26th June 25. Simple day

Just the one job today. To deliver the green Ford Puma ST I collected yesterday to a private customer in Chandlers Ford, near Southampton. Bringing back the customers part exchange so no trains, no public transport, no cost, and in theory you get paid for both jobs. I do however, depending on my customer. Give a 25% discount for the return job. I know I'm all heart.

This job is about building a relationship with your customer. Doing the job without fuss or problems, always doing the job and finishing it when you put your hand up for it. Without fail.

That said, this business has no loyalty. It's funny how when I worked in the retail side of the business. We would complain non stop about customers loyalty. The amount of time you would spend talking to and getting on with your customer. Who, then for a few pounds, go elsewhere to buy.

Now, I am at their mercy and that loyalty doesn't exist, even though I give a level of service way above most. To save a few pounds they would drop me for the next company that comes along. Especially one who visits the boss with a bottle of whiskey and an envelope.

I started my day early as usual to try and arrive at the customers house for 9.00- 9.30am

The Puma ST a nice enough drive and I get the attraction. The Puma really is a good looking car in any trim level. The ST adds some sporting touches and in 2023 Ford changed from the 197 BHP 1.5 engine to a 1.0 giving around 170 BHP.

This one was the earlier version with a manual gearbox. So probably the best one to have. Not driving someone else's car in any other way than carefully and slowly. I don't get to try cars at speed. But you get a feeling for them anyway and I could feel this car was built for a certain market of drivers. But I imagine it had many flaws on the limit of it's performance. But fun nonetheless. And in the green colour it certainly is eye catching. Which I guess is 99% of the point of these anyway.

So the drive to Chandler's Ford took me from Aylesbury on the A41 towards Watford and the M25. Round to the M3 and M27 towards Southampton.

There are alternatives but going more direct to Oxford and the A34 mm eans more cross country traffic on A roads.

Aylesbury to Southampton

Arriving at the customers house. I saw the part exchange Ford Focus outside and parked behind it and started my appraisal on the Puma.

Photos done and just awaiting signatures on the appraisal and paperwork to go back to the dealership. I knocked on the door and the lady buying the Puma came out to look round it and I showed her around it's basic controls etc.

She signed everything, gave me the keys and paperwork for the Focus and I completed my collection appraisal for that. And left. Simples.

The journey back was as uneventful as going there and arrived back and handed the paperwork and Focus keys after doing the appraisal for delivery and walked home in the sunshine and thanked God for a simple and pleasant day.