Malls, shops, restaurants and eateries all depend on footfalls and continuous stream of customers – preferably with the will and money to ‘shop till they drop’ (since on line shopping is only a convenient by product for their sales output). It’s also certain that there’ll be ‘slack’ or low activity periods just as there’ll be busy phases during the normal days that culminates into big weekend rush. In festive seasons when there’s the added ‘sale’ offers, discounts, buy 1 & get 2 two deals, shoppers are seen going insanely crazy !
Regular shoppers, like homemakers and the WFH (working from home) with their in-depth experience of going to the market for groceries and essentials, ata, daal, chahwal, understand the ebbs and flows of traffic in the big malls and super-bazaars and time their visits to avail the ‘afternoon hours’ or the time between 12 noon to 4 pm when customer tide is low ! That apart, there are ‘early birds’ too who queue up and sneak in as soon as the shutters are opened by the mall security staff. That way, shopping part gets over before the day starts for the working class who commute to their workplaces.
Marketers studying customer habits know that there is what’s called the ‘afternoon economy’ which typically suits the housewives and working people like school teachers and over time they form the regular clientele in these hours. But weather conditions can play a part here. During the hot summers and the heat-wave conditions as prevailing in many cities this year, it can severely impact sales and customer footfalls !
Wayside food stalls and eateries face similar problems in extreme weather conditions as do the ‘fine dine’ restaurants. As the mercury rises, it creates psychological barriers for people to dine out as they prefer staying indoors in comfortable temperature zones. The adverse impact on business is partly made up through on-line orders for home delivery but when the mercury soars over 45 degrees even that is affected ! Let’s not forget the monsoons. The Mumbai rains that start with a whisper and build into torrential roar in months June to August. Clearly business runs its course though the entire spectrum !
Let’s also not forget that ‘happy’ term in context of eateries in megacities like Mumbai, Bangalore & Pune. ‘Happy hour’ is a marketing term for a time when a venue such as a restaurant or bar offers reduced prices on alcoholic drinks. Discounted menu items like appetizers are often served to entice people. This is a way for pubs, bars and restaurants to draw in more business before or after peak business hours.
It’s about increasing ‘feel-good’ factor to get better results that there’s also ‘Work happy hour’- the simplest form of it is gathering everyone in office together to share a drink and talk. It mayn’t happen in staid Public Sector but in big Corporates, it’s standard way to help people relax and unwind ! People wants happiness in work lives too. As one wise guy said ‘Happy hour makes me feel happy all the way from my head to mojitos’ !
Working on Living 