The talking machine world (July-Sept 1921)

64 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD August IS. 1921 SUCCESSFULLY BLEACHING THE SALESMAN'S "BLUES' How the Indigo-hued Depression Was Cured by Adopting Optimism and Common-*. In Place of Pessimistic, Alarming Practices "ThCK times arc opt to demoralize tlic sales sale* department head Inmse °r.^ man who allows Ilia nerves to jangle and his heads <> ' ^ '° "e . *ni h (ael courage to waver. lit one sales organization at least lhat we could name it (.mounted to an epidemic— a blue reign ol horror. And all without just reason, for the fundamentals of business arc perfectly sound. It's merely a case of bucking up and working all the harder," The foregoing from "When Salesmen Get 'the Blues'," by W. H. Heath, in a recent issue of I'rinN'iV Ink. introduces a timely article on this ript l at head npwa load year a was not m (In i must ! little I ialady. Furowadays a man mult work. The merchantself, that's all. We day's rations where a ug thrown at us, on i be traced to the And finally he bega icnl head himself or to frightened s who are demoralizing themselves ! appreciating the fact. In a conng thirty local salesmen— all tried mbitious, energetic, resourceful — k a slump. Sales dropped off 60 ic temporary lull was one of those at every firm must face sooner or lines on the chart cannot always I, Few businesses claim a peak er year. And in the present case it serious as it might have been, for i an C5iab]ishcd one, with prestige ons could not destroy. When busined it would get its full share, of the house was on alarmist. Ordi of countenance and cheerful of suddenly took on a funereal aspect, lilcd. He moped about the office. i to institute cuts. An of Noiseless Strong THE Successful SILENT PHONOGRAPH MOTOR Over 300,000 In Actual Use Satisfactory Service Proved by the Test of Time 8 Special Features of the SILENT Motor 8 1. Governor shaft mounted with a universal ball-andsocket bearing, insuring automatic self-alignment and flexibility. An exclusive SILENT Motor feature. 2. Turntable spindle mounted with adjustable bearing, by means of which rigidity of spindle is insured. An exclusive SILENT Motor feature. 3. Absolutely silent worm-wind. 4. Playing capacity guaranteed in excess of rating. An exclusive SILENT Motor feature. 5. Noiseless in operation. 6. All moving parts balanced. 7. Absolute precision in manufacture. 8. Exhaustive inspection and tests. Send for a Sample Motor— Quotations on Request The Silent Motor Corporation CHARLES A. O'MALLEY, Pro.idenl o lh. Phonomdor Ml,. Co.) 321-323-325 Dean Street Brooklyn, N. Y. Why Break Records? Just File Them ! Thit ll II r'° h«« ,"°'"J"'UI "" Urn which I. * l«"U'h "I The Marvelous MACNOLA MAGNOLA TALKING MACHINE COMPANY OTTO S0HULI, Prwld-t.. Oiiinl OIBih Booth.™ Wh.l.nl. -i.m. 711 MILWAUKEE AVEMUE l-M 0ANDLER BLOO. OHICAQ0 ATLANTA, «A. rice boy was allowed to go. A stenographer was discharged. There was a warning posted in the matter of waste of office supplies. Somebody was appointed to see that all the light were turned off when not in actual use. In less than two weeks gloom fell heavily upon the air. It was oppressive, ominous, threatening. You could actually sense it the moment you entered the building. Nest came thrice-a-wcek meetings of the salesmen. They were gloom-gatherings from the word go. ... The boss strings out a long tale of woe at every meeting. ... To hear him talk you'd believe lhat the old house was skidding straight for bankruptcy. Next came 'threatened reduction in salaries.' But — "The sales manager in this case was built of the right stuff. He saw what was happening. Even the best men on his pay roll were crumbling. The poison was working. It threatened complete disruption of the staff. He held an immediate conference with the head of the concern. 'If you continue this whipped-and-bcaten idea,' said the sales manager, 'I'll resign. It isn't fair to any one of us and it's quite unnecessary. I can't get results out of my men when you lecture them three times a week and remind them of how little they arc doing." "Then he began a constructive program. He held the weekly meetings, but he never once spoke of hard times or of business depression. On the contrary, he concentrated upon the prestige of the house, the prosperity that inevitably follows depression, the possibilities there arc even in a hard market. It was necessary for him to build a sort of new foundation of confidence, not only in the house, but in conditions and themselves. More encouraging results were quick to follow. One concern, to summarize what followed, heretofore famous for sales charts, office records and visualized competition among salesmen, abandoned these schemes. Salesmen were no longer reminded that they were slipping. Instead they received encoiirage: mcnt and were made to feel an atmosphere of optimism. Sunshine was introduced into the office and the men naturally worked hardei. One order a day made a 'hero' of any salesman. Gradually they learned to slide over the, rough spots with minimum difficulty. Any salesman who brought in even a 'frying-pan' stze-'order was congratulated by the sales manager. Under this system this concern managed to keep its business somewhere near normal, despite conditions, and put the 'blues,! which is the most damaging thrust at morale, to rout."