The Detroit times., 1912-05-16

| ~ "hb uiStauCe tclepuOhO ~ I'D
possible to talk with him directly,
at once, while the matter Is fresh In
his mind. Long distance will get TO
him before letter 1t will get there
before competitors letters. II some
competitor has the forethought to
send a salesman to see the inquirer,
II will get there before him. The
cost will be lower than correspon-
dcnce. in the end II there Is a
chance to land the business, 1t will
give the best chance, and II the bust
ness cannot be landed. the matter Is
definitely settled, saving time, delay
and lost energy.
When sales are made over the tele-
phone by a corps of statesmen, 1t Is
well to have them trained carefully
fol- that work. A department store
In the West recently issued the fol-
lowing leaflet of instructions:
IAN employee should be ready TO
talk to the customer as soon as the
connection is completed. Get the
name, address and telephone number
OF the calling person as early as con-
lvenient in the conversation. Speak
in a moderate tone directly into the
transmitter with lips close to the
mouthpiece. When the telephone
rings, answer promptly with the
name OF your department. Avoid the
words well" hello" or what Is
iit?" Be quick and to the point.
Finish every conversation you start.
Never fail to say rs there anything
else, or another department to which
may transfer your" Never evade
complaint. Show real regret that
there has been a cause for complaint
genuine pleasure in correcting II.
We want everyone in this store fam
| lily TO regard the telephone as a help
and means OF his or her develop
ment. II will pay you as well as 1t
does the store"
| Many devices have been used to at.
tract telephone business. The April,
1912, issue OF System gives several.
Among them are: 1st Printing a
catalogue showing the picture of the
operator who takes the customers
telephone order In any particular
department (thus establishing the
personal relation'D; End, the dealer
having his name placed In several
classifications in those directories
which publish such classifcations;
Srd, giving checks for free telephone
calls TO customers who make pur-
chases OF over 25 cents, or some such
amount; 4th, giving prizes to Gus
toners who ordered goods by tele-
phone at certain secret but pre-
arranged moment; 9Th, giving rebate
on goods ordersd by telephone; 9Th.
using telephone or telephone equip
ment in store windows for display
purposes; and so forth.
Another retail establishment inaug.
urated an apparently expensive
free toll service" This service was
announced by an explanatory adver-
Using campaign twenty-five thou
sand people In suburban towns were
given the privilege of calling this
store by telephone free of charge,
either to place an order or to inquire
about goods. Anyone whose name
was listed In the local telephone
/ directory was placed on the firms
credit HIST Customers who lived In
suburban towns were invited to use
the stores telephones to call their
homes while they were In the store
also free OF charge This Is undoubt-
eddy one OF the broadcast and most
liberal telephone policies now prac-
ticed In department stores. But more
than one store has found 1t profitable.
Making the "close" Yourself.
Every executive knows the sort OF
sale that is all made but the clos
ing" and yet hangs fire. How often,
when trying to show subordinates
how TO land the order, he has wished
that he could get direct action him
self on the customer for FIVE min
utes.
There is a manufactures In the
Middle West whose statesmen visit
Prospective customers, explain goods,
maintain interest. But II the deal is
important he usually has TO go and
wind it up in person.
I'm not what you'd call a sales
man." he says. yet, when our men
have been calling on Jones three
months, and Jones has gone into
every blessed point. and is still sit
ting on the fence. find the best
thing is TO get my hat, and go and
see him, and ask why he's holding
of.
Maybe he says, why, want to
figure out that cost again"
Cost" say. What cost? This
equipment isn't going to cost you
anything. Good heavens, man, the
savings on the first six months OPP
Grafton will pay for the whole
thingi"
II don't pretend to be a salesman.
But when | make up my mind to
close Jones, and go at him like that,
he most generally always signs up"
Today, this manufacturer Is clos
ing Jones" over the long distance
telephone. In dealing with customers
he formerly reached nearby, 1t saves
his time and theirs too, and he Is
able to bring his personal influence
10 bear in territory far beyond what
was possible in the days when he
reached for his hat instead OF the
telephone receiver. The telephone
saves Jones's time too. The door is
never shut, and for direct effect II is
every bit as potent as q personal