The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-08-07
us. RAILROAD
ADMINISTRATION
w. @. McADOO
Director General of Railroads
Louisville, Henderson &
St. Louis Railway

Dear SIR
An old familiar subject, but how dc
you like it when the other fellow
treats YOU courteously? 1t is bu
human to warm up to the fellow
who treats you courteously and con
siderately. Now mos. people ar.
naturally courteous, although some
are more thougitiui and considerate
than others.
Even well qualified railway EN-.
ployees may be prompted 70 fee
that courtesy will count TO: nothing
row there is no competition bet tween
carriers under Government control
But no thoughtful person can fail l..
appreciate that one of the fine points
the United States Railroad Admins
tration will insist upon is courtesy
on thepart of its employees.
The importance of courtesy is
stressed by the fact that the discount
eous person in business life is soon
relegated to the rear and away from
contact with the public. Courtesy,
which is but the expression of kindly
thoughts, can be so developed that
it becomes part of ones nature,
and just so far as you become prof.
cient in courtesy, do you widen your
influence, increase your value as a
railway employee, and help the Gov
eminent in its efforts to give the pub
lie the service that the people desire.
1t is worth while to keep sweet"
This spirit of service should be i'm
planted in the minds of everyone OF
us who comes in contact with the
public, either thru the Office door or
by telephone. Many little ripples
can be forestalled by courtesy over
the phone.
THE tone of your voice on the
telephone may make either a friend
or an enemy for us and for you If
you were talking to a patron face to
face, and you let note of impotence
creep into your voice, he might over
look it because of the friendlier as
pect of your face. But over the tele-
phone, let the slightest suspicion of
indifference or impotence creep into
your tone and our interests will surely
suffer. Politeness in telephone con-
versation pays"
am sure you will appreciate the
following suggestions about court
eous and efficient use of the te.c.
phone:
Answer every telephone promptly.
Cultivate an easy, conversational
style of talking; distinct and little
deliberate-it is an asset.
Using this Office, for example, we
should answer all calls from the out
side by saying Immediately "Hender-
son Route, General Freight Office"
Therefore when the calling party
hears you he knows he is in COM
with the General Freight
Office. If you are the person wanted
or when the call is switched to your
line, you should identify yourself in
this manner: Mr.. (Mayes) speaking"
1t is an excellent rule to establish
the identity of the person talking as
early in the conversation as conven-
lent. A patron frequently explains
some case upon which we are re-
CURED to take action, and hangs up
his receiver without telling who and
where he is. This is the same as an
urgent letter from him without sig
nature or address. Again, thru some
error he might be cut of. before the
is finished. We would
then be at q loss to attend his wants.
When a person asks for any in
which cannot be obtained
Immediately, in order not to keep him
waiting and also to avoid tying up
our own telephone equipment, tell
MIN you will call him as soon as you
have obtained the information. Be
sure to call him again at the time
promised, either to give the desired
Information or to explain why fur
her delay is necessary. i
Where business involving figures
md facts is transmitted over the tele-
,hone. such as explanation of rates, |
I is always advisable to jot down
he particulars and send letter that
lay, confirming the details. Points
If that sort are sometimes misun-
ierstood or slip out of memory. A
etter clinches them and shows our
interest in our patrons.
Very sincerely.
w. E. Chambers,
General Freight Agent.