The Dominion. FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1935. THE GOODWILL OF THE CUSTOMER

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 232, 28 June 1935, Page 10

The Dominion. FRIDAY, JUNE 28, 1935. THE GOODWILL OF THE CUSTOMER

v* The main point made by the Assistant Director of the Dairy Division of the P Department of Agriculture in an address given to the National Dairy Conference at Palmerston North yesterday, was that the dairy producers of New Zealand place too little value upon the goodivilfof the buyer on the other side of the world. _ But in saying fhis Mr. Valentine was not critical, and was not seeking a palatable way to say that we do not enjoy the goodwill of our clients. Indeed, onffis recent visit to the Old Country, he was very favourab y‘ impressed bv buyers’ attitude toward our products. His fear is lath that we do not realise what an asset it. is to have this goodwill, and on that account perhaps are not as assiduous as we might be in our endeavours to retain it. The grading system, to which for the upbuilding of quality the dairy industry in New Zealand is so greatly indebted, has s ° commended itself to Tooley Street that grading marks are accepted as indicating actual quality. All the more reason, therefore, v y suppliers and factory managers should use their utmost e "J a votn to see that their produce grades high. Mr. Vale £tto e nott jJ. } V “there is a class, comprising low-scoring first-grade butters, which i is capable of much improvement.” The question arises here whet the minimum scoring for first grade is not a htt e too °av. First grade” should mean first grade, and although the trade knows to look at the percentages, and to differentiate between high first grade and low first grade, it must be borne in mind that the ultimate ai biter of our fate as a dairy supplier is neither the wholesaler nor the retailer but the consumer, who in some cases at any rate must know the classification of the butter' he is buying. If, having asked for rood butter, he is supplied with first-grade New Zealand that happen., to be some of this low first grade “capable of much improvement, this country will most certainly not win goodwill by the transaction, and may lose that which has been won formerly, fhat, however, is a point for discussion by the experts. In the mam the gracing system has stood the test of time and competition, and discharged the functions required of it in an admirable manner. But butter is a delicate article, and the human palate is fickle as well--as ‘delicate. It does not'follow that, because butter graded superfine is accepted by the London market as such, it will make an all-conquering appeal to the tastes of all consumers or potential consumers in Great Britain. The South of England. prefers our butter; the North of England eats a great deal of it, but seems still to prefer Continental supplies. Why? Surely not because ot the price, for our butter is cheaper than Danish, which has the bigger sale, and the North of England is noted for its shrewd buying. And certainly not for reasons of sentiment. Apparently, then, because Continental butters are more satisfying to the northern taste. To win the goodwill of these consumers it may be necessary to do something more than maintain our grading system and our grading marks at their present high levels. It may be necessary to have two standards of grading, with parallel scales of quality, to enable us to produce first grade and superfine butter for the South of England and first grade and superfine for the North. This may seem a nonsensical suggestion, and might be interpreted at first as a reflection upon the quality of our present produce; but after all our aim is to satisfy the consumer, and if the consumer wants two different articles it is not for us to say that we intend to produce one only, and that he may take it or leave it. Especially when our rivals can supply and are supplying that part of the market whose peculiar taste we do not yet seem able to satisfy. That is, if we wish to extend our market in the United Kingdom. It may be rough justice that we should- supply the greater part of the demand in the southern counties of England • and that the Continent should supply the greater part of. the demand from the north; but we have outward trade affiliations. with the north just as much as with the south —more so, indeed—and. if we can without impairing its general quality enthrone our butter in public favour at both ends of the country, the less our dairy industry need fear all these threats of quotas and import duties.