Please read Understanding catalogue records for help interpreting this information and Using footage for more information about accessing this film.

Title: COUNTER COURTESY

Reference number: 0606

Date: 1947

Director: d. Germain Burger

Sponsor: [ Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd.]

Production company: Orion Picture Corporation

Sound: sound

Original format: 16mm

Colour: bw

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 19.00 mins

Description: A training film for employees of the Co-op - how to present themselves, how to deal with different types of customer and how to learn as much as possible about the trade.

Comment from "The British Co-operative Movement Film Catalogue" compiled and edited by Alan Burton 1997: "...the film contains excellent scenes of store interiors (albeit recreations) from the period before the wide-scale conversion to self-service outlets."

Credits: p. Gordon O'Connell
cam. Ronnie Pilgrim
musical arrangement Chappell & Co Ltd
cast Carl Pearson, Helen Christie, Beth Ross, Maurice Rhodes
sc. Bary Delmaine, James Eastwood
ed. Victor Gray

Shotlist: REEL I

Credits (.54); Dramatised activities of the grocery department of the Co-op and the service that the staff should learn to provide. Cleanliness of staff and shop emphasised, hints for staff on how to remove nicotine stains and how to appear smart (4.50); The wrong and then the right way to treat different types of customer (7.57); Always try to sell the Co-op brand but never force goods onto a customer. Keep informed on the various qualities of the stock by keeping a loose-leaf notebook (9.00).

REEL II

No credits. In the shoe department, show the customer what she wants and that you have measured accurately (1.04); In food department, helpful hints for better and quicker service by keeping the most popular items to hand (2.30); Cut cheese and other food to as near weight as possible (3.49); Learn the trade by using spare moments. Check that stock has not been damaged. Hints on subjects not to be discussed with customers while still remaining friendly. General summary of the qualities necessary for success in the Co-op movement (9.55)