The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04
FLAT RATE SYSTEM
 FOR REPAIRS HELP ID AUTO OWNER
System Instituted by Dodge Brothers Also Proves Beneficial to
 Dealer

Automobile manufacturers and dealers are rapidly learning how i'm portant 1t is to satisfy car owners with service of proper character at a reasonable cost.
 Following the example of Dodge Brothers, who were among the first to establish the flat rate system, many her-organizations are plan hing or completing similar arrange mont to increase service efficiency and reap the good will of car owners. In this connection it Is interesting to note the manner in which Dodge \ Brothers attacked the problem, and the results aocruing from their adop- tion of the flat rate system. The outline here given Is from state ment issued by the factory:
 Our flat rare system was started over Q year ago and Is now used by the majority of Dodge Brothers deal CTS. They advise that this system has made 1t possible to practically elimi- nate friction between the car owner and the dealer on the subject of serv- Ice charges. Advising the car owner Of tho cost of service work in ad- vance, convinces him that many charges. which in the old days were ,Yegarded as excessive, were really [ Justified. Few car owners have any idea of tho amount of labor involved In making service repairs. In the in stailation of . very small amount of Snew material, 1t 1s quite possible That tho necessary labor will cost a 'eomparatively large sum of money. |; 'srhe car owner is certain to bene- lit through tho installation of the lglat rate system because there Is now fan incentive for the dealer to study shortcut methods and intall labor saving devices. This will allow him to increase tho volume of work pass stng Through his service station. thus 6ecreasing his overhead cost. The saving permits him to lessen his flat ltate changes to car owners and at the profit.
 ! with an\ efficient service station the dealer iA in a position to meet the competition of inferior, ineffi- Y: cient repair shops. and construct continuing contact with the car owner. This results in a better mu- tual understanding and eventually eliminates from the mind of his pa irons tho idea now so prevalent that service stations are places to be avoided because of unfair charges. The dealer has no dasire to make his profit through exorbftant charges on a few service jobs which drift to him because the car owner knows of no other place to go.
 Our experience with the flat rate plan is such that we look forward to the time in the near future when every Dodge Brothers car owner will patronize a Dodge Brothers approved service station, operated by one of our dealers. In such service stations they will be sure of receiving prompt. courteous, economical and efficient service Through efficiency in the operation of tho service station. brought about by the flat rate method, the car owner will obtain lower prices than can be obtained in unapproved. unsupervised. indepen- dent service stations"
 FINALLY PUNISHED
 From the Philadelphia Bulletin.
 When the late Gen. Horace Porter was manager of the Pullman com pany an army officer wrote him say ing that the Pullman car that had carried him from Jersey City to Long Branch had not been properly swept and dusted.
 General Porter wastebasketed the letter: also the second. the third and the fourth. But the fifth was so violent that General Porter dictated the following reply:
 sir: We have run the train off the track, burned the cars. shot the discontinued the line. Hoping that conductor. hanged tho porter. and this will be satisfactory. I remain" etc.