The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-23
FEW FIRMS so SMALL As
NOT TO NEED ONE TRUCK

Business timidity keeps many smaller
firms from gaining the advantages of
motortruck delivery.
Many merchant who especially
needs trucks because OF their ability
TO expand business holds off from
their purchase because OF fear that
he has not enough work TO keep 4
truck busy.
He had heard il argued that only a
large firm, with need for enough vchi-
Giles to warrant the construction OF
It's own garage. the purchase OF gaso-
lene in quantity at reduced rates. the
manufacture OF its own electricity and
the maintenance OF - special repair
force. can operate power delivery
system AT a profit
Occasionally this may be true. ON
rare occasions there arc special lines
where n truck might be an cXtrava-
gance, but for every one such there
are dozen where a power vehicle
could DC Installed with profit.
/; is one OF the cUriositics OF motor
truck selling that it is easier TO get
the big orders than tho little The pur-
chasing agent who places an order for
a feet OF from ten TO twenty-five re-
Gurcs less persuasion than the mcr-
buy one.
The man who figures that he has
hardly enough delivery to keep one
wagon and two horses busy naturally
hcsitatcs 20 bear the Increased expense
Of n vehicle that will traverse more ter
ri;ory and make two or three times
as many calls. If he hasn't enough
work for present facilities. he argues.
why increase them?
But when this argument is sub
he found. except in isolated instances.
that likely every proposition which is
opposed 10 progressive methods is
based on unsound reasoning.
The man who suits his facilities to
the amount OF business he has and
makes TO plans for gaining and han
ding n greater volume is gong to
stand. still Some more oNtcrprisinE
rival,N unwilling to limit his business
to tho radius he can cover cconomi-
and get the customers.
The merchant must follow man into
the suburbs, and 10 do this is the
function OF the motortruck. No other
agency can rival II In this service
The merchant with one wagon and
two horses may be able 10 deliver Mt
small! cost IN his own restricted ter
r!tory. but ne can go no further. and
to this extent puts n permanent check
on bis profits The suburban and dis
might open 81
There are II may he set down rs
rule. few cases in which a truck cannot
work up enough new trade to make up
for possible difference in operating
cost between II and the horses IL dis
placed.
1t is good business law that tho
smaller firm cannot do without tho
business economies and progressive
methods of the bigger firm. The firm
tt,, fol ,,,I
has lesser facilities for making money
really has q proportionatclY greater
need of cntcrprisinG methods than tho
bie firm whose volume OF trade and
prestige alone would in many in
stances. suffice to carry il along. The
truck is one of those methods by which
the bigger firm holds it's supremacy
and constantly extends the area of its
operations. To let the big firm hold
the advantage is a hlundcr.
Looking at the matter strictly from
the economy viewpoint. from the angle
Of the smaller firm that has to watch
every dollar, II must also he borne in
mind that. except for the interest on
the money invested in it's purchase. the
lnotortruck costs only when It works
its consumption of Gasolcnc or cleo
tricity represents mileage in the in
tercst of its owner. Unlike horses, II
does not in slack times consume fodder.
II eats when il works. and then only.
Inc TRUCK bN reason OF It's 3Dllity
10 40 the distances, TO make time. to
guarantee deliveries on a fixed sChc-
dule. to advertise the name of Tho
firm, To fill rush orders. TO give Il door
to-door delivery in all extremes OF
weather is = business gcttcr.
Hence the merchant investigating de-
livery mediums should weigh carefully
the possibility of new trade 10 follow
the truck purchase. If there should bo
such prospect, the additional cost
is nothing, any more than he need
worry abOu. the $4,000 salary Of the
salesman who can produce $4,000
worth of new business.
Nor need the merchant fret In adj
vance about the imagined difficulty
OF keeping The truck In running con-
dition. He needs no garage nor repair
man. for in tho service station OF the
company that sold him the truck he
can get all thie, som etimes nj a lesser
proporuonatc cost than If he had n
feet and maintained hts own repair
plant.
AT the station is full line OF parA