The Detroit times., 1915-08-19
Tact in Business.
~ n. ApplNcToN sRUcE,
Author OF THE Riddle Of Personality"
Psychology and Parenthood," etc.

I smoke q certain brand Of pipe tobacco. II ID
popular brand. and by no means expensive
One day. wishing to rsplsnish my supply, !
asked for this brand II the tobacco counter Of
one Of Boston's largest grocery stores. re-
ceived the reply:
sorry, but we don't keep thai. can give
you some tobacco. though. that II much better.
We keep only the best kinds"
Il was said civilly enough. There was no
thought OF insult. But instantly the thought
flashed into my mind
4 wonder il all the clerks in this place are -
tactless as this fellow"
II they were. could readily understand why.
large though the store was. there were vsry few
customers In Il.
Tact Ia in truth q business asset Of the fsrst
importance. II is 90 important that al business
establishments should make u . point to train
their employees to HANDLE CUSTOMERS AND
PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS TACTFULLY.
Some firms already DO this very thing. ] have
especially In mind q colossal New York trading
corporation. with stores located In many cities.
BE tactfu" il virtually the slogan q this COZ
poration, and the financial success II II enjoying
testihes convincing1y that tact pays.
To be tactful does not mean that one should
be crinsing or fawning. It means simply that
care should always be taken 70 AVOID
WOUNDING THE SUSCEPTTBn.ITrES OF
Even seemingly 90 small . matter ~ uncon-
sciously calling In question . customers judg-
ment on q hat, shirt, or . necktie. may mean
the ending Of al business rotations with that
customer.
Yet there should Be NO abject. differential
slavishness-no obseQuious eagernsss TO sell Z
man the thing he wants Just because he wants II
II his choice be really poor. II he II trying to
buy somsthing which he eventually will discov
o. does not suit him. II IL Just - poor business
to sell II TO him - II would b to criticize hia
selection by word. look or gesture.
The proper course 10 to try-Always tactfully
TO turn his attention and his desire to some
thing really more suitable, and to rouse In him .
conviction that, after all. this other article II
what he wanted all the time.
II In thus, and only thus. that . lasting good
will IL established between customer and sales
man, whether the salesman be working behind
the counter on the road
Tact, accordingly. 10 one Of the prime essen
tails Of all hrst-class salesmanship. When we
hear II said of a man that he 10 born sales
as a man preeminently blessed with tact.
Nor is II only as regards salesmanship that
tact is business asset. The doctor. the lawyer,
the banker. the broker-every man. In short.
who Is dependent on the goodwill Of others
ought to make II q point to develop the habit
Of being tactful.
This Implies, Of course. the cultivation Of self.
control. No man who In not habitually self.
controlled can be habituaIly tactful.
He IN sure at times to feel fatiGued. worried,
or impatient. Unless he can keep these feelings
under firm control. he may be hurried into words
or acts that are the reverse Of tactful.
ID Consequently. the development Of tact involves
"a mental and moral discipline that has a ire.
business ability. but on his life a. q whole.