As a virtual life-long local resident and building society customer that progressively has been forcibly absorbed into what we now know as Nationwide, I was particularly interested in the plans and policies outlined in the Echo by the current chief executive, Joe Garner.

May I quote : "How we do our job is much more important than where we do them from."

"We are now deciding to move forward , not back."

"We are putting our employees in control of where they work."

"Inviting them to locate for their day, depending on what they need to achieve."

"As a member owned organisation , we encourage a focus on humanity , whilst embracing technology."

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

But nowhere do I read about such “trivia" as customers and their wishes or interests.

The TV ads remind us that this monolith organisation has 15 million members, of which I am but one - a mere customer.

Today’s realities are such that one has to queue whatever the weather outside their branches in either Southbourne or Christchurch in order to simply get a face to face attention by an employee.

This frequently take 20/30 minutes just to get inside the doorway.

Even then, having achieved this privileged entrance one has to wait yet another 10 minutes without even the courtesy of a chair to ease our aged and aching limbs.

Mr Garner, may I respectfully suggest that you search your customer data base to discover that the vast majority of your customers are elderly and infirm, and that they deserve at least some, if not more consideration than solely concentrating on the wishes of your more youthful staff, who are privileged to be provided with a job by such long suffering regular customers such as myself and others.

Get real Mr Garner and take note of the fact that without us - long suffering, patient, tolerant nil interest savers - your customers - you may not even have the opportunity to selectively choose where your staff choose to work.

Alan Coldicott

Bournemouth