Connecticut western news., 1901-05-23
Copyright, 1901. by Louis Klopsch. N. "
DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS.
Frequently Caused by Incompetent
Clerks.

Clerks.
1t is generally admitted by progress.
i've, thinking retailers that the dissatis-
fled customer is one of the most unde-
sirable results of the relations between
buyer and seller, says Brains. His eff
feet OH trade is most pernicious-per
manently pernicious. The modern
storekeeper must realize that with ev-
cry unsatisfactory sale that is made in
his establishment his chances of being
commercially prosperous are immeas
urably weakened.
Good advertising will interest and
lead customers to a store, but the best
advertising in the world cannot for any
extended period successfully contend
against inside methods which discour-
age and antagonize purchasers. Good
advertising in the newspapers becomes
poor advertising and represents an In.
vitation to business failure Immediate
ly 1t Is supplanted by bad store man.
agement. The success of the modern
merchant In these days of keen compe-
tition is primarily dependent upon the
harmonious combination of good adj
vertising and good bookkeeping. One
without the other is as inappropriate
and ineffective as coal without tho
flame with which to kindle 1t.
Thoughtless and incompetent clerks
nre frequently the direct cause of dis
satisfaction to patrons. They may be
classified in two groups, those who are
thoughtless as a result Of incompetence
and those who are incompetent as n re.
c,Ilf Of 10 n
sirable as the other from a business
standpoint. They both invite difficult
situations, which the conscientious
storekeeper or his manager is striving
necessarily to avoid. Too much care
cannot be exercised in selecting en-
ployees to fill and to fill satisfactorily
the many difficult positions behind the
counter
The success of store depends very
largely upon the caliber and ability of
the salespeople, and 1t is therefore en-
inently important to have the right
man in the right place. A sullen dis
position, know more about 1t than
you do" air, hasty temper, n lack of
affability, patronizlng manner, any of
these displeasing qualities or charac-
teristics should forever exclude their
possessor from the list of eligibles.
The Woodworking, good natured, affa-
bic, never too tired to show you this
or that sort is the man you want.
He's a storekeeper's jewel and should
be sought out and cherished when
found. He exists and isn't very scarce
either.
One more word about the clerk. a
business frequently suffers from over
anxiety on the part of a salesman to
make sale. This shows commenda-
bic disposition, an interest in bust
ness which cannot be overestimated,
| but the store Zealot at times goes too
| far. He does more harm than good.
| Dissatisfied customers frequently be-
come so as n result of the "just as good
| as habit of statesmen. When n GUS
toner desires n certain article and it Is
not in stock, the very enterprising mer
| chant of today offers to procure 1t for
him instead of substituting something
| similar.
Good, truthful advertising supple
mented by CORRESPONDENCE worthy
merchandise. sold by polite, obligine
| statesmen, will seldom fail to bring to
the merchant the success and prosper
| ity for which we are all so anxiously
struggling.