SHERINGHAM supermarket Budgens is planning to recruit a team of “expert” shoppers, to help make sure customers get an efficient, value for money service.

SHERINGHAM supermarket Budgens is planning to recruit a team of “expert” shoppers, to help make sure customers get an efficient, value for money service.

After stirrings from disgruntled customers complaining of “pot luck” pricing, Budgens franchisees Jinx Hundal and Paul Burnell, who also own stores at Cromer, Norwich and Brundall, came up with the idea of asking three customers to go on regular fact-finding missions.

Every month, the trio, who will be signed up at a customer forum to be held at the Church Street store in February, will each be given a £20 voucher to buy a range of goods, some of which must be promotional items.

They will then be asked to report back to Mr Hundal on pricing, stock availability and queuing time.

“We have already held a successful customer forum at Cromer, so we decided to run a similar one at Sheringham,” Mr Hundal explained.

“It is a good opportunity to get a real mix of our customer base, hear

their views and suggestions first hand, and improve

our customers' experience from the minute they walk

in the store to the

minute they leave.”

Mr Hundal added that queuing and stock availability issues raised by customers after he and Mr Burnell took over at Sheringham 20 months ago had been addressed.

“What we feel is that it is now time to go back to the drawing board and ask customers where they think our focus should be on improving the store,” he

said.

As part of the quarterly customer forums, Budgens at Cromer and Sheringham will also be handing out cash to local good causes, with shoppers asked make suggestions on who should benefit.

“The idea was to involve local people by having a “community chest” pot of cash, and we will also be looking at allowing local school children to run in-store fundraising events,” Mr Hundal explained.

The Budgens of Sheringham customer forum will be held in the offices above the store at 2 Church Street, at noon on February 27.

For more information, phone 01263 822126.