The talking machine world (Jan-June 1928)

Promises Don 't Sell Radio Quality Line Is Best Sales Builder Petersen's, of Chicago, Have Won Confidence of Public Because Their Policy Is to Satisfy " r | HE best way to make a dissatisfied customer is to promise too much for a radio set when it is being sold," said W. F. McCarthy, manager of the radio department of Petersen's, Chicago. "We make a policy of promising much less for a radio receiving set than it is capable of accomplishing. "When a customer asks how far a set will receive, we tell them we do not know, but that we guarantee the set will be entirely satisfactory, and if it isn't we will cheerfully refund the entire purchase price. We do not make a single claim for a set except that we guarantee it to give satisfaction. This guarantee has no strings to it whatsoever. We let the customer decide what we mean by 'satisfaction.' As a result, the customer tunes in his set the first night and more than likely receives a dozen or more different distant stations. He finds that his set will do much more than we had led him to expect, and consequently he is thoroughly satisfied with it. On the other hand if we promised all we knew the set would do, he would not feel that same sense of delighted satisfaction. Owing to our conservative statements many of our patrons believe firmly that they have the best set the manufacturer ever turned out." Importance of Careful Selection of Line Four years ago, when radio was first sweeping the country, Petersen's decided to take on radio as a new department. Other firms were jumping into the radio business haphazardly, and were selling the first radios on which they could get their hands. Many of the types of radio were almost worthless, but the public was ignorant and could be sold almost anything in the shape of a radio set. "We, however, did not want easy sales and easy profits," said Mr. McCarthy. "The store's motto is 'What Petersen Promises, Petersen Does" and we had no intention of making an exception of radio. We did not want to sell a single set that would make a dissatisfied customer, for we knew that satisfied patrons are the best advertising a man can have. We also felt that the first 100 sets sold by us would determine the future success of our radio department. By W. B. Stoddard "To satisfy our old customers who were demanding radio from us we had a small two-tube set designed under our own specifications. This little set was remarkable for its simplicity and clearness, and it thoroughly satisfied all of the purchasers. We then made a thorough investigation of radio, to find a set that would fulfil all our requirements, which were: The set must give satisfaction with a minimum of service from us; it must give perfect reception; it must sell at a price suited to the bulk of our trade; and it must be manufactured by a well established, reliable manufacturer who would stand back of every set we purchased. We tested every set on the market that we thought would suit our requirements, and after a year's search we found one that satisfied us. "When we had chosen our set and were ready to sell it, the customers who had bought the small set of our own design were ready for the new one. They were so well sold on their first set they wanted to buy their new set from us. Had we rushed into the radio business with the first set we could buy, and sold it to our customers with no thought of future business, the chances are we would never have developed a good radio business. But our customers knew we had refused to sell radio on a big scale until we had the proper set, so when we were ready to begin in a big way, our customers had confidence in us and the set we had chosen to sell. Satisfying the Customer "The only way you can have a satisfied customer is first, to sell good -merchandise, and then render real service on every set sold. Our only charge is $6.00 for installing the set when it is bought. All other service calls are rendered free. Many radio dealers say this is bad business. But we can afford to do it because the sale of accessories and renewal supplies, such as batteries and tubes, amply pays for the service calls. And because we were careful to pick out sets that require a minimum of service, we have to make very few calls. Had we been content to sell any kind of a radio set, we could not render free service, as the repair work and 'trouble calls' would very seriously eat into our profits." The success this firm has had with the sale of battery eliminators illustrates the importance of selling only the best equipment. When eliminators first came on the market the firm made as thorough an investigation of them as they had of radio sets. When they had finally chosen what they considered the best on the market they tested out their customers. The names of 100 of the best customers that had bought radios of them were selected, and Mr. McCarthy called each of them on the telephone and explained the battery eliminator. The customers were so satisfied with their sets that the great majority of them bought eliminators simply on his suggestion. Features Three Lines of Radio At present the radio department carries only three makes of radio sets. "It increases the merchandising problem to sell more than three types and there is no real advantage to be gained by stocking an indefinite number of lines. The three we carry cover every pocketbook, and each in its way is the best we were able to find," said Mr. McCarthy. "We have also found that it does not pay to make trial demonstrations. When we first entered the radio field we sent out letters to 500 of our best customers asking permission to make trial demonstrations in their homes. We received very few requests, and in most cases had to take back the sets after the demonstration. We now refuse to give them at all. We know that as long as we sell good sets and render good service, we will have no trouble in selling our radio sets right off the floor." The Taylor Music Co., Moberly, Mo., has been purchased by J. B. Ralston, formerly manager of the store, who will reorganize the business under the name of J. B. Ralston Music Co. "NYACCO" Manufactured Products NYACCO Record Albums NYACCO Radio Sets NYACCO Portable Phonographs NYACCO Photograph Albums NYACCO Autograph Albums Twenty years' manufacturing experience enables us to offer the trade a line that is tried and proven. Jobbers and Dealers: Write us for full information. NEW YORK ALBUM & CARD CO., Inc. Established 1907 Note New Address * 64*68 Wooster Street, New York 4