Second World War: customer service

Despite the 'Fair Shares' scheme, many customers became frustrated at the long queues that formed for un-rationed items.

As Sainsbury’s daily staff bulletin put it:

‘The knack of keeping happy those customers who are waiting is one of the greatest gifts which a saleswoman can possess’.

To ease the situation Sainsbury's developed a system known as 'call backs'. This enabled a customer to leave her shopping list at the store and call back later to collect her purchases. Priority was given to working people who had less time to do their shopping.

In areas where there were large numbers of factory workers, Sainsbury's made arrangements for stores to remain open late one evening a week so that workers could collect their orders.

Sainsbury’s strived to keep a balance between wartime cutbacks and maintaining high levels of customer service. Against suggestions that cutting home delivery would save fuel, the company kept up the service for those most in need, such as their elderly or ill customers.