Evening star., 1923-10-11
SERVICE BEST AID
FOR Street CARS
Expert Would Have Comfort
and Speed Rival Autos.
Advertising Urged.
BS j. G. ROYLE.

Special DISpatch 10 Inc Stdr'
NEW YORK, October ll.--Give
service and advertise il. In that pol
icy lies the future success OF every
transportation company, according TO
Britton I. Budd. president of the Chi
cago North Shore and Milwaukee
Interurban railway, which today was
awarded the Charles a. Coffin foun-
dation prize consisting of $1,000 cash
and medal for having made the
greatest contribution to electric
transportation during the. last year
The electric railway industry is in
the midst of revolution" Mr.. Budd
said. Methods and practices which
were good twenty, ten or even five
years ago will not suffice today. The
question, therefore, is whether the
electric railroads are going to lead
the procession or wait until they are
pushed.
Notes New Comfort Standard.
Public relations. a term often mis-
used and generally not fully under
stood. is the heart of the electric
railway industry. In recent years the
concept of transportation service has
undergone radical change. The de-
Nelopment of the gasoline motor has
been the most important individual
factor in bringing about this change.
The travelling public has become ac-
customed to the speed and comfort
of the automobile. We who are en-
gagged in furnishing transportation
service must bend our energies
toward approximating or eXcelling
the new standard of speed and COM
fort. Our business is to supply a
service that will save time, save
money and equal the comfort and
convenience of the automobile. We
cannot do that by following methods
Of IL few years ago.
Friendly Relations Vital.
Public relations are the center. the
main spring on which all our other
is a matter of public relations. A few
years ago a company's public relations
were considered satisfactory if not
subjected to too many or too drastic
orders from the public body which
regulated its service and il it escaped
criticism from the newspapers. To-
day regulatory bodies and newspapers
are fairly representative of the senti-
nent in their communities. If COM
pany has the good will of its Gus
toners 1T has no reason to fear either
regulatory bodies or newspapers. For
that reason it is the business of the
companies To eSldDllSn anu MAINTAIN
good relations with its own customers
direct. If the service is above criti-
cism there is not apt TO be much
criticism.
Service First Requisite.
THE first requisite toward main
tanning good public relations. there
fore, is service. company may
spend a large sum of money in ad-
vertising its service. but unless the
service really is good the advertising
will not be effective. The modern
meaning of service includes much
more than the mere giving. of a ride.
The business of the electric railway
company today is to supply transpor-
tation so convenient and SO eco
nomical that the passenger Will
choose 1t in preference to any other.
Assuming company is giving
that character Of service 1t must dis
play its goods to prospective custo-
Iners. wide-awake merchant does
not fill his store with superior goods
and wait for customers to come in
and buy He goes out after the GUS
toners and the electric railway COM
pany must do the same. The better
service company gives and the more
1t advertises that service the better
arc it's public relations.
Employees Support Necessary.
"One important way In which pub
lie relations may be improved is
through the employees of the com
pany. The merchant draws customers
to his store by advertising and dis
playing his goods. When they enter
the store he sees to IL that they
are given the right kind of service
and attention. He sells his custom
ers service along with the goods and
they come back. Precisely the same
methods must be followed by trans
portation companies.
1T is obvious that before employees
can become efficient statesmen. the
company must first sell itself to its
employees. The successful salesman
must believe in the goods he is SELL
ing and the company which offers
them for sale.
How to Handle "Grouchcs."
The smallest detail should not be
overlooked. A cheerful good morn
ing from a pleasant hammered train
man will often change a crouch to
n smile. Think of the effect which
Il thousand courteous obliging train
men will have on their customers. OF
the many ways of improving public
relations, the most important, L be-
Iieve, is through the employees
The advertising appropriation of
AIR. Budd's road is the largest of any
electric railway company in the
United States, and newspaper space
is literally used. In the last seven
years the gross earnings have in
creased five times over and the
freight earnings now are fifteen
times what they were five years ago