Mr. Larson of the cellular industry group said that while the industry objected to controls imposed on cellphone ringing, it did not oppose measures left to the customers' discretion.
Moss Bros admitted its Oxford branch got it wrong: "Accidental damage waiver (ADW) is voluntary and entirely at the customer's discretion as to whether they take advantage of it.
In its promotional brochure, for example, BBI advertises offshore banking for international customers, stressing "premier discretion, privacy and simplicity".
Bain & Company, a consulting firm, expects the industry's sales to fall by a tenth in 2009, to €153 billion ($225 billion).Some executives even expect a lasting shift in customers' preferences, towards discretion and value.
But customers still demand discretion.
The restaurant said the discount was given to customers at the discretion of the wait staff and was open to people of all religious beliefs.
But a sales associate at Bergdorf said this week that the staff was instructed to use discretion with customers looking to buy a large number of items.
Famous customers The management have a discretion policy and will not discuss any of their customers, but pretty much everybody from Nicole Kidman to Maggi Hambling.
Yet several months on, it's still going strong, offering tea, coffee, cakes and soups, all priced at the discretion of the customer, although Bennet (one of the resident Chaplains) admits the student effect is noticeable: "You can see the income spike go up and down, depending on whether it's term time or not".
The bartenders exercise discretion in serving customers who they feel have had enough to drink.
