Radio broadcast .. (1922-30)

DEPARTMENT THAT PAYS Out-and-out service calls are relied on to produce a regular profit—and do. "Service is the Supreme Commitment of Life" reads an inscription which hangs near Mr. McCrork's desk. Every- thing possible is done to sink the significance of this motto into the minds of those connected with the department. "When a radio goes bad, the person who calls wants ser- vice—not a promise," says Mr. McCrork. "Consequently, when we say a man will be there to fix it at such and such a time, we mean exactly what we say. 'Service' is a much abused word, but we're working hard to give it a real meaning as far as this business is concerned." Universal service rates are $2 an hour with this figure also representing the minimum. Charges are figured from the time the man starts for the job until he is ready to go on to the next one. There are no charge accounts in this service department, collections being made by the men when sets are repaired in the home. If it is necessary to bring an outfit to the shop, it is repaired with equal promptness and delivered c. o. D. Not only has this system done away with a great deal of bookkeeping, but it has also eliminated annoying losses from bad accounts. The serviceman gives the customer a receipt and turns the money with his report on the job over to the cashier at the store. Then, to provide a check on the trans- action, a card thanking the customer and expressing the company's wish that the work prove satisfactory is mailed from the office. The amount paid is mentioned on each card. Twenty-four-hour service is an invariable rule with Un- iversal. Servicemen are required to have their own automo- biles, the operating expenses of which are paid by the com- pany. Philadelphia covers a vast expanse and quick trans- A view of the test bench in the service department of the Universal Radio Corporation, Philadelphia, Penn. portation is essential to the economical conduct of the work. The increased cost of having men use automobiles has been more than made up by the greater number of calls they are able to make. How Jobs are Handled When a service call comes in, it is registered on a job sheet which immediately goes to Mr. McCrork. In addition to the customary name and address, the girl at the phone desk gets the customer to set a time when it will be convenient to have the serviceman call. She also gets the customer's* full name, address, and telephone number, and the make and type of set to be repaired. As far as possible, service work is routed. Calls are grouped according to the various sections of the city. In selecting his men, Mr. McCrork endeavors to get men who live in different districts. Thus, in many cases, it is not necessary for the men to come into the store in the morning and in doing so go many miles out of their way. A man may be given his route sheet the night before and instructed to go directly to the first job in the morning. Then, to round out this system, each man is required to report via telephone at least four times during the day. He tells the operator where he is and is given any additional calls from that territory which may have come in since he has left. Under this method surprisingly prompt service can readily be made the rule rather than the exception. If a serviceman gets behind on his schedule—and this is sometimes unavoidable—he is required to call those whose sets are still to be repaired and inform them of the fact. He tells them just when he will be there and if they will not be at home at the time, he makes another definite appoint- ment at their convenience. If the delay promises to prove in- convenient to the customer, the original date is kept by the simple expedient of sending a man out from the store in (Concluded on page 183) JANUARY 1930 • • 133