This sooooo caught my eye today! It is driving me mad also. It is just me and my Husband.... but I do all the sewing - estimating - bookwork - janitorial... you know the drill....most of the phone answers ect...I was just writing ideas on how to work around this all the while not being and ass.. We do have a no solicitation sign on our door which does not stop them...To stop the people who want to come in at 4:49pm We now close at 4:45pm - we are still here to 5:00pm but no longer answer the phones. Since it is dark out right now it works fine. Its even hard to eat lunch... our busiest time of the day - since we also do glass work .... This year I have to do something - this stich 6".... answer the phone stich 6".... someone walks in.... friends walk in like you said and want to converse since its their day off or out of work... A seat that should just take a day to do takes me three..sometimes you forget where you left off cause the last walk-in was here for an hour... Fridays are our slowest day - so I was thinking straight to voice mail on Fridays- cause it is usually glass and they need it done that day. that way I have time to get something done... My husband does not like when I put the phone straight to voice mail- he says people will start to get teed off .............. Another was from 2:00-4:00pm straight to voice mail. and just deal with walk-ins. But - I feel the pain - and its not making my customer who have dropped off interiors happy because of how long it take me..... This is a great thread -

I am glad I an not alone, Time management is my biggest problem.. I do our website, Facebook - online presents, accounting, bookkeeping, ordering, janitorial , outside maintenance,ordering, cleaning, customer service, estimating , answering phones, AND UPHOLSTERY.... I am finding myself getting way behind in my work--

Happens to me - two or three times per year.... One thing I do know is don't use your debt card online.. learn this the hard way about 10 years ago-- since its your "debt" visa/mc the bank does not have to give you your money back? - so I changed banks and now never use the checking account debt card to pay for anything. I stick to my American Express card - and one Master card.... And I check my account often...