Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-08-18
TRAFFIC STUDY
CHIEF STUDY
Manager Starks Thinks Too
Many Telephone Managers
Are in Habit
OF ALLOWING TRAFFIC
TO CARE FOR ITSELF
Poor Telephone Manager Has
Bunch of Trouble Thrown in
for Good Measure"

Many believe that the telephone
system of Grand Rapids is as ideal as
it can be made for the present, this
side rof the millennium. 1t is being
talked about and copied throughout
the United States. Manager Starks,
however, believes that our system is
far from perfect. Some weeks ago, in
an interview, he showed how essential
to good service it is for the patrons to
cooperate with the manager and the
''halloo girls" Today, he brings out
the other side of the question, by
showing the necessity Of wideawake
and progressive manager, who is will
ing to subordinate all: other interests
to the faithful performance of his
duties. Mr.. Starks says:
"We fear that in their efforts to
carefully oversee the whole manage
ment of their exchanges, some man
ayers are won't to overlook the real
thing that they are selling service
and allow it to take care Of itself. It
will be obvious to every telephone
man, and to business men who are
interested in the telephone movement
that logical management of the
traffic operates in two directions, both
of which are of great importance. If
the traffic is carefully and continuously
watched, it means that the work of
operating is being well done, and that
the exchange is giving to it's patrons
an accurate, prompt and reliable SER
vice; that the first function of tele-
phone exchange is to give it's sub
scribers such a service, every
telephonist will acknowledge. Yet
how many telephone managers keep
that axiom continually in mind?
"How many telephone exchanges,
everyone of US know, where it is
perfectly obvious that the manage
ment is thinking of everything else
than that which should be it's prin-
cipal aim, the production of a
thoroughly efficient service-a thor
oughly efficient, conduct of the traffic
the more remarkable it is that this
should be so because the sole object
of the telephone exchange is to fur
nish telephone service, and it should
naturally be the primary and
important thought of the telephone
manager to make his service as
efficient as it can be made. the
general tendency of telephone man.
ayers is unfortunately to devote too
much attention to the things concrete
and allow the traffic to take care of
itself.
"With different policy, policy in
which the attainment of the highest
efficiency in the conduct of the traffic
should be the battle cry, almost every
thing else might be left to take care
Of itself, or rather such a policy
would tend to automatically compel
everything else to be properly taken
care of, since thoroughly efficient
service can not be given without a
thoroughly efficient force and plant.
The telephone system run on the lines
here laid down will be the first really
popular service to exist And from
the financial side we are sure that
such system would pay.
s'The reward for a manager who
studies his traffic will be not alone a
more efficient service but he will gain
more intimate and detailed know
ledge of the operation of his plant,
which will be of value to him, in
making him better telephone man.
The knowledge be thus gains will be
of the utmost value in aiding him in
the general conduct of the business of
the plant, and in the best methods OF
operating it. Telephone traffic has
many details entirely peculiar to
itself. This is one of the reasons why
such close and persistent study
should DC given to it. 1t is the
commodity in which the exchange
deals, yet it is produced, or at least
its production is started, out side the
exchange and not within. The time
and rate of production are wholly
beyond the control of the exchange
and under the control of the public
Every supplier of public utilities must
in the long run, supply what they sell
in the manner the public demands
'But the telephone manager is at a
peculiar disadvantage. The manu-
facturer can run his plant half time
full time or over time: can store the
surplus produced or even at times
make tie public wait. The railway
or steamboat manager makes table
to which the public must need con
form. The telegraph manager take.
your message and leaves you to guess
what he does with it. But the tele
phone manager must always be ready
TO work full time and at full speed
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