I read with something little short of astonishment the letter from Jenny Cainer, that, according to her, 'the days of word-of-mouth reputation are numbered' (see [2005] Gazette, 2 June, 14). My 35 years' experience here in Canterbury proves that such a statement in its sweeping generalisation is inaccurate.

Year after year, I find that 90% of my business comes either from established clients or their relatives or friends, or from persons who simply come upon recommendation. There is nothing to indicate that this situation will not be repeated every year until my retirement.


It is based not on a philosophy of 'getting out into the market-place', but rather on work done quickly and efficiently at a cost acceptable to me and the client, and this can only be achieved by simply putting the hours in at the office. Despite what Ms Cainer says, and despite the advances of the so-called Tesco Law, I am glad to say that a one-to-one quick response service and the fact that this is delivered with no delegation is advertisement enough, at least for my firm, and I strongly suspect for most other small practices, which still make up the bulk of this profession.


RA Pitt, Beadle Pitt & Gottschalk, Canterbury, Kent