The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-08-18
Company Assures Board of
Commerce New Equipment Will
Cause a Big Improvement

strated. The popular idea Of the tel
ephone operator as frivolous young
woman VINO spends much OF her time
eating peanuts and possiping with
her co-workers Ia a myth
The scores OF young women EN-
ployed In the great room which houses
the main exchange, were very busy
Saturday morning
Hundreds of tiny lights twinkled
like glow-worms OF the board and
the trained hands flew quickly from
place TO place, weaving the long
swltchcords into constantly changing
designs, like the web of eNuge spider
As II o'clock approached, tre hour at
which the load" is at it's maximum.
the hands flew faster and faster until
1t was difficult for the eye to follow
the rapidly shifting connections. The
girls were too busy to even look
at their neighbors, TO say nothing OF
talking with them.
Each squad OF nine girls in charge
OF supervisor. who is responsible for
the maintenance Of dicipline." said
Mr. Won SshleYell, and when a girl on
Re bosSd has so many connections
tht she gpsss.>to pull them
I'D YIN fast eGoagh, thu supervisor
st Ps in t9lkeip out THESE girls
wd under the stricte& discipline.
ThI re is set form OF feply to every
corfeivable question bm subscribers.
and every girl is TS6ired to at once
refa any talkatisE subscriber to lin
for4ation." THIS is sore point with
SOM people. They think they ought
to able TO sit down and talk 10
the operator indefinitely, whereas IL
girl stopped to argue, calls would
pile up until her board was beyond
control. AS it is the operators are
kept busy every moment"
further evidence OF the fine organ
lzation and discipline required in the
management OF the exchange was
found In the schoolroom below, where
beginners are taught until they be-
come reasonably proficient. Here is
htted up a model switchboard. and the
hoVlces are taught to make connec-
tlons and learn the phrases which ex-
pellence has shown are effectual In
appeasing impatient or angry sub
scriDers-the psychological side Of tel
ephone work. In prescribing the for
tnuiae for answering, every effort is
maze. according TO Mr. Won Schlegell
10 eliminate unnecessary words and
al the same time avoid all appearance
OF rudeness.
why do you use the word, please?"
inquired one OF the party.
we md that Number. please
puts the subscriber into better frame
OF mind than just plain number f"
was the reply. I'VE did cut II out
once but found that the time saved
was often at the expense of the sub
sGribers' temper"
Most convincing Of all insofar nc u
indicates desire on the part of the
company to keep ND the standor or
service, Is the secret Service" de-
par.ineit Here operators provided
with listening sets, check up the work
vi the operators on the switchboard.
Keep minute record OF the time con-
eunleo oy each IN answering calls. and
report any improper conversation.
me public impression that tele.
phone troubles are due 10 careless.
1ess or incompetence on the part OF
operators is all wrong" said Mr.. Won
schiegeH Out of the girls who enter
our school but so per cent develop
INTO competent operators
Branch exchanges were also visited
by Mr. Won Schlegell and the invas.
ugating party.
several conferences have been held
between the officers of the BOARD ~
commerce and the management of the
michigan State Telephone Co. rela-
i've TO Improvement in the telephone
service. After the conclusion of
these conferences General Manager
Won Schlegell OF the telephone com
pany assured President Couzens OF
the Board OF Commerce that every
effort was being made by the com
)any TO better the service, and. that
ne would personally guarantee that
by October !, ii would be so much
improved that the subscribers and
'eople OF Detroit would be satisfied
alter he sent the following letter
he board
Byres RI Gitchen.
Secretary Board Of Commerce
Dear Sp-ReplyinE to your question
as TO what has been done To- improve
the telephone service I'm Detroit
In Detroit during the year 1913. We
are spending FOR extensions. recon.
structiOn and improvements In our
plant. over $500. 900. These expendi-
lures. In addition 10 covering the out
side plant cover additions To our cen
trail office switchhoards. testing de-
vices and devices for observing the
service. We have ordered additional
Switchboard to properly handle the
traffic load. amounting "a approxi-
mately S2Oe 0O0 These svitchboards
Will Nc Installed during the latter part
OF this year and the early part OF ncXt
We have enlarged our school for in
structtnR operators and now have "A
very complete school for that purpose
In connection with the plant and
equipment work mentioned above we
have also increased our operating ana
plant force and have made changes
which we feel viii improve the SER
vice.
We are carrying on CAMPAIGN to
urge subscribers 90 improve theft tele-
phone facilities in order 10 take care
OF their demands
As t. the question When will the
service be improved%' we are doing
everything that complete 'organiza
tion can, 10 and are advising with the
best experts IN the country IN order 20
get all ~ the assistance that we can
! can state positively. that the service
Is improving and that unless some IN.
foreseen and unusual condition arises
between now and oct 1 thai tts'