THE CUSTOMERS' NEEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 93, 16 October 1940, Page 8

THE CUSTOMERS' NEEDS

Opposition was voiced by the Chamber of Commerce last night to legislation which would permit the Arbitration Court to compel shops to close on Friday nights and Saturday mornings. The ground of the opposition is that shopping hours must conform to the reasonable requirements of the public. It is not suggested, of course, that shops should be open at all hours to meet capricious and unreasonable public demands, but it is well known that many people who are working during the day find sufficient difficulty now in arranging their shopping in the hours when shops are open and they themselves are free. This problem is presented in other services which cater for the public. It is inevitable that some must work in order that others may profitably use their spare time. If all services and industries were to start and shut down at the same time, industry, housekeeping, and recreation would all be carried on under difficulties. Business in these days is difficult and it would be most unwise to add to the difficulties by any action which would put the customer to inconvenience. The old shopkeeping motto, "The customer is always right," contains a great deal of truth, for it expresses the fact that shops are established to meet the needs of customers. The shopkeeper who works on the principle that customers exist for his i benefit does not prosper.