My car battery failed this morning. I found out when I got into the car to go to work and it wouldn’t start. It hadn’t lasted too badly; it was fitted just over 4 years ago when the previous one failed at the petrol pump in Tesco. That time the AA came out, diagnosed the problem, started the car and then took me to a local supplier where we got a battery and then the AA man fitted it.

The level of service has changed a bit in the last 4 years. The man arrived after about 45 minutes, which was quite good first thing in the morning. He quickly diagnosed the battery as faulty and needing to be replaced. He didn’t have a battery on the van and so that was the end of it. I was recommended to go to Halfords to get the battery replaced and not to stop the engine until it was replaced. Not exactly service with a smile.

I drove to Halfords and then waited for them to open at 9:00, bought a 4 year warranty battery, had it fitted and left by 9:10. Much more helpful at Halfords than the AA. I know the AA have got to be competitive and keep their costs down, but I can’t help noticing how impersonal it has become in the 19 years I have been a member.