We were at our local garden centre the other day. We're the world's worst gardeners, though we really love our garden. Under instructions from our wonder of a gardener we set off to our local garden centre to get a particular fertiliser product. On our way through we were, of course, quickly seduced by the fantastic array of new season garden furniture.  We sat on everything - practically laid down at one point - and no-one, not one single member of staff could be seen to capture our very obvious interest.

Having singled out on particularly attractive set that would work well in our courtyard area, we consider the price of £725. Was it too much we wondered? I know, I said - I'll check on the Internet. Which I duly did and found the same set on a specialist site priced at £675.  But ah, I said, these guys locally may be able to deliver this weekend and the weather is lovely - let's see if they will do a bit of a deal and maybe we'll settle halfway.

So we went on a search - and no-one, simply NO-ONE could be found to assist.  There was even no-one manning the extensive, up-to-£1500-a-shot barbecue area. So my husband went off in wider search and came back some while later, alone, only to find that I'd already found - and bought - the fertiliser on Amazon, plus had found the garden furniture on a website with 15% off that weekend and already bought and paid for it too. It was delivered three days later. £608. Internet 1. Local shop nil.

So tell me, why had they invested in barbecues and some very smart garden furniture if they had no intention of actually helping people to buy it? No doubt they are a candidate for the 'times are tough out there' mentality.

We also have a small property in France and we desperately needed some new furniture there. I went back to the Internet people and asked them if they could organise getting our order sent to France ... 'Oh sorry, we can't to that - we only deliver in the UK' came the reply. This time the bill would have been just under £1000. Business must be good for them I guess.

So I found another local garden centre who sold the brand we wanted - I posed the same question to the extremely helpful and very attentive assistant (garden centre A take note!); his reply was immediate. 'Of course we can do that for you. There is a small freight company locally and I'll get it all sorted with them'. Right answer. Kerching!! Local shop 1 - Internet nil this time.

So the question is – are you thinking it through? Are you making it as easy as you can for customers to buy from you? Or do you have front line ‘saboteurs’ who don’t have their eye on the bottom line like you do?

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