New-York tribune., 1902-05-11

The volume Of business is reported daily to the
superintendent by the buyers of the various depart
ments, by which means the firm knows the eff
cheney of each buyer and his ability. lack of it,
TO successfully conduct his department. In of
the larger stores the employees are assembled in
divisions twice a week during the holiday
season and when there is unusual plethora of
business, and instructed by either the superintend-
ent or one of the firms members in the ethics Of
the successful retail system, which long experience
has proved the best way of doing business.
To the purchaser in one of these big stores but
little is known of the method employed by the sales
people to acquire pos tons An application for place
Is sometimes made weeks in advance of the time
when interview is granted by the superintend-
ent. After the trying ordeal of presenting ones
capabilities and satisfying the employer that they
are adequate the question of salary being settled.
the applicant is given the card upon which are his
answers to a list of questions. viz: Name.
previous occupation name of previous employer.
time employed. and if discharged the reason. and
Will the applicant agree TO faithfully discharge his
duties and to report any lack of attention or dis
cipline on the part of fellow worker. This card
Is taken to the time desk where II is surrendered,
his name is enrolled and he is given a number by
which he is known. his individuality being sub
merged In the mercantile sea He is then sent
to the department for which he has been en-
gagged reporting at to the aisle man, who con-
suits with the buyer and decides what portion of
the stock shall be assigned to him His first duty
is TO famiarize himself rapidly as possible with
the goods the location and prices. He is then in
structed to the proper making out of checks and
other intricaces of the sales book. Having accom-
plished this he is equipped meet his first
toner
The salesbook is a complicated affair 1t
tains from fifty to hundred duplicated blank
forms. with spaces for the address (when the
goods are to be sent charged. the date of pUr-
chase and the description of the goods sold AT the
bottom is the cashiers voucher on which is
written the amount of. money received from the
purchaser When goods bought and to be
taken away by the buyer. the sales person must
send them, with the check made out by him, it's
duplicate and the money he has received TO the
wrapping desk where they are examined by the
inspector TO that they correspond in detail
with the description given on the check. II cor
rect. they passed by him and wrapped. The
money for the purchase and the original check are
sent to the cashier in the division in which the
purchase was made. and he removes the voucher
and files ii, stamps the check and returns il to the
inspectors desk At the end of the days business
these checks and vouchers TO the auditing
department for examination. Where any dscrep-
ancy exists in the checks and vouchers the
debit side the deficit must be by the cashier,
the sales person or the inspector.
Most of the large stores require their employees to
report for duty at 7:45 a. although business with
the public does not begin until S. After having
successfully passed the time desk which is literally
what its name implies and reported to the aisle
man Of the department with which he Is connected,
at the desk is the first of the disagreeable occur
rences. and is a most uncomfortable and inau-
spcious episode with which TO usher in the days
duties. Two desks reQuired-one for the male
and for the female employees Naturally the rush
hour is between 7:45 and o'clock I'm large store.
and the timekeepers. three of whom are stationed
at each desk are taxed to the utmost both in ac-
curacy and celerity in securing the number and
time of each employe he crowds past the desk
IN his anxiety TO report before the time limit q
ocloc) is reached \ system Of fines is established,
whereby the tardy ones taxed, usually 15 cents
for every fifteen minutes fraction thereof unless
the delinquent Is than hour late. when
half days pay is deducted from the weeks salary
The hats and wraps of the employees are disposed
of in the room apart for this purpose before
report is maGe at the desk. time must elapse
other than that taken in going TO the departments
10 which they are assigned after having reported
themselves present.
Now begins the actual work The store has
passed through the hands of the sweepers during
the night anu the various stocks generally
coated with dust which must be removed by the
sal lespeopIe = speedily possible. In no depart
mont is the busting process more tedious than the
one in which the books sold. This department
is the most interesting, in many ways. and re-
Guires saIespeople with forensic knowledge and
perception To meet the numerous demands of the
fnIosc in mos VIII" attend in tbis epaTtment
as an inSistent customer who demands a copy OF
Marshall Fields poems must be shown his mistake
in a manner that will not injure his dignity or
indicate a lack of knowledge literary. Mrs. Nou-
veau Richie must be deIcately reminded that there
is a possibility of her having mistaken the title
when she insists upon having copy of BismarCks
Biograph for her new library. Mr.. Parvenu, when
he rushes in, watch in hand. and demands TO see
the owner OF the store, as he only furnish
library for his new new yacht; is told that ii is i'm
may make will be attended to. VIII ne specify the
books he wants? oh. yes Classics, such as
.Ouver's Travels Rudyard's 'Bungle Tales and
Well. suit yourself. / am too busy OF course
his wishes are literally followed. The alert sales
person met him before. and makes selection for
him. The books are sent 70 the yacht, some OF them
uncut which gives him opportunity To Joke
a cutting his friends (tOld him bv