Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-08
AMERICAN METHOD
PLEASESBR|T|S
Old World Has Much to Learn
of the Auto Bust
ness.
RENDERING OF SERVICE
MAKES DEEP IMPRESSION
H. Massac BUST Thinks Sales Con-
ventions Plays Important Part
in Business.

After making a study of the methods
and factories in America. II. Massac
Buist of the London Morning Post who
accompanied the members of the Society
OF Automobile Engineers on their recent
visit to this country, wrote series of ar
ticles on his return home That Europe
has much to learn from America when it
comes to selling motor cars is the opinion
of this English authority. He was very
much impressed with the service" rem
dered in this country to car owners and
the alertness with which it is applied.
In his latest article he says:
In a country where even the retailer
does business on a scale vastly larger
than in Britain it is but natural that the
science of motor craftsmanship and of
service to the private owner should have
been developed stage ahead of the gen
eral practice in Britain. The Individual
motor trader in the United States, as in
Canada, develops his system to suit the
peculiarities of his district. Yet from end
to end of both those countries there is a
common basis of policy and of procedure
which is instructive to study as explain
ing in large measure how it is possible
that the motor car which is no nearer
reliability in the new world than in the
vastly greater progress relative to head
Of population. and despite the absence of
roads. as We know them, outside the
areas OF the towns and cities.
Sales Conventions
n study of new world methods no
matter i'll which locality YOU choose to
begin. soon reveals that the whole
scheme has its origin in the manufacture
ers OF whatever car may be in question.
The principal makes are represented in
each district by a dealer continuing him
self exclusively to exploiting one of them.
At fixed periods of each year the manu-
facturers hold what they style sales
conventions which are attended by all
those who derive their concessions for
cars direct from the works The dealers
situated in such centers as Chicago.
Minneapolis. Vancouver, Winnipeg. Ed
monitor, Saskatoon. Toronto and SO forth,
attend these conventions, which last
quite a week. a scheduled program is
drawn up as for engineers meetings. AS
the number of conceSSonaires usually
runs into over a hundred the meetings
take place in some suitably large hall.
II might be imagined that, by now
each OF these main dealers has a bust
ness the turnover of which runs into
hundreds of thousands of pounds year,
he would know all that is necessary con-
corning the science of salesmanship. Yet
that is not so.
The average American manufacturer,
like the British, brings out fresh models
season by season. But he arranges his
manufacturing year differently. Practi-
cally all the 1913 range of models was
complete by early summer. In most
cases. the first batch of demonstration
cars of the 1914 pattern We're in the hands
IF the vendors by the end of July, while
the full stream of delivery to the public
began at the end of August. Thus at
rI..N
Of the year there is quite a lot of business
'loing in America. because the private
buyer. has all the inducement of being
able to get new pattern car at any date
from the LIST of September onward. where
as in Europe the public has to wait for
the Paris show at the end of October, or
for the Olympia exhibition in the be-
ginning of November. before it sees the
1914 pattern cars: usually the earliest
time for delivery is January. You are to
remember, of course. that the American
practice is to supply a car standardized
absolutely ready for the read; therefore
10 delays whatever are occasioned by
getting coach work to fit the chassis.
The car YOU try is in all details exactly
Ike the car that will be supplied to you.
Forecast Comes Out Right.
This makes a huge difference to the
manufacturer. According to the way
the matter has gone for three or four
years past, the number of cars forecast
comes out exactly right every day. AS
soon as the last car of the season has
been manufactured. fairly general prac-
tice Is to shut down the works for fort
night in July. during which month the
employees take their holiday all the ma
chincry is adjusted and overhauled. and
all the jigS, dies and so forth are in
stalled for the next seasons output
This means that the factory is working
under the most economical conditions,
with no slack months. to the great re-
dUction in cost of output Further. as
The ears embrace fresh features year by
YEAR IL is foreseen that the individual
salesman must be prepared not only to
pnt forv ard all the arguments in favor
pf those new features. but also satisfac-
iorily 10 combat all arguments against