Disgrace to the profession

Matt Prior’s point about how you sell being important (Tester’s Notes, 15 July) reminded me of my ageing father’s experience. He has always loved big fast saloons, but stiffening joints and growing grandkids suggested something taller with easy access to the rear seats. He did careful research, chose a model and trotted off to the dealer. They were too busy (indolent?) to extract their one example from the showroom to let him test but promised action. None resulted and, after four weeks badgering them, he bought another big saloon from a rival dealer.

He was incandescent, not because he didn’t get his chosen car but because, as the export director of a small multinational company, he viewed the dealer as a disgrace to the selling profession. They couldn’t be bothered driving four miles to let him try the car. He, in contrast, had just made three arduous trips to Tokyo to conclude one (admittedly big) sale. Lindsay Tosh

Parkgate, Dumfries