Arizona republican., 1922-05-28
BUSINESS BETTER
SAYS F|REsT0NE

Business is getting better and at
the same time competition is becom-
ing keener. Retailers need more
merchandise to meet the increasing
consumer demand but they insist on
better quality. more service and more
convincing reasons in placing an or
der than ever before. There is going
to be more business but to get it is
goifg to require more careful thought,
better methods and harder work than
has been given in the past
This is a brief composite picture
of the business conditions today and
what is required to take advantage
of them as obtained at one of the
largest salesmen's conventions ever
held. when all the statesmen, branch
managers and special representatives
of the Firestone Tire and Rubber
company and its subsidiaries from
all parts of the world gathered in
Akron. Ohio.
These men are in constant contact
with the retail trade and business
conditions in all parts of the country
calling upon $4,000 tire dealers in up
wards of $4,000 cities and towns They
came direct from their territories to
Akron to report upon conditions and
study the company's products in pro-
cess of manufacture.
"A thorough knowledge of your
product is the first essential in the
sales competition that YOU must meet
today" II. S. F'irestone, president of
the company, told those attending the
conference. You cannot learn about
the merits of orr goods entirely from
books but must teach yourself by
going through the factory and study
ing each process. paying particular
attention to the points that make our
tires superior to all others.
THE next most important thing is
q complete aualyZation of your terri
tory. Know where the business is To-
Gated and concentrate upon the best
outlets. And do good business at all
times. Our company does not want
orders regardless of methods; it wants
to render service TO those with
whom it does business and it is part
of your job to see that this attitude
on our part is thoroughly understood
by your customers. 1t is service and
good clean business that will deter
mine success in the future
Each one of the hundreds of sales
men attending the conference spent
hours in the factory with the work.
men studying each detail of manu-
facture until it had been mastered.
They were then given course of
study at a neXposition of each of the
various products manufactured by
the company being instructed upon
the history and DEVELOPMENT Nof the
tire industry from the source of the
crude rubber and cotton fabric to the
finished article.
A feature of the exposition was a
model tire dealers store. showing the
proper placing of outdoor signs, deco
ration of windows, display of mer-
chandise and a properly balanced
stock. Here each salesman was lee
tured on the service he could render
his customers. He was given direc-
tions and methods that could be
passed on to the dealer for use in
merchandising his goods. Particular
attention was paid to costs and prac-
teal arrangements.
Policies and other matters of COM
pany business were discussed at the
general session and statesmen called
upon to give their elling talk aufl the
results they had obtained from the
conference.
AS regards conditions there was an
unanimity of opinion that business
had improved and would continue to
do so. The West and Northwest re-
ported a resumption of numbering and
mining activities. The rise in prices
of farm products was increasing the
demand for all manufactured articles
in the middle west. according to the
delegation from that section The
salesmen from the Southern districts
reported a general revival of buying
as 1-eS11lf of tbp ir1proyprseY+ in tho
cotton situation. With hardly an ex-
ception the general tone of the reports
was optimistic for steady increase
in Nnlllrnn of hil leiTnSS