The Washington times., 1919-10-15
INDIA statesmen
MUST Have CLASS
Native Merchants Prefer to Deal
With Those Who Have
full Authority.

NEW YORK. oct. I6-Mueh has
been written regarding the selling
Of American goods in foreign mar
kets, comparatively little regarding
ths salesman. How much depends
upon the man chosen 20 represent
his firm in a foreign field only tnose
can know who have been brought
into personal contact with foreign
business.
In India the requirements OF sue
Icesaful saIesmanship are UNIQUE.
| There are over 800, 900 900 inhabitants
20 be considered ag representing the
country's buying strength; OF these
I but a relatively small number are OF
/ European descent. Clearly, therefore
| commercial methods framed to meet
/ the exirencies Of q market govern
ed BY European ideals will require
liberal amendment if they are TO De
4 successfully applied 20 non-Buropean
i conditions.
In IKE degree a man who under
( stands thoroughly the complications
OF commercial intercourse with the
former may fall entirely through not
7 understanding the vastly different
lintricaeies Of the latter.
4 Results Not Always POssible.
The responsible head Of the house
I who stays at home must also oe
taught how wide is the divergence
between the two fields Of enterprise.
/ Immediate results, orders BY mail or
\ cable within q few days Of the sales
i mans arrival On his new sphere, are
seldom possible. just here the man
az home 81 often led into error ana
the salesman abroad called TO ac-
count for not doing as be has been
wont to do elsewhere.
OF India in q marked degree II ts
true that quick sales are improbable
for India Is not 9 country Of hurry.
This viii appear az q glance IN
Karachi, for example. the banks open
for business at II o'clock IN the morn
\ ing. The average business man IS sell
dom in his Odice before that hour
and thus the days work must be done
IA at least two hours less time than
in more familiar countries. An hour
and a half for luncheon IS quite the
usual thing; by o'clock the offices
are deserted.
The consequence is that the gay
work Is materially reduced In volume.
hours for engagements are fewer and
the salesman fresh from America, full
OF American eufhuEiasm and keen 70
get results, is often obliged 70 submit
70 delays which be finds irlzsome; but
the only way % DO business in india
"a TO 40 business in midas fashion.
/ The gafesmau who hopes 70 make
l good here must be sufficiently
/ Adaptable TO conform gracefully to
/ the peculiar business customs OF the
/ country.
AuthUritv Issseutiul % 8ueeean.
For two principal reasons the sales
nan sent 20 India should be 9 nan
endowed BY his arm with run e1eeu-
/ tive authority. The lrgt 90 It's elIece
unon HIS standing, particularly IN
/ transactions with native nrmg. Ine
I pronrietors OF these hrma many Of
j hen Of large means and large inter
eetr. do not hesitate % display an
fFFTfy 7dibcovefdble pFedilection Tor
i dealing With men Of an equivalent
/ status.
A member Of the hrm or director
/ Of the company viii md II much less
/ difficult 70 get through the veneer Of
native reserve than an irresponsible
! employe. Next to the partner or the
! director the fully authorized sales
man holds place. He, too, can ap-
] proach the native merchant with good
chance Of success, and it Is never a
mistake for such a salesman TO adver-
tise, with discreet modesty. the con-
/ fidence reposed in him.
A second reason for the fully au-
thorized salesman is the long distance
between India and the United States.
A month for mails, often more. and
/ frequent delays in cable services
make it essential that reference to
the head office be seldom necessary.
l Confidence is inspired BY the sale
( man who can give the final yes or
no to all questions which may arise,
and only by such q one. A man who
Is held by his firm IN sufficiently high
/ esteem to be granted this executive
/ authority is presumably one whose
/ failure to send immediate orders will
/ be understood TO indicate not mac
/ tivity but a careful preliminary
/ studying OF conditions, the only sub
I stantial basis for sound dealing 81 q
I foreign field.