Business hours

Business hours are the span during which a business declares itself reachable: "Monday–Friday, 8 AM–6 PM." They create a moral commitment and, for statutory delivery purposes, an enforceable reference. Their trap for field trades: they coincide exactly with your working hours on customer sites — and with your clients' hours, who can therefore only call at the moments you're least available to answer.

Three honest attitudes exist toward this conflict. Actually widen the window (costly in on-call duty). Own it and display it clearly — a business that doesn't answer from 8 to 6 but replies within 30 seconds by text is more honest than a permanently busy line. Or delegate the off-hours: forward after 6 PM to a system that answers, qualifies, and books for the next day. The worst option remains the most common: letting it ring into the void, hoping for a voicemail.