It’s not every day you’re presented with an opportunity to read letters addressed to the Chief Executive of one of the UK’s largest retail chains. As part of my challenge, I was able to do just that: read Justin King’s post to see what customers were writing to him about.

What struck me most was the fact that people were contacting him about issues and concerns that could so easily be resolved in-store. Of course, there were some serious complaints, but so many letters addressed small frustrations or simple comments.

I realised I had been presented with a huge opportunity to listen to what customers had to say about the stores they shopped in – and to help resolve them as quickly as possible. I decided to trail a customer surgery, and took it to a new store where I could test my idea in a new territory, with both customers and colleagues I didn’t know.

On the first day I didn’t feel very confident; I didn’t know what to expect, what customers would say, if anyone would even talk to me – but the opinions, comments, complaints, compliments and the odd medical concern came flooding in.

Although it was a surgery, I had to explain on three occasions that I was not, in fact, a doctor. In the small amount of time I was there, more than 250 customers took the opportunity to tell me exactly how they felt – the good, the bad and the absurd!

I’m Running Sainsbury’s, Tuesdays at 9pm on Channel 4

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