Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-06-25
THE MOTOR CARI
Its Sudden Dash To Popularity
And Marvellous Manu-
featuring Success.

twentieth century is finally written,
it's most thrilling chapters will almost
surely be those that tell the story of
the motor CARTS sudden dash to
| popularity, its marvellous manu-
featuring successes. and it's costly
tactical failures. So say men learn
ed in the lore Of the business world.
Certain it is. at any rate. that no de-
partment Of the worlds manufactur-
ing history has yet furnished SO
great an amount of industrial ro-
nance.
News of the latest feat of this
kind comes, as one has learned to
expect, from Detroit. In one week.
a firm manufacturing annually an
out put marketed at $50, O00. 900,
completely reorganized the execu-
tive personnel Of its system Of dis.
tribution and then, with the new
organization in charge. scored sales
success during the first month. that
eclipsed all its former records for 4
similar period.
How this was done. without in the
least disturbing the progress of a
busy selling season, is a story of
vital interest to every business man.
rrl
The firm is The Studebaker Corpo-
ration whose mammoth automobile
division. manufacturing E-M-F'3O"
and Flanders 100" cars, maintains a
round dozen plants. The Stude-
bakers markeL their product through
a system of forty branch warehouses
and service stations in the main trad
ing centers. Each of these supplies
cars direct to that part of the 1900
Studebaker dealers in its territory.
The branch managers make all con-
tracts and, to practical ends, each is
The Studebaker Corporation in his
own region.
A combination of circumstances
made it advisable. in the judgment
OF the Studebaker manae ement, to
eliminate certain element in its
sales department. The change en-
volved the sales manager, his assist.
ant and the managers of nearly
third Of the firms branches.
To the automobile world the emer.
gency seemed unexpected. Such
was, however, far from the truth.
When Germany decided to 90 to
war with France. General Won Moltke
took from a certain pigeon hole in
his desk complete plan of cam
paign, drawn up months before.
When his emergency came, General
Manager Gum of the Studebaker
Corporation did virtually the same
thing.
An experienced sales manager.
Ernest R. Benson. was already in
waiting. With him. as assistant,
came Arthur |. Philip, also man pc
culiarly fitted for his work. For
every branch in which change was
necessary, there was ready the as
signment of manager. every ap-
pointee carefully schooled for his
particular job.
The change was made during the
first week of May. Almost on that
exact date, the automobile buying
public made concerted onslaught
on Studebaker dealers. which dis
posed of virtually every car on their
floors, and this despite the fact that
the company had made most gener-
Gus provision for the expected rush.
Several of the branches where chang
es we're made, were among the sales
leaders for the month.
Inc dent to the revision and har-
monizing of the sales department,
Sales Manager Benson announces a
complete list of the new branch man.
ager appointments.
All these men are now firmly es-
tablished in their new positions, the
change having been effected with
out. so far as known. interfering
with the sale of single car or the
;Saffaotion of a sir,rla daaIo.