We are currently open Monday thru Friday from 8AM - 6PM. After the auto installs in about a couple of weeks/month, we're thinking of extending hours to an additional Saturday from 9AM - 5PM. We are located in a warehouse complex but there is a sports court facility across the street from us which usually sponsors all sport leagues (they usually do it on Saturdays), all of our customers usually find us through online or word of mouth. The only reason I am thinking of opening on Saturdays is to capture some more local customers.
Or, maybe instead of opening on Saturdays, we can place a huge full color banner by the road and take it back off on Monday? This way we don't have to work, but at least they will know we are there when they need us? Any ideas? How many of you are open on Saturdays, has it helped?
This is more an idea than a suggestion (as I have no idea how well it would work for you specifically), but: you could open for just a few hours on Saturday, in a customer service capacity only.
Allow Saturday pickups of orders, be there for any walk-in traffic from the sports facility, encourage anyone who needs a consultation to come in Saturday, use the time to catch up on paperwork, marketing, maintenance, etc.: but don't do any printing.
Keeps staff costs down, while still getting many of the benefits of being open Saturday (and in an ideal world, even takes some of the rush out of your M to F... if only).
This is more an idea than a suggestion (as I have no idea how well it would work for you specifically), but: you could open for just a few hours on Saturday, in a customer service capacity only.
Allow Saturday pickups of orders, be there for any walk-in traffic from the sports facility, encourage anyone who needs a consultation to come in Saturday, use the time to catch up on paperwork, marketing, maintenance, etc.: but don't do any printing.
Keeps staff costs down, while still getting many of the benefits of being open Saturday (and in an ideal world, even takes some of the rush out of your M to F... if only).
That is what I might just do. I think it would put our shop in a great advantage as all shops around us close Sat and Sun.
Lewis's suggestion is a good one. If everybody else is closed on the weekend when most customers are off you instantly become easier to do business with. In my mind that is a big plus and a value added service.
Since you are easier to do business with that could allow you to increase pricing a small amout. Nobody has to make plans to "get away from the office".
We are in a different market niche (teams, leagues and tourneys sports apparel). So this may make no sense for your business. Do you have dead spots within your week for sales ? A couple of years ago we realized we don't sell anything on Monday and Tuesday mornings. So we are not open on Monday morning. We are however open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings when customers are looking for last minute stuff. Just a thought move your staffing around a bit.
Open Saturdays 
