The sun., 1919-10-15
statesmen IN INDIA
MUST HAVE GLASS
Native Merchants Prefer to
Deal With Those Who Have
Full Authority.
ASK QUICK DECISIONS
Long Communication by Mail
With Home Houses Should
Not Be Necessary.
TX QUICK DECISIONS

Much has been written regarding the
selling OF American goods in foreign
markets. comparatively little regarding
the salesman. How much depends upon
the man chosen to represent his firm In
a foreign field only those can know who
have been brought into personal contact
with foreign business.
In India the requirements of SUCCESS
full Workmanship are unique. There are
over 3oo,000.000 inhabitants to be con-
sidered as representing the country's
buying strength Of these but a rela-
! lively small number are Of European
descent. Clearly, therefore, commercial
methods framed to meet the exigencies
Of "A market governed by European ideals
will require liberal amendment II they
are to be successfully applied to nom
European conditions.
In like degree a man who understands
thoroughly the complications of COM
mercial intercourse with the former may
fail entirely through not understanding
the vastly different intricacies of the
latter.
Quick Results Not Always Possible
The responsible head of the house who
| stays at home must also be taught how
wide is the divergence between the two
| fields of enterprise. Immediate results,
| orders by mail or cable within a few
days of the salesman's arrival In his new
sphere, are seldom possible. Just here
the man at home Is often led into error
| and the salesman abroad called to ac-
| count for not doing as he has been wont
| to do elsewhere.
l.
| that quick sales are improbable, for In
dia is not n country of hurry. This will
appear at a glance. In Karachi, for eN-
ample, the banks open for business at
| IL o'clock in the morning, the average
| business man is seldom in his office be-
| fore that hour, and thus the days work
must be done in 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 days work
Is materially reduced in volume, hours
| for engagements are fewer and the
salesman fresh from America, full of
| American enthusiasm and keen to get
results, IL often obliged to submit to
delays which he finds irksome but the
| only way to do business in India is to
| do business in midas fashion. The
salesman who hopes to make good
here must be sufficiently adaptable to
conform gracefully to the peculiar BUSH
ness customs OF the country.
| Authority Essential TO Success.
For two principal reasons the sales
man sent to India should be a man
| endowed by his Arm with full executive
authority. The first is it's effect upon
his standing, particularly in transac-
tons with native firms The proprietors
Of these firms, many of them of large
means and large interests, do not hesi-
tate to display an easily discoverable
prediction for dealing with men of
an equivalent status.
A member of the firm or director
| of the company will find II much less
difficult to get through the veneer OF
native reserve than an irresponsible en-
ployee. Next to the partner or the
director the fully authorized salesman
| holds place. He, too, can approach the
| native merchant with good chance OF
| success, and IL Is never a mistake for
such a salesman to advertise, with dis
| Greet modesty, the confidence reposed in
| him.
A second reason for the fully au-
| thorized salesman is the long distance
| between India and the United States.
month for mails, often more, and
| frequent delays in cable services make
it essential that reference to the head
| office be seldom necessary. Confidence
| is inspired by the salesman who can
give the Anal yes or no to all ques-
lions which may arise. and only by
such a one. A man who is held by
his firm in sufficiently high esteem to be
granted this executive authority is pre-
| sumably one whose juds will be re-
| spected. and whose failure to send i'm
mediate orders will be understood TO
indicate not inactivity but careful
preliminary studying of conditions, the
only substantial basis for sound dealing
in a foreign field.