In the last few days, our editorial staff received a report from a reader who told of an episode that occurred inside a well-known shopping centre in our area, Vulcano Buono di NolaThe topic touches on a subject many consumers and workers are familiar with: what happens when a customer enters a store shortly before closing time?
According to the testimony received, the reader went to a store in the shopping centre around 21:40, on a special day open until 22:00 PM. In theory, with twenty minutes left to shop, one would expect to be served normally. Yet, our reader reports, the reaction from the clerks was hostile: insistent requests to leave, phrases like "we're closing, there's no more time to shop," and, in some cases, downright rudeness.
A behavior that is even more surprising if we consider that it was not a small family-run business, but a important and nationally recognized chain, which makes hospitality and availability towards families one of its strengths.
Rights and common sense
The question that arises spontaneously is: who is right? If a business lists 22:00 PM as its closing time, customers have the right to shop until the last possible minute. Employees, after all, are paid until that time, and service should be guaranteed.
On the other hand, it's clear that common sense would be better not to arrive just minutes before closing time, thus avoiding forcing staff—already exhausted by a long day's work—to continue operations. Preparing a store for closing time is a process that requires time and organization, and customers don't always take this into account.
The question of style
Regardless of who is right "on paper", what is striking in our reader's story is above all the way the situation is handledThere's a big difference between a clerk who politely explains to a customer that they're only a few minutes away and invites them to finish quickly, and someone who shows hostility or even "kicks away" anyone who enters just before closing.
For an important brand, accustomed to communicating values such as courtesy, hospitality and customer centricity, certain attitudes risk backfiring in terms of image.
The debate remains open
The case raised by our reader is not isolated. Many consumers report similar incidents, especially on weekends, when shopping centers experience greater traffic. Our thoughts for you, our readers, are therefore this:
- If closing time is 22:00 PM, is the customer still allowed to enter at 21:59 PM?
- Or, out of respect for those who work, should we avoid showing up at the last minute?
- And, above all, how much does it matter? good education mutual understanding in resolving these small daily conflicts?
We believe both sides have valid reasons: the customer has a right that should not be denied, but the staff has the right to be treated with respect and consideration for their work schedules. The difference is made by the style with which these moments are managed, because behind every purchase there are not only goods and times, but people.
Article published by Sebastiano Vangone on August 16, 2025, at 15:22 PM
Comments (2)
Honestly, I think it's a bit difficult to figure out who's right in situations like these. Customers need to know that it's rude to wait until the last minute, but clerks should also be more patient and polite. It's difficult to find a balance.
Customers like these who complain first do not show respect for those who work second you can not expect to come in at 21 pm and expect to do a 55 or 15 minute shopping and it is already against the rules then like all the complainers I am talking about this one who complained he writes only to break the balance of those who work the same thing happens in the bank they come in 20 minutes early and expect to do 5 hour or 1 operations that involve a lot so respect those who work stupid