because traffic might be heavy or the previous job might finish late ...they may not make it till 5 ..or 6pm

are you going to be disappointed if they turn up at 4pm ?

Biedronka · 03-11-2011 5:29pm

Vicxas wrote: »

Sucks to be you.

Sucks to be ignorant

Ellis Dee · 03-11-2011 5:29pm

Time is relative. Einstein knew that - and he wasn't even Irish.:):):)

noworries · 03-11-2011 5:30pm

So you come and moan about it in AH instead of complaining to the Service Provider- learning fast our customs this one is.

Now, tomorrow at 2pm, phone Joe... you should then be ready for your Irish passport by about 5pm.

Welcome to Ireland

Vicxas · 03-11-2011 5:30pm

Biedronka wrote: »

Sucks to be ignorant

Sucks to be impatient...

stupidusername · 03-11-2011 5:31pm

Vicxas wrote: »

Sucks to be impatient...

Sucks to be a straw

policarp · 03-11-2011 5:31pm

We are better at time keeping
than we are at book-keeping. . .

Biedronka · 03-11-2011 5:32pm

PCPhoto wrote: »

you must remember people do not work to your schedule ...they work to a schedule.

if someone lets say a plumber tells you he/she will be out to your place at 4pm .... but gets a flat tyre en route or is delayed by traffic or heaven forbid they have to work late at a previous job.

do you give out to them .... if they give you an approximate time they are telling you they will try to be there for 4ish ...but because traffic might be heavy or the previous job might finish late ...they may not make it till 5 ..or 6pm

are you going to be disappointed if they turn up at 4pm ?

-yeah, everyone gets a flat tyre here all the time. I am busy too and I expect people to recpect my time like I do. I am never late, when I say I will be somewhere at some time, I am. Unless I dont don't know, there is fire or some emergency.
IMO this is just lack of respect and its not professional at all!

OneArt · 03-11-2011 5:33pm

CreepingDeath wrote: »

If you want punctuality go to Germany or maybe Switzerland.

It's lies, I tell you. Well in the city I live in.

noworries · 03-11-2011 5:34pm

where you from dude,,,
I keep reading your posts in a mad russian accent for some reason or like the count from Sesame Street.

Snakeblood · 03-11-2011 5:34pm

Biedronka wrote: »

-yeah, everyone gets a flat tyre here all the time. I am busy too and I expect people to recpect my time like I do. I am never late, when I say I will be somewhere at some time, I am. Unless I dont don't know, there is fire or some emergency.
IMO this is just lack of respect and its not professional at all!

I'm inclined to agree. I like to be on time for things, and I like other people to be too. What's the point of making appointments if they're not actually appointments but a rough guide to what day the person might arrive.

N.B. Spanish and Italians from my experience just don't give a **** when they're supposed to be somewhere, much worse than Irish.

billybudd · 03-11-2011 5:34pm

Its people and not nationality.

Dravokivich · 03-11-2011 5:34pm

stupidusername wrote: »

Sucks to be a straw

Unless you want bubbles.

Eroticfishcake · 03-11-2011 5:35pm

If they say they are going to be there between 4 and 6, they are not late. You just don't like the timeframe they've given. Not everyone can revolve around you.

smash · 03-11-2011 5:35pm

We're not late... it's just that times moves to fast for us!

Conall Cernach · 03-11-2011 5:35pm

For business and stuff like that (e.g. delivery guy who says it'll be there at 9am) it annoys me too. But for mates ("I'll see you at 9") it doesn't bother me that they might be half an hour or so late.

stupidusername · 03-11-2011 5:36pm

OP if you think 4-6 is bad,UPC do slots of 9-1 or 1-6. I got 1-6 and left work early to get home for it,it was the day Obama was here,and I was two hours getting from work to home,yer man was early and had to leave before I could get there

Superbus · 03-11-2011 5:36pm

Maybe you're just really early.

hondasam · 03-11-2011 5:37pm

Snakeblood wrote: »

It might not be the only trait of Irish people there is.

what are you saying here?

kfallon · 03-11-2011 5:37pm

stupidusername wrote: »

OP if you think 4-6 is bad,UPC do slots of 9-1 or 1-6. I got 1-6 and left work early to get home for it,it was the day Obama was here,and I was two hours getting from work to home,yer man was early and had to leave before I could get there

As a matter of interest is there ever a story about UPC that has a happy ending???

Johro · 03-11-2011 5:39pm

Biedronka wrote: »

So, why is this so difficult for most of you? It really drives me crazy -almost every single person I make appointment with is not on time!
People who provide any kind of service and coming to my house, to fix something etc -I try to make appointment with them and I hear -
between 4-6.. WHAT>??? Are you kiding?I am not going to sit all afternoon and wait for you -forget!
This happens all over again
-with delivery man, plumbers, electricians, babysitter.
I thought its recesion and people should really care about their customers, but no -they just dont care, there are busy, they alway have exuse!
From now on I will not let in anybody who is over 5 minutes late, thats it. :mad:

I'm from Holland and if a tradesman is late for an appointment he can expect a fairly frosty reception. It's pretty common here alright for people to be late, or not turn up at all, I've kinda got used to it now. One guy asked me 'what day suits you?', I said 'any day but thursday', and he turned up on thursday while I was out. :rolleyes:
I think a lot of people say they'll be out to ya when they know they might not make it coz they don't want to turn down work. It would probably be fairer to people if instead of saying 'sure, I'll be there first thing tomorrow', for them to say 'sorry but I'm up to my eyes at the moment, it'll have to be next week', and then keep the appointment.

connundrum · 03-11-2011 5:39pm

If I concentrated on being on time the whole time, I'd get nothing done sure!

stupidusername · 03-11-2011 5:39pm

kfallon wrote: »

As a matter of interest is there ever a story about UPC that has a happy ending???

He came back the next day,and was really nice and fixed as much as he could. Happy enough for ya?

Irish people and time keeping...

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