"BOILS FOR EVERYBODY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20713, 5 November 1930, Page 14

"BOILS FOR EVERYBODY."

Sir, —In your supplement of Saturday I read with interest " Boils for Everybody," and in particular the two paragraphs, " The Draper Speaks " and "Women Shoppers." This places the shop assistants' problem in a light which must arouse sympathy from a generous-spirited public, but what about the other side of the problem, namely, what the customer has to suffer from the shop assistant ? As a fairly recent arival in Auckland, I have been amazed at the incivilities meted out to mo in city shops. I mako no sweeping assertions, for many shop assistants are most helpful and courteous and have the interests of both customer and firm at heart. Too many shop assistants, however, are insolent, disobliging and supercilious in manner and will go to no trouble whatever for the customer. Many customers are doubtless trying and difficult to suit, but that is no reason why the unoffending customer should be treated with incivility. Of course, various firms may say, " Why not complain to the management!" The average customer is just too British to stoop to tale-bearing, and there is also the natural dtsliko for complaining. I feel sure that an increase of courtesy in our Auckland shop assistants would help in a measure to stem the tide of the much talked of trade depression. Courtesy*