Sally's been offering service with a smile at Asda Taunton since the day it opened

Our wonderful colleague Sally Jones has been going out of her way to provide excellent service at our Taunton store since the very first day it opened 40 years ago.

Sally, who's 58, says she loves working there, and really appreciates the close relationships she's built with customers and colleagues.

She said: "We are like one big happy family here. It's a great place to work. Everyone is so friendly. You know everybody and it's so nice."

Sally worked in a shoe shop in the town before applying to Asda when the store was being built.

She said: "I came for an interview here to fill shelves but they had no room so they said I'd have to do checkouts so I said 'that's alright' and I've been on checkouts ever since.

"As I've been here for 40 years I know so many customers they are like family. I know what customer comes in when and at what time! I know them by clockwork.

"I know absolutely loads and I do have people queuing for me. The customers are lovely; really nice. I always have a chat to them and for some seeing me and chatting to me important, as I may be the only person they see all week. Their day out is to come to Asda shopping.

"We talk about anything really – holidays, health, family. As I've known them for years they always ask about my family. It's lovely. I'm always laughing and joking with the customers.

"My customers all know I've been here 40 years and they think it's wonderful. I've known some of the customers since I started and I known their children now who are all grown up and who've got their own children.

"There have been so many changes over the 40 years. It's completely different to when I first started. It's so fast now and all computerised. You just swipe everything now! As I've been here all the time I've just got on with it and adapted."

Sally's been married for 30 years to husband Royston and they have two grown-up children, Jade and Liam, and a six-year-old granddaughter Alice.

And when she's not working she enjoys picking up Alice from school and spending time with her family.

Customers have been telling us just how great Sally is.

Lin Cutts said: "Sally always makes me very welcome and always asks about my grandchildren. I don't go to anyone else to be served. Sally is always so happy and helpful."

And Jinnie Kisby added: "Sally is so helpful and always so happy. She always asks us how our holidays were and what we are up to. We always miss her when she's on holiday."

Regular customer Trudia Wood said: "Sally is just so lovely. I wait for her to serve me and she makes my day."

Elaine Warren, the store's operations manager, has worked with Sally for the last 12 years. She said: "Sally is brilliant and her customer service is fantastic.

"She has regular customers who come to her till and queue at her checkout even though there may be a completely empty checkout elsewhere. They want to queue to see Sally every time they come in. That is testament to the great service she gives and the great colleague that she is.

"She is very chatty with customers and really cares. She's built relationships with the customers who queue for her. She knows about them and she knows about her. You don't get to see that very often anymore.

"If Sally's on holiday or off poorly we get customers coming up and asking where she is and if she's okay. She's really missed if she's not in the building.

"What I think is also great is that although she's been here for such a long time she is always willing to learn new skills."