The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-04
MOTOR INDUSTRY ON |
SOUND BASIS NOW
War Period Tested Calibre Of
the Dealers, Says Nash
Executive.
~ e. n. yOORHIs.

The successful automobile dealer OF
re future r1Ist coudG-t Dts business
a,5as r--cza!zst lines - hgh grade
r1src1artis4rg says G. worms gen
eral sales manager OF The SIsE Motors
Cbmpany. himself one OF the best known
quality mercGandisrs IN tbs Industry.
Mr voo-a!s wAo has built up ard
row heads che os the strongest auto
mobile sales orga plantations in the co1n-
try, was asked recently 20 contrast pre-
war safes methods with those which In
his opinion must be used 70 .ns1re sue
ess trcn now on.
In the early days % The industry and
Up until our entry TITO the war auto
mobiles we're. generally speaking PIr-
ased and not sold" said Nj Noorhis.
Selling Problem simple.
There was generally a greater Do
mani than the various fsctore s work
Ing At -apa lily cou.I supply. This nnads
comparatively simple TIE selling prob
.er Of ire dealer. BY the tins he had
taken care OF thoee BUYERS who came
into his sa!esroon, his circle Of friend 5
md had scratchsd roughly me h!gi
srcs IN his territory, his entire alot-
Tsuc vas sold.
What / am trying - convey IL that
intensive selling and service methods
s4ch ~ are standard IN highly coEp-ti-
tive bGs Aesses were seldom found nec-
esaary by The d aalsT .a p-e-Nar days.
Il believe, however. tnat 'h.s period
% loosely organized ana asArd e.
f.rt has assed for a. time. And. in a
g'@at Measure, his Is large ire res lit
O: conditions brought about ~ tha war.
During the war per.od those dealers
wHq were no. good business men en-
c>In.er=I rough siedd.as The p-odu--
ton OF The Industry vas diverted % va
purposes The number % AIS avail
abe 10 dealers was cut % the bone
And irSIencei by natural caur, on
ard can3a. gns o: thrift. nos to mention
! legislation FOR the conservation o; gaso-
.eHs. buyers did not Ho-k 70 dealer sales
rooms IN anyw here near former IIrnbe-s
consequently dealers found NOS;
| careful MANAGEMENT r. I-ssary 20 pre-
| serve tAe.r businesses. OVERHEAD tad &
! % kept Gown. and ever business 1rac-
I tlce thsr IN use uas carefully scru;ir.2-l
! % determine Z It were really the most
/ efficient,
Those dealers who neglected to 4.
/ .hese things wen: on, % business tn.
/ = proved by t-s fact that before the wal
here were mora than IS 900 dealers
throughout the country. AMI that thi,
number was reduced b. some thousand.
~ tae time :he ar-I-st.-e was s.g-et-
Z Dealers Calibre Proved.
I so. 20 take advantage q the good
volume o., business now IL sight with a
greater per capita o. wealth EXISTING thas
ever bet1,e IN the h.s;o-y % the coun-
/ Try, there are lef. only those dealers
Tlo have proved their Ca! 7-- as nigh
E-sde bus ness men b. coming 'aro-S'
tha t-oub.ous var period IN good sha %
while there IL no doubt n ny n nj
tha' the demand ,or cars in ire i.lmA-
date future VIII be greater than ever
before" said NJ. Voorals, yet compel
lion Will also be Neener AS much IS We
knew before abou. volume production
ire war taught ~ many valuable lesson.
along this line Factories sp=eIed Up u
var tms efficiency vii soon - turning
: ont quantities - cars thai UI b" r.
/ A1itely greater than those - preHal
/ days
The sound business practices adopted
| by those dealers WHO survived the wal
| period viii Still be necessary y dealer
handle this volume prod Ict!on at prof
/ - Themselves
IN other words from now On the n
! t0noble dealer ha@ 20, some might
! hard work ahead OF him. bur Z hs meas
| u-es - . standard. rs aQp--'uHl; Z
! t1- p-cs's were never create
What buyer VIII Demand.
~ also believe he ave. - tlye- .
| more ~ less :ar1..ia- VIII iris c5rdit.o