Exactly! Change has to be brought in slowly, bit by bit. For example, my sister (who grew up in England, as I did) runs 2 shops in Zurich. When they started having pre-Christmas Sunday openings you should have heard her moan and groan. When evening opening hours were extended till ?? o'clock, same thing. She's been well and truly indoctrinated and is perfectly happy with the status quo.

I don't think I'm missing the point. Those niches you are thinking of are there because of (a) the existing rules and regulations which are made by (b) the people governing the people who listen to (c) church, union, party etc. etc.

Ha. Was at a parent evening last night @ kindergarten. You should have heard the way in which the teacher was having to justify having 4 longer days ('til about 14:30 hrs) when the children would be taken to the shop, buy some veg and cook a meal... 4 longer days in the academic year mind... The locals just don't like change.

It was the same with primary school - this year they have to come in for an extra afternoon... ... because the kanton are introducing French a year early... They nearly had a riot on their hands.

__________________
Never let right or wrong get in the way of a good opinion

Sure. We serve varied fresh products daily from seven til the last customer leaves. Bring your friends and get yourself a free drink and become a judge in the fresh fruit cocktail competition.

Get a reduced price sympathy drink if you prove you work for UBS. A entry pass will not do, we want a sheet of your written work which will be assessed by the Stammtisch committee and pinned up behind the bar before the drink will be awarded.

Tuesday night is jazz night gong show, with jugopoly alternate Fridays. Sunday is the night-of-toil where an environment of pseudo-work will be established with car washing and laundry demonstrations against the clock. Drinks will be free for the period it takes the bartender to run up the stairs and splutter "do you know what dayy it is ??!!??" from the balcony.
........

AYB

Does this mean that free beer is back?

I think such things are not possible in the regulatory environment in which we now operate.

AYB MBA (Marketing)

You're right. That thread was closed and moved to a secret bunker for the private pleasure of the moderation team.





I have a feeling you already know that, and that was the point you were making, but that would make you someone else and I'm beyond that sort of cynicism. So in the meantime, I'll steal your thunder....

I have been trying to be in a niche business here, it does not work as easily as it should. They are shocked & confused by first class service provided to the highest international standard available anywhere in the world.

Nobody in CH ever got sacked by doing the same as everybody else, doing the minimum possible for your clients is considered good enough.

I have been hitting my head against a brick wall for many years on exactly this.

It's a very good thread & I 100% agree with what your are saying. Best FMF

Never mind all the other businesses, you're dreaming (J/K, I had such a great idea I barely read the others).

The issue with hours has a lot to do with town zoning and stuff that needs fighting with authorities... Now, if you had a laundry/ dry cleaning service that works out of an industrial zone/warehouse & picks up and delivers, I bet you could get around those hours! Huh? Eh? How 'bout that for an idea?!

I hope you do the right thing & send me royalties!! (Now that ain't no joke!)

Oh god......am i going to regret this?....what is "WOB"?

And, with equal fear of regret: what is "AYB"?

Why waste time shopping when there are soooo many things to be done in this lovely country. Anyone who can't get the stuff he or she needs during the present opening hours is obviously glued to the chair, office, TV, bar, or whatever. The simple way is to lift one's arse.

That's why we always say 'no' to longer opening hours.

This 'Customer is King' philosophy isn't something I've ever seen in the UK or in North America either. It's odd, therefore, that the Swiss, who don't open their shops for every last halfpenny or anoint their walls with slogans have such a solid economy and such a strong retail home market.

But admittedly, there's not much hope for the future. At one time the Zürich Bahnhofstrasse was a street of quality. Now the lower half is worse than Oxford Street. Just junk.

Erm...










Or if you want an all in one clue;

One for the EF Hall of Fame

His name "Ah, Yes, But"

Now we are starting to cook.

If the hours are constrained at the place of business, then operating from an industrial zone makes sense even the customers are remote.

So what does this mean:

a) transport must be capable of transporting stock and the cost and time involved must mean the product must be of sufficient value and nonperishable to enable timely delivery.

b) Can deliveries be made on Sunday, for an order placed on a weekday ?

c) Conversely can goods be pitched and demonstrated on a Sunday. Can members of a subscription club receive free samples at events on Sundays ?

d) What is delivery ? If I give my loyal customers access to a secure 24/7 automat access to collect their product (dry cleaning / birthday cake/ case of wine) , is that trading ? Is it delivery ?

Start thinking like this and your business model can emerge from the swiss straight-jacket...

AYB

Damn! I was hoping it was Allstar You Bet!

Well, yes, but......

Don't you think that if people wanted it, it would exist already?

Do I really need to respond to this?

AYB

It sort of does. There are a couple in railway stations and the airport with longer opening hours.

For example