Beware of the persuasive sales pitch, warns Heathcote

Chef-Restaurateur Paul Heathcote is urging colleagues to be aware of the aggressive sales tactics of some suppliers after one of his kitchen porters was persuaded into placing an order.

Heathcote said the porter was enticed by the offer of a watch - to be sent direct to his home - to place an order worth £72 for cleaning materials for the Lancashire restaurant.

When Heathcote queried the order, the company, Sheffield-based Diamond Supplies, produced a transcript of a telephone conversation between the porter and one of its sales executives in which the order is clearly confirmed.

"In eight years in business, I have yet to come across another organisation which needs to record telephone conversations as proof of their order," said Heathcote, who added that no transcript of the original conversation when the first sales pitch was made was provided.

He added: "I am not denying that the porter ordered the cleaning equipment, but he had no authority to do it. We are talking about the lad who washes up for us. Restaurateurs and hoteliers should beware."

No one from Diamond Supplies was available for comment.