The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-02-14
Better Service Campaign" In
augurated to Raise Stand
ard of Efficiency.
is TO BE NATIONWIDE
The Public Is Asked to Helm By
Properly Packing and Mark
ing Shipments to BE Handled
BY Express Employees.

Plans of most comprehensive
nature to bring about conditions
which will make possible a marked
Improvement in the eXress service
throughout the country. were an
nounced last night by w. r. Adams,
local representative of the American
Railway Express company A Bel
ter Service Campaign" will be under
taken by the $4,000 men and wo-
men employed in the express busi-
ness, for the purpose Of raising the
standards of packing. wrapping and
marking express shipments.
The drive will start on February
10, in every city and town in the
country. 1t will comprise a cam
paign Of education and appeal among
express employees simultaneously
with a widespread effort to secure
the cooperation OF the shipping pub
lie along the same lines No new
packing or marking rules have been
adopted for the campaign. but ex-
press drivers and receiving clerks
will be instructed hereafter to in
sist. firmly but courteously, that the
rules already in force be strictly ad-
hered to.
The chief purpose of the Better
Service Campaign" is to check. once
and for all, the waste OF time, effort
and money that result from lost or
damaged shipments. It is a source
OF dissatisfaction and ANNOYANCE to
both shippers and the carrier and
tends to impair the express service.
1t is expected that all who ship by
express. and 300.000.O00 shipments
are annually travelling that way,
Will be keenly interested IN the fortn-
coming drive. because il so intimate
ly concerns the TRANSFORMATION end
OF many different trades and indus
tries, some of which depend almost
exclusively upon the express service.
Regarding the conditions which
led TO decision for national drive
OF this character an express official
made this statement today: at is
an acknowledged fact that the aver
age American business man regards
satisfied customer as a direct as
set to his business. He would do
nothing that might jeopardize his
good relations with that customer.
But If the goods he sent the CUSTOM
er arrive in bad order. If the con-
10 m rod ,NsIg
cause they were exposed during the
journey. OF If. may be. entire ship
ments are lost because of Inadequate
marking or insecure packing. the
customer may not wait for eyplana-
tfons, but place his business else
where.
In such case, the payment OF
tho claim by the express company
does not remedy the evil or serve TO
encourage more business. II is a
costly and unnecessary waste and
both the shipper and the consignee
are disappointed and discounted.
while the express company itself Is
faced with the necessity of practf-
'"''S '"N ''lS III lllt SOOuS. gen.
eral dissatisfaction with the service
is inevitable-and no one is the
gamer.
we believe that there is a remedy
for this evil in the fact that the loss
OF or damage to shipments can in
many cases be attributed to the un-
safe condition in which il is turned
over to the express company to ham
die. Experience has shown that a
shipment started right seldom goes
wrong. Starting right means SIM
ply that il has been securely wrap
ped and packed, that II can stand
up for itself and is plainly and prop
erly marked, not only with the name
and address of the consignee. but
with those also of the shipper. The
use OF poor quality of paper or
twine or inattention to the condition
or shipments turned over TO the ex-
press service is something which we
are trying to discourage. But moth
ing Is more essential than the CO.
operation of shippers, and as they
are keenly concerned In the matter