The Detroit times., 1916-07-13
Lee Anderson Says CO.
operation Is a Bust
ness Essential
UNITY OF ACTION
is NECESSARY
Man On Road Should
Be In Perfect Accord
With Home Office
BY LEE ANDERSON.
Commercial Manager, Hupp Motor
Car Corn. Detroit. Mich.

Commercial Manager, Hupp Motor
Car Corp, Detroit. Mich.
Cooperation as II applies TO the
travelling salesman seems 10 me TO
be Of three forms:
First, cooperation between the
salesman and the house.
Second, cooperation between the
salesman and his customer.
Third. cooperation between one
salesman and another.
The first of these is, beyond
doubt, the most important OF the
three. / do not believe IL is pos
sible for any house 10 build up
successful sales organization with
out the full cooperation OF every
member OF the road force. Nor Is
Il any more possible for any sales
man to make the most OF the pol
icies and reputation OF his firm,
the most OF the value and sales ad-
vantages Of his goods. unless he be
In perfect accord with the house
and give II at all times his fullest
cooperation.
On the face OF II, cooperation be-
tween the salesman and his firm ap-
pears so obviously necessary that
one finds II hard to believe such
close unity Of action does not al
ways exist where there can only be
the closest unity Of interest. Yet 1t
is q fact that a very great many
men on the road are a large part OF
the time, or In a great part OF their
activity, against the government.
This Is perhaps due In the main 10
two things: The infrequency with
which the salesman is in personal
touch with the home office, and his
natural inclination. IL he knows his
trade at all well, first to look at all
home office developments from the
viewpoint OF the customer.
I have In mind particularly that
salesman who always raises his
voice against any change OF policy.
or design. or price. or quality. We
all know his type. The day a bulle-
tin IL received from the house he
starts for headquarters. Or, II he
stays In the territory. he writes
unanimously, criticising everything
which Is proposed and detailing why
the changes can never be successful
In his district.
From the sales managers view
point, / know OF nothing more dis
couraging than to find man who
can see only harm In a policy which
has been long thought over and con-
sidered from every angle before go
ing into effect. II seems TO me the
salesman's viewpoint should be al
ways TO line up with the house. Just
what I mean 10 perhaps best ex-
pressed In a boast ! heard at a
large banquet when II appeared
probable the United States might
become involved in grave inter
national crisis. The toast was:
"Our Country. May she always be
In the right, but right or wrong
Our Country"
The lrm is the salesman's coun-
try-he must be for II, right or
wrong, all the time II he and the
firm are to win.
II becomes necessary 10 exagger-
ate the necessity Of perfect loyalty
to the house properly to illustrate the
importance ! attach TO this form OF
cooperation. I would sooner dis
CHARGE a travelling man for lack Of
cooperation, which IL merely q
form of treason. than I would for
criminal padding of the expense &C
count.
Nor do I mean for one instant 70
convey the impression that close
cooperation between the salesman
and the frm need signify any antag-
onism to the interests Of the Gus
toner. Lack Of proper cooperation
is evidenced much OF the time In
things which In no way affect the
customer.
Take the matter OF route cards
How frequently does the man on
the road fail to supply the home
office with his route, The routing
information reaches headquarters
late. or II 10 indefinite, or the route
has been carelessly prepared. with
the salesman's full knowledge that
he would not follow II.
Now return for an instant % the
sales office. The sales manager
has IN important message for you.
There n no route card. He must
wire OF write your headquarters in
the territory, taking q chance on
reaching you. and perhaps delaying
the getting Of important information
70 you By several days.
II Then there IL the daily report or
the weekly report, AZ the case may
J me. That report In some form or
other hangs over the head OF every
man on the road like. the sword OF
Damocies. used to all out these
} reports, three each. night---som,
? nights. I know Just how irksom,
they are. ]. too. could never sc,