Radio today (Jan-Mar 1939)

Uncovering PROFITABLE SERVICE JOBS with your tube checker "The success of selling lies in sensing the psychological moment when the prospect is in a buying mood, and pressing home a sale at that moment," believes Bruce Burlingame, Supreme representative for New York and surroundings. How can you discover that a prospect is a prospect? There are lots of ways, but I venture to say that many a radio dealer and service man completely misses as many or more service jobs per day, week, or month than he gets. And the sad part of it is that that sweet little lady "Opportunity" didn't bother to rap on the door; she opened it and walked right into your store! Enter Lady Opportunity How can you recognize her? Well, she usually comes in with some tubes to be "tested for free." This means just one thing: The radio at home doesn't play any more, or it sounds terrible. Naturally the public thinks first of tubes and out they come for a free test and a lot of shopping for price — unless you take "Lady Opportunity" by hand and steer, her right back home — quick. Let's look at it sensibly. Tubes may be bad — but the radio may be bad, too. Also, the best tube checker on the market may not catch the particular peculiarity of that tube in that socket of that radio. Also, any set that has been in service for any length of time is usually filthy dirty and may have been the death trap of cockroaches, bugs, or even mice (it's happened lots of times). A dirty set is leaky all over and loss of gain and distortion can often be traced to dust and dirt. In any event, the customer is in your store because the fadio "She's a no seeing." And right here is a prospect for your service shop. Test the tubes carefully, cull out those that are evidently bad and those that are doubtful. Then lay out the new tubes that seem to be required and go to work. Explain tubes Tell your prospect that there are some 14,000 different models of radios in use designed by thousands of engineers. Point out that every engineer has his own ideas about getting the most results out of a tube, and often uses tubes in a manner that is not standard; and hence for best results the tubes should get a final test in the set at home. Point out that possibly something beyond tubes may be wrong with the set, and it may be this defect in the set that caused the tubes to go bad. Suggest and sell the idea that you can check the set and make sure it is correct in all respects if you take the new tubes to the home, that at that time you can give an honest opinion as to whether some service on the set won't put it in shape to play as sweetly as it did when new. Take "Lady Opportunity" by the hand when she comes in for a free tube test. With customer in the shop, you are in a position to sell your ability, your fine equipment, and the need for inspecting the radio set. Shop pictured is that of Gilbert Titcomb, located in northern Maine at Fort Fairfield. Remember that the customer owns that set and paid for it with his own cash. It is his, and at one time he liked it. He would like to like it again. So sell him the idea that you are the boy who can make it really perform if more than just tubes are at fault. Practice this idea, starting right now on the next customer that walks in to have some tubes tested. You will soon develop a smooth sales story that will click, and I know you will be surprised how many shoppers you can turn into your customers — at a profit to yourself. Bear in mind that a tube checker is just that: a checker. It is not an absolute test, no matter whether it is an emission type, a mutual conductance type, or what have you. All service men's and counter-type tube checkers are based on compromises due to the fact that the service man can "iily afford about $50 tops for one. This cannot compare with lab and factory production testers running to hundreds of dollars. However, a good standard lube checker has a high "honesty" factor. That is, it will give both the customer and you better than a 90 per cent break, and if all our problems came out that good we would all be Fords and Rockefellers. Stop shoppers So, bearing in mind that a good tube checker is honest, that your customer is in trouble when he calls on you, that any set is better for even just a cleaning, and the bulk of them do need some work done on them, go to work right there and sell a service job. Stop many a shopper from shopping, and not only sell that sale of tubes right there, but get that service job, too. A tube checker properly worked with a well planned and developed sales story behind it has a crystal ball beat seven ways for turning hopes into present profits. Don't wish for the death of your chiselling competitor. It's up to you to stop the shopper, turn him into a customer while he is in your store and wants his radio to play. And you get some more work for the shop. It can be done; it is being done. Swell seller-upper A tube checker is the swellest "seller-upper" there is if you will turn this suggestion into action. And take this as a red hot tip — never sell or . replace a 25Z5 in an AC/DC set without first checking the first filter condenser in the power pack. The failure of this condenser accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the claimed defects in a 25Z5 or similar tube. Every time you get a call for a 25Z5, a service job is on tap. Grab it! In concluding, Mr. Burlingame points out that a "wish" bone never replaced a back bone. You can't get business by wishing for it. You have to turn every sales opportunity into a sale, and your tube checker is really wired for sound. It announces to you the presence of "Lady Opportunity" every time she walks into your store for a "free tube test." Greet her, cultivate her, make her turn hopes into profits. 20 Radio Today