Arizona republican., 1922-05-21
MEANING
OF SERVICE" IS
NOT UNDERSTOOD
BY Ed Rudolph

4
The word service" was at one
| time synonymous with free repair
| work This definition has been
proved since to be fallacy because
| there is no such thing as free re-
| pair work. Bluntly stated--repair
fwork costs money. Somebody has to
furnish this time and money. and. as
| a consequence. there must be some
source from whicn revenue can be
derived to pay for any so called free
| service" that is rendered.
For some years the broad meaning
of the word itself has been overlooked
! in an effort on the part OF the manu-
| facturer. dealer and user to shift the
burden of this expense to the other
| fellow.
The definition OF the word "serv-
ice" insofar as 1t relates to the
tractor and automobile industry has
undergone an evolution.
Service is the summation OF these
constructive efforts on the part of
the manufacturer and dealer that eff
fectively aids the owner in getting
the maximum return from his invest
ment. The owner wants cheaper
operation rather than cheaper cars or
tractors or free repair work.
is of prime consideration. The cost
of a repair part is In many instances
negligible as compared with expens-
i've delays involved. All other things
being equal, or anywhere near equal,
the usefulness OF an automobile or
tractor is inversely proportional to
the time lost on account of repairs.
Service is the first consideration.
Since time immemorial in all branch
| es OF the automobile industry there
has been tendency on the part of the
! manufacturer to take the stand that
| the dealer should assume the biggest
| share OF the service responsibility.
!, The dealer was looked upon as the
connecting link between maker and
| user. He was the direct point of con-
| tact. He must earn his commission.
! On the other hand the dealer as
| sumed the attitude that the manu-
| facturer should build his product 80
well that 1t would not require profit
| consuming service.
There is something to be said In
| favor and against both opinions
| However one common point of agree
| ment which is beginning to be gener-
| ally recognized, and that is the need
| Of more educationa: work on the part
| OF everyone. even IL il were possible
| for the dealer through some imagin-
| ary means to give unstinted free
| service. The recipient of such serv-
| ice could not possibly derive the same
| benefit from his car or tractor as the
| owner who knows how to guard
| against trouble, make an occasional
| adjustment. and do the ordinary re-
| pair job with assistance.
| The most important function of the
| service department Is to prevent
| trouble rather than remedy II. A
service department properly conduct
| ed is the greatest educational influ-
ence in the automobile or tractor in
/ dustry. In the case Of the automo-
| bile, the necessity for efficient serv-
| ice is unquestionabiy the foundation
of the industry. The automobile and
truck are essentially machines for
| annihilating distance. Troubles that
completely cripple them are the ex-
| ception, rather than the rule. and at
this day and time 1t Is rather hard
| to find a locality in any section OF
| the country that Is MT within short
radius of some trading center, where
| garages are located.
| In case of the farm tractor, service
| cannot be effectively accomplished
| at a repair shop remote from the
farm. A delay Of few days, or even
hours. often represents the difference
| between making a crop OF failing to
make one. Service must be taken to
the farm. The most logical way to
get service to the farmer should be-
gin with the tractor salesman
He should give the farmer reliable
| information He should avoid maxi
ing exaggerated statements. Again
drawing a comparison or rather O.
| contrast to the automobile. A motor
car salesman may swear that his car
| will travel sixty miles an hour. But
the chances are the buyer will never
/ check him up.
/ On the other hand, a tractor sales
man who claims three bottoms for a
two bottom tractor Is a menace to
the firm he is working for. A farmer
buys tractor for business purposes.
1t would be unbusiness like for him
to operate 1t below the advocated
capacity. The tractor salesman has
overlooked his greatest field of USE
fulness If he is not an educator. He
should work on closer cooperation
| with the service department
When the owner has trouble, he
calls on the service man to remedy
it-not the salesman. Therefore. the
service department should have
something to say regarding the
claims and promises of the ultra EN-
thusiastic salesman when a man re-
sorts to untruths or to promises
| which he knows cannot be fulfilled.
1t is an admission that he is lacking
in ability
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