The term “business hours” has, for the most part, always been widely accepted. The principle was simple: businesses would operate at certain hours, on certain days of the week. If customers wanted to contact the business outside of those hours, then… well, they couldn’t; their query would have to wait until business hours resumed.

Reading the above in today’s business environment, you may find yourself somewhat puzzled. The simple truth is that today’s businesses cannot adhere to “business hours” anymore; in fact, the whole idea of a customer not being able to contact a company whenever they wish seems outright outlandish.

The erosion of business hours

Over the past decade, the business world has changed almost unrecognisably. As a result, modern customers are not accustomed to having to wait to contact a business. Instead, they have come to expect quick responses at all times.

This trend was primarily led by businesses themselves. The pioneers recognized that, for huge numbers of people, “business hours” are incredibly restrictive. For example, if someone works at a company, then how can they patronise another company during business hours? It’s impossible – and savvy entrepreneurs soon began to strategize a way around this problem.

The introduction of the 24-hour society

Over time, business hours began to become more flexible, with companies hoping to capture customers who worked a standard 9am-5pm schedule. Initially, the change was primarily focused on longer business hours; late-night opening, for example, became increasingly popular, and soon businesses began to offer Saturday opening times, too. As customers responded enthusiastically to these changes, a 24-hour society began to emerge.

Due to the changes described above, running a business is more challenging than it has ever been. A modern business primarily needs to operate under an “always on” mindset. If it’s not feasible for customers to actively purchase from a store 24/7, they should at least be able to make an enquiry – a business being closed is no longer accepted by many customers, representing a dynamic shift in attitudes over a relatively short period of time.

What does this mean for your business?

It’s important to examine your opening or service hours carefully, particularly if you run an offline business. Ask yourself when your target customers are most likely to have free time to contact your company, and strive to ensure you are open during these times.

Your customers must always be able to contact your company, ideally to speak to a real person; companies such as Virtual Headquarters can provide virtual reception services that help to allow your company to answer calls at all times, and you can hire remote workers to deal with social media enquiries 24 hours a day.

Be particularly cautious around the holidays; modern customers are likely to expect customer service to be available around the clock, whatever the time of year. If you fear you may struggle to meet this demand due to permanent staff taking holidays, then consider hiring seasonal staff to ensure your customers’ needs are met.

In conclusion

The way that businesses operate has changed hugely over the past 20 years, with the introduction of an “always on” society that has encouraged customers to expect a business to be constantly available to them. As a result, it’s essential to adapt your business practices accordingly to ensure your customers are always able to interact with and contact your business, rather than one of your competitors.