The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-12-17

On the road yourself, you possibly DO
not realize that you are sometimes ask
ing your salesman to be Daniel. Yes,
Dantel--for that Is what 1t amounts
% when you send your representative
IN to 80 some Of the buyers to whom
you would sell your goods.
said some or them. for the ma
1crity are human and know how to
tfe&t other people humanity. But there
arc . KrcGt many buyers who are
Nhall ! say 20 egotisdoal at any
rate they are DO over-conscious OF the
authority vested in them that they
forget that tbs man who comes to sell
goods to them Is also human. Be-
cause they are the buyers and the
other Fellows are the sellers. they con-
slider that they are doing a favor by
buying. T.ey consider that, since they
have tho money to spend and the other
felloW---you- saiesman---is trying to
get 1t away from them by selling them
value, they have a natural right to
treat the other felluw-your eales-
|N1nan--As. an inferior being who has no
rights Of his own but must stand the
abuse--and sometimes gross inhuman
treatmsnt-that you or / would not
accord to our dogs.
Now let me give few instances
to Illustrate just what I mean.
Recently tine buyer of large East
tain manufacturer OF mems wear, ad-
vtsng that he was prepared to place
his spring order. The salesman who
regularly makes the territory was
hundreds of miles away. but he was
anxious to cooperate with the buyer
to the extent Of aiding him in making
his spring selections So he mailed an
advance card. stating the exact date
and time he would arrive. After he
had made a special trip of some hum
dreds of miles out of his way, the
buyer told him that he would not be
ready to place his order until after
noon s+gstt
-'Rlr Mr.. ----. II would be doing
me a special favor If you would see
me at once. had planned on taking
lhe 1890 train"
= Il DON, care what train you had
planned ON taking If you want nay
order. you viii wait for it
+ So the salesman waited. He waited
until long after the time specified by
the buyer He waited until after the
last train had ieft--and he was COM
PEELED to lose fully twenty four hours.
Finally, the buyer went to the sam
pie room. produced sheet containing
the numbers and quantities he wanted
told the salesman to copy IL in his
order book and contaminated the
sale by affixing his signature to the
fiotted Iine The whole proceeding
took no longer than five mirutes-Afor
& Mr.. Buyer would not look at the sam
Piles,
Here Is an incident--one out of
many everyday occurrences-which
shows the self-importance which some
buyers attach to their personalities.
BECAUSE Mr.. Buyer had an order to
place and because the salesman want
ed that 6rtier--had come hundreds of
miles out OF his way In answer to the
Myers summons-this buyer recipro-
Gated by permitting" the salesman to
lose t~enty-four hours OF valuable
time for what could. in the first place,
have been transacted by mail. Man
against man. this buyer considered
himself superior TO the salesman. So
cially, II not as to business ability.
Another case: A tewelry salesman
called on the buyer OF large store.
At sight OF him. the buyer became in
Huriated. : It seems that six months
Before the buyer had purchased a lot
OF jewelry from this particular sales-
man. For some reason. the sales
we're slow. But instead of telling the
salesman about II and asking for sug-
geetionsa as to the disposal of this jew
elry, the buyer turned on him some
what aS a bulldog would turn on
Young pup There was nothing to It..
The salesman had no chance for an
argunent---no chance. even. to begin
an argument-befere the buyer greet
ed him with terms that would be sur
.hcient ground for an interesting as
Sault case. 1t ended when the buyer
-rrrtrrr-f-4ffs- ~ aesfssaf- -ef the stefe-
Now. II u barely possible that the
buyer did not know that the salesman
vas the star man Of his house and a
!, rood msrehandiser. He could easily
have Rivon valuable Suggegttono ~ to
this eeleu on that dswelry had he had
the opportunity. 20 the buyer. who
was one o8 the ''know-tt-an2" lost
chance 70 learn how to sell slow-mov-
ine 1svAlry. The store. incidentally,
lost the profit on that jewelry. because
Il law On the shelves 70 long that II
"a. finally disposed Of below cost.
A hosiery manufacturer sent q
woman Instructor out over certain ter
rftories 10 work with the sales people
behind the counter. and show them
how better to sell that particular make
81 hosiery. The instructor was visit
inx . store which was af1icted with q
4 particularly grouchy buyer. What hap
pened really should not be chronicled.
because I DO not believe in unfair
treatment of the fair sex: but for the
purposes Of this article II serves a. q
fine example Of the overestsem In
mich some buyers hold themselves.
The department wa excopuon4uy
busy. ana the buyer. seeing that the
instructor was not at the moment
selling goods. called to her somewhat
Hike this:
s.Here you. come over here and wait
on some Of these people. Don't stand
around idle. This 10 busy store. and
Ne want everyone in 1t to be busy"
Now. In the first place. the tnstruc-
tor in question was not working for
the buyer She was sent to the store
il the interest Of better sa1esmanship.
she was not supposed 70 wait upon
! his regular trade. although sho had
Deen doing 20. SECONDLY. the buyer
", FAR forgot himself ~ to speak to .
woman IN this fashion and especially
hafore several customers But he was
~ buysrs He was It! He was clothed
N WfSh authority and he must asGert It!
Another buyer had gfv6n ealse-
man = bl6 order AAd had signed his
6hme . "a duty most saore6 % the
I eeIf-impoStaat ons-when there aros6
oosae QueStton about shipment. An
3 oAjeceaou, lSAessxpianAtien, By the
-: sss s ~ s; sss' sSe
Il ox ueed ssch tee4A1 q wonld hurt