The two weeks before Christmas: When businesses go on life support
12-19-25
Commentary by Michael Robinson
Welcome to the time of year when many businesses like real estate offices, title companies, insurance companies, accounting and law firms as well as government and corporate offices and other organizations are keeping office hours but are actually not doing any real work.
From about December 15th, until a few days after New Years Day, many offices are open for “ahem” business, but not really. Half the staff have rushed HR a few weeks prior and have scheduled paid time off because, “if you don’t use it by the end of the year, you lose it.” Other employees may have called in sick because the holiday season is the time colds. flu and respiratory infections are making their germy, airborne rounds infecting people.
So many offices have two or three staff members holding down the fort and answering the phones. Other business is usually handled by a specific employee named Susie, who won’t be back till after the first of the year. If you ask, “Can anybody else help me with that?” The answer is usually. “No. Suzie is the only one that can do that, and she won’t be back until after the first of the year.
What do company employees do besides answer the phones? Nothing, except surf the internet and do some last-minute Christmas shopping online.
Most employees are pros at looking busy.
Pro Tip: If you have to leave your desk, carry a 8 ½ by 11-inch paper and walk with a concerned look on your face. If the brass isn’t in, you don’t even have to do that.
If you are a customer or vendor calling to get something done you will hear a cheery, “Sorry, It’s the holiday’s you know. “
Phones ring, lights are on, but everyone’s either skiing, drunk on eggnog, or pretending to shop. And yet nobody says, “Look, just close till January. We’ll survive.”
Instead, we get this zombie half-staffed limbo where no one signs contracts, no one fixes printers, no one admits the weeks basically gone.
Need an oil change? Sorry, the auto shop that says, “Your oil can wait till New Year’s, boss is off with his family in Aspen.”
Are you wanting to close on a real estate deal during the holidays? Yeah, that’s really not happening, after all, it’s the holidays.
Need a rental car? Nope.
The other place that’s on ghost shift is accounts payable, like if somebody owes you money and you call a company and ask for accounts payable, they’re always out for the holidays: they don’t want to pay you.
The one silver lining at a number of financial institutions, insurance companies and real estate related businesses and day spas offer free mimosas, champaign, cookies and lovely charcuterie boards with cheeses, veggies and an array of sliced smoked meats for their customers and prospective customers for really business that will happen after the first of the year.
Auto and RV dealerships will often have great spreads of goodies too and great deals can be had on new and used vehicles because of end of year inventory clearances.”What would it take to get you in this car or truck TODAY?”
Enjoy a flute or two of chilled Chardonnay while the nurse marks up your face for that Botox injection at the day spa.
In San Antonio there is a huge list of places where one can office hop or shop and get tons of free finger foods and alcoholic beverages this time of year, especially on Friday and Saturday. Stay tuned for that article!
So Merry Christmas, be of good cheer, but don’t expect any meaningful customer service until after the 1st, because “It’s the holidays!!”
Related
