standing at the supermarket checkout. frantically trying to pack your weekly groceries alone, at the same time fumbling for your purse. The assistant, meanwhile, does nothing to help just sits glaring at the queue that's growing behind you. If it sounds familiar, you won't be surprised to learn that British people moan on average to no less than 13 ends about bad shop assistants, but if poor service is increasing, it could be because, as a nation, we're the least likely to make a fuss about it. Now, big stores are turning to Chequers, a company which sends bogus shoppers women known as Checkmates into shops to test out service. Chequers' reports go back to the stores, some of which have launched new staff training programs in an effort to improve matters.