What is an acceptable "..ish" timeframe?

[gac]

My dearest and I had an interesting chat about what is an acceptable timeframe when someone says they will see you, for example "around 2ish".

Our mutual view is 15 minutes either side in a casual/private non-business contextmight be acceptable but that there is no such thing as "..ish" when it comes to a business appointment.

Opinions please.

[Dave A]

I tend to take within half an hour max as acceptable in a social setting, although if you're going to be later than "ish" by more than 5 minutes, a phonecall is in order (by then you should be able to narrow down your e.t.a. some).

For my wife "ish" means a minimum of 5 minutes early - unless you've been hit by a falling piano (in which case survival and a phonecall is absolutely mandatory).

I do know some people where it could mean up to three hours later without batting an eyelid though.

On business time-keeping: Being in the service industry, my staff when giving a time are supposed to say "within 15 minutes either way" just to be clear - and we have a code (an exclamation mark after the time) for "be there at the allocated time or die" appointments.

[tec0]

Depending on location there is no such thing as being on time any more. Traffic and the sorry state of our roads just don't permit for it anymore. As an example I tend to be an hour early for any appointment and yet I still end up being late because of traffic lights not working, road works, taxi orientated troubles and or traffic jams even road blocks at 6:30 am…

So acceptable "ish" time for me is give or take 60min "if you are lucky"

[Just Gone]

There is no excuse to be unprofessional and to be late. Traffic is not an excuse. If u cannot treat the meeting or appointmrnt in a professional manner then u are wasting my time and or theirs ! I travel around Gauteng every day. Before i go onto a highway i check Traffic SA and Pigspotter and they have never failed me in getting to an appointment on time 99% of the time. If i am perhaps late by 5 min I always phone to tell people I am running slightly late but my clients will def not wait longer than 15 min. They are busy people and have other appointments to get to and I dont have the right to keep them waiting that long. There is no reason why you cannot plan ahead, check the relevant traffic sites and even the road traffic cameras and be reasonably on time! If you can see a highway is busy go a different route!

[adrianh]

20 minutes either way, but a phone call if you expect it to be more than 20 minutes, and NO, don't call 20 minutes after you should have arrived and say you will be another hour....predict before the time and let me know in time because my time is valuable.

tec0 - if you pitch up an hour late for a doctors appointment without informing them; 1: you will pay in full for the time slot that you missed 2. You will not see the doctor.
Not only do you book his time but more importantly, you book the time slot. The same goes for my kids an their private ice skating lessons - if we don't pitch - we still pay.

Like kevin said, there is no excuse, if you expect to be late or something happend then you phone ahead.

[Blurock]

I agree that 10 - 15 minutes either way for a social appointment is fine, if the function is at home. If you have booked tickets for a show, be on time. You do not want to inconvenience your party by missing the 1st half hour!

As for business or professional appointments, there is no excuse for being late. If you expect problems, go the day before and wait at the door until the agreed time.

I get annoyed at doctors who cram in as many patients as possible and then can not keep up with their schedules. If there is an emergency, let me know and I will be prepared to wait or reschedule. Most however make you wait without the courtesy to inform you of how much longer it will be. I wait only 10 minutes, get up and make sure that the receptionist understand that the appointment is cancelled and why. Unless I get an acceptable explanation (and maybe an apology) I will not return. I hate dealing with unprofessional professionals.

Being late shows tardiness and no respect for other people.

[adrianh]

I got up after an hour waiting for a doctor one day. I went to the receptionist and told her that I am leaving because I am tired of the doctor wasting my time and that he can call me once he gets it together. She said that she'll speak to him...I was attended to 5 minutes later. Stuff them, we also value our time....

[Just Gone]

I waited an hour and a half for a doctor once - When I got back to the office I invoiced him for an hour out of my time. If he had seen me an hour and a half earlier I would have been in and out of his office within a half hour - therefore not wasting an hour of my time !! Ok granted he did not pay me, but he was quick to phone me and ask what it was all about - after explaining very nicely to him what he had done - he agreed to change his tardiness - I agreed to pass a credit note and I have never been kept waiting again. Some of these doctors and people who think that their time is more valuable than others must catch a wake up - We are all busy people and we are all valuable people in our own right .

[wynn]

Doctors are the only ones who make money out of sick people.

At my Medicross I have seldom waited more than ten minutes before being shown into a consulting room, but once there wait for up to a further ten minutes.
There are three consulting rooms the doctor hops between, waiting, consulting and changing
You have a 15min appointment, he breezes in checks you out, prescribes and off he goes, 3 to 5 minutes tops.

So basically he sees another two patients in your 15 minutes.

Licenced to write money I say.

Pity I have to see him for prescribed medcine otherwise if I could I would self medicate via the chemist, five minutes tops.

[tec0]

I don’t care who you are if you are in a roadblock on the side of the road and the policemen is searching about 40 taxis you WILL BE LATE… Lately it is commonplace to have roadblocks so there is no planning for them "because if you knew when and where then the criminal would also know and that mikes the roadblock kind of pointless.

I take care to leave an hour early and am almost never late. Accept if you have that surprise roadblock and or the road is CLOSED due to fog… Also fact our doctors don't work with appointments. You walk in ask to see the doctor and you get in line. It is just how things work here.

We don't have clever road updates in our aria nor do we have proper roads so accidents are sadly commonplace.

"Unrelated note; my heart goes out to the strangers putting down flowers this morning at a crash site" It was so sad I nearly broke out in tears."

I blame the municipality and all the trucks for destroying our roads!!!

In my opinion don’t rush if you are going to be late rather cancel and explain that the circumstances were outside your control. Nothing is worth your life.

That said I personally wouldn’t mind if you come to see me and you are an hour late and you phoned ahead.

I know time is money but I also know that our roads are that bad. Fact is some of our potholes will destroy a car they are that deep. It is terrifying

[Just Gone]

Quote tec [I don’t care who you are if you are in a roadblock on the side of the road and the policemen is searching about 40 taxis you WILL BE LATE… Lately it is commonplace to have roadblocks so there is no planning for them "because if you knew when and where then the criminal would also know and that mikes the roadblock kind of pointless.]

Where do you live ??????? ......... Traffic SA takes pretty much care of South Africa.

[tec0]

Quote tec [I don’t care who you are if you are in a roadblock on the side of the road and the policemen is searching about 40 taxis you WILL BE LATE… Lately it is commonplace to have roadblocks so there is no planning for them "because if you knew when and where then the criminal would also know and that mikes the roadblock kind of pointless.]

Where do you live ??????? ......... Traffic SA takes pretty much care of South Africa.

outside Emalahleni

[adrianh]

My staff got to work late once, I made them sit outside in the rain the entire day and I didn't pay them. Now they get to work 2 hours early, have a quick pee, then work until 7. When they are early for work then I do not allow them to sit around outside because they make the place look untidy. They have to clean all the dustbins and sweep the driveway and the engineers get to wash the windows. I don't allow rifraff like technicians near the windows because they might steal them or worse, open them to let in fresh air.

[Just Gone]

Well with Emalahleni having a total population of 435 000 people, not sure how the "traffic" can be so bad ............. perhaps its time you trade in that tractor now hey !

[tec0]

My staff got to work late once, I made them sit outside in the rain the entire day and I didn't pay them. Now they get to work 2 hours early, have a quick pee, then work until 7. When they are early for work then I do not allow them to sit around outside because they make the place look untidy. They have to clean all the dustbins and sweep the driveway and the engineers get to wash the windows. I don't allow rifraff like technicians near the windows because they might steal them or worse, open them to let in fresh air.

Drugs is a horrible thing…