Customers over my shoulder, how can i stop this ?

["Deposit Please"]

In our waiting room, I installed cable tv, water cooler, magazines & music if desired & i also have air condition up front. I also placed a sign on the door that leads from the waiting room to the back of our shop where we work that says " Employees Only" But they walk right past that sign like it wasn't there. Sometimes they walk around building & go through back door. Once their in the back work area, they do alot of small talk with me which brings down my production, sometimes i have to say excuse me because their in my way. Besides , my workmanship is much better when i don't have them over my shoulder. Just wondering how everyone else handles these situations or do you keep your back shop work area wide open for everyone. I'm Not sure what to do next. Any ideas ? Thanks

 

[GVP]

We always blame it on the insurance company - employees only allowed or it voids our insurance. (Don't even know if it does, but it sounds plausible!)

 

[AznSensation]

I'd say Deposit PLEASE then I let them in.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Maybe install some kind of small half or full door that makes them pause for a moment. You may have to speak up firmly and state that your insurance does not allow for customers back in the production area. Lots of shops such as auto repair have this policy. You need some type of physical barrier if you are afraid to speak up

 

[Pro Image]

UHHHHHH......Lock the door......Simple enough........

 

[Steve C.]

This question has come up before, and someone said that they had a sign:

Shop Rate.......$75 per hr
If you watch....$95 per hr
If you help......$125 per hr.

 

[SignManiac]

Find out where they live, then walk in through their front door without knocking and just start talking. Just make sure they're home and the door is unlocked.

 

[speedmedia]

Yeah when in doubt blame your insurance company. It blows my mind when people just walk right in like they own the place. If they do it and walk past the sign I ask if they are able to read and walk them to it...

Thanks,
Kurt

 

["Deposit Please"]

lol, walk right into their house & help myself at the dinner table or maybe Maybe just take a couple barricades with flashing lights from a construction site & set it up by the door. On a serious note, What does everyone else do ??

 

[TheSnowman]

I used to hang garage doors, and people have absolutly nothing to do in their life but sit there and watch you work while they collect money from the government. We referred to these people as "Lawn Chair Customers" because they would always grab a lawn chair from the garage, sit there, and totally be in our way ALL DAY LONG.

When I built my shop, I MADE SURE, that I had some kind of a jog, and a front counter that was a real maze to get through. So far, no customer has come back un-invited. If you can figure out a way to make it unseen, they won't think about it as much.

 

[Circleville Signs]

I am a direct kind of person, so I'm direct. If someone crosses over the boundry between the "customer" space and the "work" space, I ask them in a kind, but firm tone to please go back to the customer area. If they don't take that hint I TELL them to get to the customer area. If THAT doesn't work, I tell them to get the hell out of my shop.

 

[Charlie J]

We put a decal on our door that says,

RESTRICTED AREA
EMPLOYEES ONLY


but people still sometimes walk back into our shop. We stop them and tell them that they need to wait up front please.

 

[RebeckaR]

Lock the back door.

Why are people coming into your work area in the first place? Is this occurring when someone comes into your store and there's no one at the counter so they come looking?
If so, install a bell or some sort of device that they can activate to let you know they are there.
Are they following you back? Invite them to take a seat and wait. Tell them to stay put. Tell them what to do and where to do it. Provide crayons and paper if necessary.

Keep the door between the front and the back closed. Use signage that indicates that horrible-terrible things will occur if they open the door.
"Do not enter. Seriously. Entering this area of our premises will automatically increase your bill by 20 percent."

 

[GypsyGraphics]

I used to hang garage doors, and people have absolutly nothing to do in their life but sit there and watch you work while they collect money from the government. We referred to these people as "Lawn Chair Customers" because they would always grab a lawn chair from the garage, sit there, and totally be in our way ALL DAY LONG.

yikes... you'd hate me... i LOVE to watch people work! but i always ask if it's ok and if there's a moments hesitation i take that as a "NO" ...because i'm a hypocrite, i don't like people watching me work.

last week i was literately a "Lawn Chair Customer" in a radiator shop. i was standing outside the shop and the guy asked if i wanted to sit down and he pull up a lawn chair so close to my car that i had to move the chair a few feet to keep the sparks off me.... i'm serious!

i thought it was the coolest thing, i even asked if i could take a picture when the sparks were flying! took this photo from my lawn chair

 

[GypsyGraphics]

"Do not enter. Seriously. Entering this area of our premises will automatically increase your bill by 20 percent."

Rebecka, what a great sign, LOVE IT... humorous, yet serious and direct!

if there's tools involved it's hard to resist wanting to watch, but if there is even the slighted indication that it's not ok, i would never even ask to watch. and if there's a SIGN well... then it's the law. if there was a sign that said stand on the red "x" on the floor, i would. actually, i'd stand next to "x" (i'm not a total pussy)

 

["Deposit Please"]

They wait while i do simple decals or magnetics. But they rather come back in the work area where there is no air condition, tv, magazines, water cooler etc. I Can't figure it out.
Maybe i should place menus of front for local food delivery to help pass their time. Sign & restaurant business under one roof. Hmm Sign & Dine Graphics.

 

["Deposit Please"]

That's too funny GG. You didn't bring a fold out table to play cards??

 

[Mikeifg]

Kraig, My garage door came off the hinge can you help?

 

[GypsyGraphics]

How about putting a sign that say "As of July 15, 2010, customers are no longer allowed in the shop area."

They'll think something important must have happened and that you HAD to change your policies. oh, and isn't that too bad because you so enjoyed their company while you worked in the past.

this way they won't be embarrassed or take it personal, for having followed you back prior.

That's too funny GG. You didn't bring a fold out table to play cards??

Play cards??? i wanted to play with the torch!

 

["Deposit Please"]

I can do that or i can replace the door with a steel vault door, kinda like the ones at the bank with a turn wheel & combination. One thing though, there's not a whole lotta money here.