Dear Businesses of Halifax with websites:
We’re a mobile generation. What that means is that we want to be able to go to your website, and get accurate and up to date information.
This includes when we are bringing our dear family from out of town down to dinner (to find you closed, but your website says you should be open) and when we make a reservation for a live music night at your resto but then find out that said live music is not necessary a given thing.
So please: Keep your hours of op, menus, special events, features, sales and other information we rely on up to date. If you’re NOT going to be open (because of weather, or because it’s several days after Christmas) please post that as well.
And no, we don’t want to have to call you instead. It’s not convenient.
—Went somewhere else instead
This article appears in Jan 14-20, 2010.
All websites, period, should do this. It’s not just in Halifax. Although some of our establishments seem worse about it here.
If it’s any consolation, my band was once booked to take over for a band who cancelled a show. Instead of updating their website with our booking, the bar left the old band’s name up on their site (for over 2 months).
We had posters up all over the bar, and half the audience was there to see the previously booked band. Fortunately for us, it got us some new fans, but it sucked to have to explain to people that we had nothing to do with it.
When did the phone become inconvenient? I missed that.
yeah, when someone hears anything about the meeting held to make phones out of date and inconvenient, could you forward me the minutes, it would be helpful!
I agreed with the OP up until the phone comment…
Yes, because EVERYONE should cater to YOU
another person who is afraid of the phone.
Its the FB generation or texters who get the gitters to talk to a stranger on the phone.
I hate the phone. I dont care if that is somehow telling of my generational standing.
Also, if you have something on your website, I should be able to assume that you’re telling me the truth
(because everything on the interweb is true right)
Posting information like this on a website is a tool that would save the company time and money (in not having to answer the phone)
Given the choice between a place with an up to date website where I knew what to expect, and one where I had to call and check… Id take the website every time.
roar. valid bitch, OP.
Why should the OP call the restaurant if said restaurant has a website with apparently up to date information?
I could see blasting them for not calling if there was no website but the restaurant’s sort of inthe wrong here.
exactly… and now that pretty much all new phones have net access and it’s getting cheaper and cheaper with the packages they’re coming out with… this only makes sense.
post your valid info so people can check… why would I look up the number to a place to call them when I could simply look up the place to begin with and see all the info I need?
you people like the phone far too much.
the ‘phone’ purpose on my phone is the least used perk of having the thing.
net/text/calendar/clock/notepad/alarmclock are all much more useful than trying to actually talk to someone.
Website info in general is not always as current as it should be so phoning ahead is always a good back-up. Websites can’t predict family and other emergencies that may result in unexpected closings. Phoning probably involves less time, frustration and inconvenience than arriving at one’s destination only to have to come up with a hasty Plan B. It’s not so difficult really. People have been doing it since Alex G. Bell invented the phone:)
Heaven forbid if anyone has a real conversation with a real person. I wish they would make a cell phone just that, a telephone. What was it I heard on the news that the younger generation speds about 53 HOURS a week on cell phones/crackberies – texting, being online, playing games, etc.
yes, the simple phone. no texting, sexting, facefarting. its ok children soon you will be able to speak and write…aaah too late
Texts and emails are better for several reasons:
You have a written record of what was said to refer back to (good for people like me with bad memories).
It’s more private – no need to worry about eavesdroppers!
It’s cheaper.
It’s more efficient.
It’s usually easier.
You don’t have to carry on a conversation with someone if you don’t want to and hear their annoying voice.
Finally, and most importantly, you can look cool by always having your face down into your cool new iPhone / Blackberry and don’t have to have an actual conversation with the lame, uncool people around you at all.
you don’t have to deal with accents.
no outrageously priced long distance charges if you’re texting far away.
you can do it in the shitter and no-one will be any the wiser.
I hate the phone too but it’s not a long, involved conversation. It’s “Hey, when do you close?”.
and you magically know the number already?
if you have to look something up, you might as well look up their site to get the info that should likely be posted.
Good bitch, and true.
Who wants to struggle on the phone to
1) have someone answer it when busy
2) have someone answer it that speaks the inglisch
3) have to write shit down, maybe get it wrong
It IS OVIOUSLY an inconveniense, especially if looing at several restaurants on line and wanting to compare, don’t be stupid.
etc etc
Keep your website up to date, or ditch it.
And of course EVERYBODY has a computer and access to the internet. Just to let everyone know, the have these new-fangled things called TELEPHONE BOOKS from Aliant, and guess what, they are free and delivered to your home once a year. Twice if you include Eastlink’s book.
I’m pretty sure I can look up a number online quicker than you can find it ruffling through a telephone book.
with the next, the number finds you!
🙂
and though not everyone has net access, the poster obviously seems to.