Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-22

The naughty blonde behind the coun-
ter of the department store or almost
any other kind of merchandise estab-
lishment spends from one-quarter to
one-third Of her working hours in pow
dering her nose, rouging her lips,
fiufing her hair and adjusting her
quinn other words, in waiting for
something to turn up. This has been
ascertained by careful survey con-
Quoted by the division of domestic COM
merce of the Department Of Com
merce.
out of the dollar paid by the Gus
toner to the average store almost Is
cents goes to the salespeople in salaries.
The one third idle or waiting time
the store Is paid for out OF this frac-
ton.
The survey was made in an effort
to supply shopkeepers with data on
which to base methods of applying the
time of employees to better advantage.
No method of correction has been adj
vanced, but solid information as to just
where the shopkeeper stands has been
compiled.
The time of q salesperson Is divided
into six parts, the investigation has
shown. 1t is up to the efficiency ex-
pertS of each store to discover means
of readjuSting these six periods to bet
ter advantage on the basis of the Gov
eminent data.
The six periods are divided as follows:
Selling time is the actual time occu-
pied between the moment customer
approaches counter and definite Sc
lection and decision to purchase has
been reached. This Is the longest sin
time item, occupying AZ per cent of
the salesperSon's day. There is wide
variation among customers. A man al
most always makes a speedy selection
and decision. Some women, who know
| just what they want, do likewise. But
| a very large number of women shop and
shop and shop. Ten or fifteen minutes
may be devoted to the selection Of a
handkerchief. The percentage Is an
| average.
The next longest period Of actual
working time Is that devoted to care Of
! the stock. Nearly every clerk is charged
with keeping the stock in order. The
shopper may desire to look at numerous
styles or designs and various bolts OF
cloth have to be unrolled or many boxes
| opened. After the purchaser has left, 1t
| is the clerks duty to restore the I'M
sold items to neat and orderly state In
readiness for the next prospective buyer.
This duty absorbs on an average 20 per
cent or one-f1fth of the employees work.
| ing day.
Charge Customers Buy More.
Next comes the time spent in what
are designated for purposes of this in
vestigation as interviews. This Is the
time spent in talking to q prospective
customer, showing the wares in which
he is interested, answering his questions
and otherwise attending to his shopping
demands. This classification relates
only to time the salesperson spends on q
customer with no sale resulting. Nine
per cent of the sellers working day is
| consumed in this manner. So far a.
revenue TO the store is concerned this II
lost time except for the good will value
it carries.
Two other time items go into the
days work. One Is classified as service
| time and includes the minutes devoted
to wrapping packages and waiting fol
change If the sale Is for cash or the
minutes devoted to making out the
necessary slips II the sale is to be
charged.
The sixth period is the one-third
| period of idleness or waiting. This Is, To
a large extent. unavoidable. To main
| tain its good will and reputation for
service a store must have on hand q
| sufficient number of clerks to handle q
| peak demand for attention. Customers
become FESTIVE If asked to wait for the
| attention of a clerk. Rush periods
| which cannot always be charted in adj