Should there be a Financial Services holiday?

L

LDFerguson

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I envy a builder friend who has the Builders' Holidays every year at the same time as all other builders. All his customers know and accept that builders go on holidays on the specified weeks each year and nobody expects any different.

Should this idea be extended to other professions, on different dates of the year?

I'd like it if all the lenders, life assurance companies, accountancy practices etc. closed down at the same time. Downside is that you'd have less choice of when you want to take your holiday.

Any views?
 
A possible downside for people relying on the services is things slowly grinding to a temporary halt as the date approaches - or at least people using this date as a way of dragging their feet over things.

I don't begrudge builders (or anyone, especially those who regularly work weekends/bank holidays etc) their fixed holiday times but a few weeks before this time, I often hear "Oh, ...I dunno about that...builders holiday coming up" etc etc. While the holiday might be two weeks, it's affect is sometimes felt two weeks either side of this as well.
 
The thought of thousands of actuaries/accountants and QFA's all scrambling for flights to the sun at the same time would fill me with dread !!!

To be honest, I pick my own holiday times, sometimes it varies, noone complains ( clients that is ) so I have best choice of when to go. Wouldn't change it really.
 
Should there be a Financial Services holiday?

No. Absolutely not.
I don't think there should be a builders' holiday either. What wrong with just letting people take holidays whenever they like?
 
leghorn said:
What wrong with just letting people take holidays whenever they like?
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I'm looking forward to the Christmas holiday because I know (hope? :eek: ) that nobody is going to ring me looking for anything work-related, because everybody is on holidays at the same time and nobody expects you to be at work over the Christmas. I'd like that on a few other occasions during the year.
 
I'm looking forward to the Christmas holiday because I know (hope? :eek: ) that nobody is going to ring me looking for anything work-related, because everybody is on holidays at the same time and nobody expects you to be at work over the Christmas.
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Lucky you.
I get calls all days of the year, including Christmas day (which I generally work).

You do have a choice not to take the calls.
 
My point is that I don't usually get calls over the Christmas holidays because people generally respect it as a holiday time.

Yes I can ignore all calls while on Summer holidays but run the risk of cheesing a good client off.

Out of curiosity, when you say you get calls all days of the year, are you in financial services?
 
Out of curiosity, when you say you get calls all days of the year, are you in financial services?
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Yes. The SME sector.

When I want to go on holiday, I generally get someone else to take the calls.
 
LDFerguson said:
I envy a builder friend who has the Builders' Holidays every year at the same time as all other builders. All his customers know and accept that builders go on holidays on the specified weeks each year and nobody expects any different.

Should this idea be extended to other professions, on different dates of the year?

I'd like it if all the lenders, life assurance companies, accountancy practices etc. closed down at the same time. Downside is that you'd have less choice of when you want to take your holiday.

Any views?
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I would have thought that the month of August is already the de-facto holiday season for most office-based workers?
 
ubiquitous said:
I would have thought that the month of August is already the de-facto holiday season for most office-based workers?
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Yes, in continental Europe but here, from what I've heard, not really. Most people I know work in offices - July and August might be a slightly more popular time for holidays but that's all.
 
Purple said:
Not in the offices I know of.
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Caveat said:
Yes, in continental Europe but here, from what I've heard, not really. Most people I know work in offices - July and August might be a slightly more popular time for holidays but that's all.
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That's interesting. I've always found it difficult to get much work done in August as contacts in banks, Revenue and govt departments all appear to be on holidays at the one time. Maybe my experience is not the norm?
 
ubiquitous said:
That's interesting. I've always found it difficult to get much work done in August as contacts in banks, Revenue and govt departments all appear to be on holidays at the one time. Maybe my experience is not the norm?
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yes, but they aren't really working in an open market are they? It's hard to find anyone working in Revenue and Govt departments any time of the year.:rolleyes:
 
Purple said:
yes, but they aren't really working in an open market are they?
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Banks??

Purple said:
It's hard to find anyone working in Revenue and Govt departments any time of the year.:rolleyes:
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Not in my experience - my own office contacts Revenue several dozen times a week - my own guess is that our calls are received satisfactorily up to 95% of the time, except for the aforementioned August holiday period when its very hit & miss.
 
ubiquitous said:
Banks??



Not in my experience - my own office contacts Revenue several dozen times a week.
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How many banks are open on Saturday and Sunday?
How many of them are open 'till 9.00 one or two evenings a week?
No companies operating in a truly open market could make the profit margins that they make, it goes against basic economic principles.
Revenue are Ok but they also work short hours. Other service providers in the private sector have phone lines open 'till 7 or 8 in the evening and on weekends.
Government departments are a joke when it comes to opening times.
 
ClubMan said:
What specific departments/offices and opening times?
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OK, you win, I can't face one of those threads; it's too close to Christmas :D
The ones I have had dealings with are Industry and commerce, foreign affairs and health (all different reasons).
I found there was about a 1 hour window late morning and about the same early afternoon when they answered the phone. The rest of the time it was answering machines or the call just rang out.
 
Purple said:
How many banks are open on Saturday and Sunday?
How many of them are open 'till 9.00 one or two evenings a week?
No companies operating in a truly open market could make the profit margins that they make, it goes against basic economic principles.
Revenue are Ok but they also work short hours. Other service providers in the private sector have phone lines open 'till 7 or 8 in the evening and on weekends.
Government departments are a joke when it comes to opening times.
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There is a big difference between 02 or Vodafone having limited-service call centres open until 8 in the evenings and expecting civil servants, banks or professional service providers to give meaningful service to customers at late and/or unsociable hours. I earn part of my living from giving technical advice to clients, and I am always careful to avoid doing so late in the evenings or when I am tired, as that is when the risk of making mistakes is at its highest.

I can't for the life of me work out what you are trying to say about working in an open market. The mobile phone and credit card service industries are not exactly renowned as bastions of cut-throat competition, yet the companies in these sectors offer extended-hours helplines. On the other hand, the airline industry is extremely competitive, but if you want to ring Ryanair for example at 7 in the evening you will pay dearly for the privilege.
 
There is a court vacation in August so that is when many solicitors and barristers ( and probably judges and court officers) take their holidays. I find the same as Ubi- August is a quiet month in trying to get things done with banks etc.

I too hate the thought of holidays for different professions at specific times. Can you imagine going on holidays only to be surrounded by ones colleagues...quelle horreur! I really can't think of much worse- except maybe being surrounded by accountants or people from financial services!:eek:
 
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