COURTESY IN SHOPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26367, 23 January 1947, Page 7

COURTESY IN SHOPS

RETAIL ASSISTANTS

WOMAN INSTRUCTOR’S PRAISE Daily Times Special Service AUCKLAND, Jan. 22. A compliment to New Zealand shop assistants for their courtesy was paid by Miss V. M. Wiedersehn, an instructor of the Retail Traders’ Training Institute of New South Wales, who has been in the Dominion for some months organising a college of retailing under the auspices of the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation. As from Monday the college will hold day classes in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin for men and women employed in all branches of retailing. “I have never in any shop in New Zealand received anything but courteous treatment from the assistants—and I have been in many towns,” said Miss Wiedersehn. "I can say that quite honestly.” The pressure of the last few years had been borne by everyone, and everyone’s nerves had been frayed. It was easy to be pleasant when meeting, people occasionally, but shop assistants had to deal with the public every day. “I think our students are definitely of average intelligence and, judging by those who have completed their course, assistants throughout New Zealand are interested in making of. their work a career where there are standards,” Miss Wiedersehn continued. “It is our job to set those v standards.” About 60 shop assistants who attended day classes in Wellington last year had been the first to complete a course, and had done so with considerable credit to themselves. As employers were continuing to support the college she ‘ presumed they felt they were deriving some benefit from it. Miss Weidersehn said enrolments in each of the four centres for the day classes commencing next week totalled about 120. More than 1000 students in other parts of the Dominion were taking correspondence lessons. Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin had waiting lists for the day classes.