The sun., 1912-07-21


The shoppers eye was caught In an
instant, pleased by the effect. Without
hesitation she paid for the scarfs and
the flower. thanked the girl and left
the store beamlng with smiles.
The second girl had training; tho
first had none. The second girl bene-
fited store. shopper and herself; the
first lost not her only sale but her
temper.
The efficiency girl studies her Gus
toners. She learns tn discriminate be
tween the self-reliant. the artistic. the
emotional and the practical types of
customers.
study your people" Is one OF Miss
Iliirscher's frequent warnings Don't
treat a woman with long upper lip or .
mouth which closes like razor blade
as you would one with Grecian nose
and bow shaped lips. Defer to the first
and humor the second.
| III YOU are trying to sell waist
to person with rectangular face.
stiff neck and a fixed eye. don't get
the idea that you must impress her with
what you know about the goods. Get
her viewpoint and shape your ideas to
It, A 'snag' customer is the true test
II ability.
But handle the emotional type very.
very differently. You can tell 1t by
the bright. rowing eye, flushed cheeks
and full lips. which separate easily.
This type is more impressed by the
beauty o. effect Of an article than iis
utility. and you should be able to
advise, judge and suggest along both
ines
Use discretion with the practical
type and take the emotional under the
protection of your common sense wing
| As you 20 down the scale from higher
to lower individual quality your efforts
in selling will have 10 be increas Il
and your skill need to be greater. for
the finer the quality OF your customer
the more quickly and graclously will
she respond to your efforts and the
more easily will the sale be oonsum-
matcd---if she really intends to buy.
do you know why that girl We took
from the ribbon counter. where she
made such unusual sales. doesn't make
good at the notions?" asked the man
ager Of a store which had Just taken
up the efficiency system.
LET us so and ask ner." replied Miss
Iiirscher. smiling.
IL love ribbons" answered tho girl,
simply. Color means a lot to me.
can't keep from looking at 1t. even
way Off here"
"That girl" Miss Hirschlcr told the
manager aftcrward. was the right girl
In the right place"
The manager saw and the girl was
put back al the ribbons.
In another store In Fifth avenue a
handsome girl had been saleswoman In
the fancy lace section for two years.
dy,ir hi mt ha Z
transferred to the mourning counter
early In the third year. The sales at
the mourning counter Immediately fell
off and the manager started an invcsti-
CATION.
Going down the aisle one morning he
noticed this girl with a customer The
customer was robed in deep black and
was evidently depending on the girl to
sustain her interest In the goods she
needed. but the girl was answering in.
qur!es In an absolutely perfunctory
manner, with her eyes glued to n bar
gain table In the next aisle where sale
OF laccs was advertised. At a question
sharply put by her customer she turned
, her attention to her own counter. and
the manager caught the look OF distasto
and hatred which she flung upon the
black things which surrounded her.
This Girl dislikcd mourning. sorrow
, death and all things connected with
them. She had never known any partic'
, ular trouble. had a desire for the say
bright colors and things OF life, and re-
fused to consider anything but her owr
needs. She had no sympathy with th'
black robed mourners who came to her
/, The manager. being a far sighted NOR
, tai, saw this and realized the girls ca
, pacities in another branch. He put hel
, at the colored goods counter and sales
, looked up.
/ Tho reason for the sales looking up
. obvious. A girl does her best work Whcr
, she feels herself In the right place, anc
= tho efficiency system strives TO place
, girls In grooves where the inclnatlor
/ conducts.
The efficiency girl II the product OF
\ system recognizing the fact that IN
r weak point In many a carefully organ
tied store Is It's sales force. The depart
: mcnt store Is reaching out for compe
i tency In It's salespeople. of the sor
!. which shall truly represent II To 'h'
= public It seeks to serve. 1t Il wi'l'ng ''
pay for such service. for any depart
I ment store would rather have one ~,
q behind the counter earning 81: wecf
p than two girls earning IS. for the W.
: girl not only sells goods but builds "'
custom.