Planet Numbers Vow To Help Failing Businesses

The business world is collapsing around the civilians of this country as one of the largest banks in the world, Lehman Brothers, declares itself bankrupt. The bank, who were more than $613 billion in debt, filed for bankruptcy after attempts to rescue it from liquidation had been thwarted.

Times are looking grim for the economy at present but is there any possible solution to this crisis?

There once was a time when the streets were awash with corner shops and little family run businesses. Places where your custom was valued, appreciated and deserved. Places that ensured that when you purchased something from the shop, be it a suit, a bun from the bakers or even your laundry at the launderette, you knew that you would get quality customer service and products built with care, precision and effort. Although the films portray it as a time of black and white it seems it was a far more colourful place than the world we live in today. Today, as you walk through your local Tesco or HMV, you are greeted with zombie-like grunt by the characterless, money driven staff that inhabit our convenience stores.

So why do we shop there? Why do we give our custom to the big companies who monopolise the streets with the giant chain markets?

I walked into my local Tesco this weekend looking to buy a bottle of Heinz tomato ketchup. The monotonic beep of the checkouts imitating the robots these staff aspire to be pierce my ears as I begin my vain attempt to find my item. The towering aisles offering to help my with my search, vaguely pointing me in the right direction. When I find it and take it to the checkout staff who looks the least like Shrek, I'm greeted by the much practiced fake smile as they take my £1.94 and force the receipt into my hands. I begin to l... Wait... £1.94? I check the receipt and sure enough, the 'robot' had been experiencing technical difficulties. I had been charged twice. I was furious, my face redder than the tomato ketchup I had just purchased. I stormed up to the checkout as the plastic smile of the operator tried to calm me down. 'Is there a problem?' Said the girl, spitting at me through her braces. I glanced at her name badge. What a strange name. 'Well, Melanie HERETOHELP.' I seethed. 'If that IS your real name. It seems you have charged me twice.' I could tell she was thinking hard to remember her training.'

- Smile
- Sympathise with customer
- Sort the problem out accordingly.

'I'm going to have to get my supervisooooooooooooo...oooo...oooor.' she said, holding the end of the sentence for far too long.

After about 10 minutes of watching this young girl being trained by a lady who was clearly heavily pregnant, bringing the total of braincells in that body to two. I finally received my change and left very dissatisfied. My fish fingers, chips and ketchup meal that night was rather soured.

How much would you pay for a smile? For good customer service? What is an extra 20p to brighten up your shopping experience? It's places like Tesco that are the reasons why you see boarded up shops and the average man's dream of starting his own business slowly fade down the drain.

Planet Numbers do everything in their power to help these businesses. They offer memorable and unique business telephone numbers to help these floundering companies generate extra business and gain extra income. Having a memorable and unique non-geographical telephone number makes it much easier for customers to call because 0845 numbers, 0800 numbers, 0844 and 03 numbers can be remembered off the top of their head.

Soon, Planet Numbers could be savior of hundred of businesses around the country.