COMPANY POLICY SPARKS ANGER

DaiYama, the electronics superstore chain, is making the wrong kind of headlines again this week, after angering a customer in Kurume with its strict adherence to company policy. On Wednesday evening, Weave Statson, an Australian studying at Kurume University, headed to the electronics store after his tutorials to pick up a pre-ordered digital camera. He arrived at 6.30pm, safe in the knowledge that the store was open until 9pm.

However, when he presented his receipt and asked if he could have his camera, the clerk apologised and told him that the store had just closed. Looking to where the clerk's finger was pointing, Mr Statson saw that the store clock was incorrect, having stopped at 9.01am that morning, but he was unable to persuade the store clerk to hand over his goods.

Despite Mr Statson showing the clerk his watch, and making him look at his own equally correct watch, he was told that all employees must go by the official store clock, and was politely asked to come back tomorrow. When the Australian refused to back down, the clerk disappeared to find the company policy manual, and painstakingly pointed out all the relevant points to a very frustrated Mr Statson.

Ironically, by the time heaccepted that he would have to come back the next day, the time was in fact 9.01pm.