Service with a grin

We placed our first online order with the local hypermarket today. France is at least ten years behind on this, so the service has only been on offer here for the past couple of months.

Working on the premise that the delivery charge would be less than the sum of all the unnecessary extras that normally swell our trolley and bill, we put together a carefully planned list.

I chose a delivery slot and asked for no substitutions, keeping my expectations fairly low. It was an unnecessary caution. A charming young man swept down the drive in his delivery van and parked a metre from the front door. "I love your house. I've seen it being built from the road below - wow, what a wonderful view" How could you not fall in love with him on the spot?

He delivered all the shopping onto the kitchen worktop, processed my charge card and presented the form for a loyalty card. I filled it in straight away and gave it back to him. His name is Davy, "like Davy Crockett" he said. We waved him goodbye as he swept back up the drive.

We unpacked. Everything was spot on. Brilliant. Half an hour later Davy reappeared at the gate, out of his uniform and in his own car. " Here's your loyalty card. I thought I'd drop it off as you're on my way home to lunch"

Now that's service for you. We will be loyal!