Customer care vital for retail

I found your Cover Story “Trouble in store” (January l5) to be articulate, comprehensive, fiscally aware and sadly lacking.

Lacking that is in the one area that most affects sales, the customer.

Apparently, like many of my fellow high street Christmas shoppers, I did most of my purchasing in the week before the big day. What constantly greeted us was a level of service that was at best indifferent and at worst downright rude.

I have great sympathy for those that serve the millions of fraught individuals like myself, who are feeling the pressure of finding exactly the right gift in as little time as possible.

But this is precisely the time when help rather than the obligatory shrug of the shoulders, encourages loyalty.

Customer satisfaction is rarely considered on the balance sheets of UK companies, but its one of, if not the only differentiator.

As company heads pour over their books in the coming months to decide where savings can be made, the value of well trained and courteous staff should be paramount in the conclusions they arrive at.

Trevor Pettit

Executive creative director

Carlson

London SW15