Lisa Forbes and Ann Thomson are very familiar faces at the Asda Bridge of Dee store, where they’ve clocked up a total of 65 years of service between them.
The pair, who can be found on the customer service desk and kiosk, are always happy to have a chat with customers who’d like to talk. They fully support Asda’s initiatives to help combat loneliness and isolation this Christmas as part of the retailer’s “Don’t be Gnome Alone this Christmas” campaign.
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Lisa Forbes, who’s 58 and has worked at the store for 30 years, said:
“We are supporting the Happy to Chat initiative and are both wearing our Happy to Chat badges. I’ve always been a bletherer – there must be something wrong with me if I don’t stop and chat with our customers!
“It does make a big difference because you know that for some of these older customers you may be the only person they see all day. You treat them as you’d want your grandparents or parents to be treated. I just chat about all sorts; I blether away about anything – often about the weather! It’s good to have a laugh, and the world would be a very boring place if you didn’t.”
Lisa, who lives with partner Scott and has two children, Beteh and Ryan, added:
“I like the people here and seeing folk. Customers here are very friendly, and we have a lot of regulars. We are like one big family.”
63-year-old Ann Thomson, who’s worked at the store for 35 years, said:
“I like to speak to our older customers as you might be the only person they see in a day. We chat about all sorts of things like the weather, where they are going on holiday, that sort of thing. I get my nails done every month and they can be quite colourful, so we talk about that too. We are a very friendly bunch here.”
The store’s community champion Margaux Lashbrook said: “Congratulations to Lisa and Ann on their long service. They are stalwarts of customer service and always very happy to chat.”
