The talking machine world (July-Dec 1918)

18 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD July 15, 1918 HOW TO TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS Some Timely Pointers for Those Members of the Sales Force Who Are Sorely Perplexed at Times When Handling Their Customers It costs your store money every time someone walks out without making a purchase. If the goods are right then this tragedy is due to the fact that the prospective customers were not handled correctly. One of the big department stores in New York tries to solve this problem by giving to every employe a chart on which are listed various kinds of customers. These customers are separated into five groups, each requiring different treatment by the salespeople. The following is the chart: GROUP 1 The Customers Hozc to Treat Them Tired and cross Patience Unreasonable Good temper Fussy and nervous Quiet manner Interrupting Assurance Ignorant Assurance Excitable Assurance Foreigners Assurance GROUP 2 Patronizing Dignity Aggressive Confidence in your ability Inquisitive Knowledge Skeptical Common sense Talkative Common sense Insulting Common sense GROUP 3 Cautious Belief in your tgoods Critical Knowledge of value of goods Indifferent Care in presenting goods Bargain Hunter Convincing manner Silent Convincing manner Penurious Convincing manner GROUP 4 Timid Sympathy Sensitive Gentleness Dependent Helpfulness Absent-minded Suggestion Deaf An effort to think for them Old ladies An effort to think for them Undecided An effort to think for them Children Kindness always GROUP S Decided Gratitude Pleasant Gratitude Intelligent Gratitude Common Sense Gratitude When a sale is lost, or when a customer does not seem thoroughly pleased, refer to this chart and put the customer under one of the five classifications. Then ask yourself whether you handled that customer as one of the salespeople in that New York store would have done, were he or she in your place. If you read over this chart several times you will soon familiarize yourself with it, says the Emerson Spotlight. Then it will be a simple matter to know how to treat a customer in the right way. Why not patriotic concerts in your warerooms these days, Mr. Dealer? Why not try them? H. B. RAY WITH PATHE FRERES CO. Appointed Advertising Manager of This Prominent Institution — Well Known in the Trade The Pathe Freres Phonograph Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., announced recently the appointment of H. B. Ray as advertising manager of the company, who assumed his new duties on July 1, succeeding J. H. McShane, who has resigned. H. B. Ray is one of the best-known members of the talking machine industry, and has been associated with the trade for many years. He was previously advertising manager of the Columbia Graphophone Co., and is recognized as an authority on all matters pertaining to the publicity end of the talking machine industry. It is interesting to note that Mr. Ray's acquisition to the Pathe forces completes a trium Herbert B. Ray virate of well-known talking machine men who formerly held important executive posts in this field and who are now associated with the Pathe Freres Co., these three men being -George W. Lyle, assistant to President Widmann, of the Pathe Freres Phonograph Co.; George P. Metzger, of the Hanff-Metzger Advertising Agency, who is in charge of the company's publicity, and H. B. Ray, the new advertising manager. All of these veterans of the industry were formerly working together, and the fact that they have again joined forces insures maximum co-operation and service for Pathe jobbers and dealers. ELIMINATE LIST PRICE ON RECORDS Victor Co. Announces New Plan to Avoid Confusion in the Event That Record List Prices Are Raised in Future — An Important Move The Victor Talking Machine Co. announces that in view of the increase in the price of certain records, and the uncertainty of the future as it will govern record prices, the company has decided to -discontinue printing the list price on record labels, and thus avoid any possible chance of embarrassment on the part of dealers in collecting any future increases from customers. The company's announcement reads in part: "With the cost of material, the cost of labor and the cost of everything else going sky-high, it must long ago have been evident to anyone that some time there would surely be an increase in the prices of Victor products, and we presume the announcement to that effect made during the month of May was no great surprise to anyone concerned. "A difficulty which must always occur in such cases was that it was impossible to clean the slate overnight. In the case of record catalogs, for instance, there was nothing to do but 'tip in' printed slips announcing the increase of our catalog list prices from 75 cents to 85 cents and from $1.25 to $1.35, on ten and twelve-inch double-face records respectively. Quantities of advertising literature and quantities of records already distributed bore and still bear the old prices, but "since the whole world has been educated to raised prices ever since August, 1914, no serious embarrassment is occasioned when it becomes necessary to charge more for an article than the price formerly known. "Because no one can foresee exactly what conditions may have to be met while the country is at war, we shall discontinue printing our list price on the record labels. This will avoid all future embarrassments and facilitate the changing of prices under any circumstances without haranguing with the customer on account of lists printed upon records." RECORDS BY AMPARITO FARRAR Columbia Co. Releases First Recordings of This Artist and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra The Columbia Graphophone Co. has announced the addition to its recording library of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Miss Amparito Farrar, a well-known ' concert soprano. Records by this orchestra and by Miss Farrar are announced in the new July list which went on sale June 20. The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra is one of the bestknown musical organizations in the country, and the Columbia record of Faust's famous Ballet Music will undoubted ly meet with a ready Miss Amparito Farrar sale to music lovers in all parts of the country. Miss Farrar is a native of Oregon, and studied in Paris, London and Berlin. She has been very, successful on the concert stage, and made her.' debut in the Columbia library with a record, featuring "Sweet and Low" and "Mighty Lak a Rose." Both of these additions to the Columbia library are exclusive Columbia artists. WORTH REMEMBERING "Whatever your wages may be in dollars per week, per day, per hour, remember you are working for two — your employer and yourself. Be as fair to him as you expect him to be to you, think, anticipate, plan, suggest, and the salary question will be solved." Ward's Khaki Moving Covers iGrade "D," Covenwith No. 3 Straps. PROTECT YOUR MACHINES FROM ALL KINDS OF WEATHER and will enable you to deliver them free from dust, scratches, bruises and all other finish destroyers Our covers are faced with Standard Khaki, lined with a heavy grade flannel, interlined with an exceptionally good grade of heavy cotton or felt, diagonally and closely quilted, and manufactured according to the usual superior "WARD New London " quality. Grade "D", medium size, $6.00 Grade "D", large size, $6.50 Grade "K", medium size, $8.00 Grade "K", large size, $9.00 Carrying Straps: No. 1 $1.00; No. 2 $2.00; No. 3 $3.50 ORDER SAMPLE COVER ON APPROVAL With Name of Machine silk embroidered on any Cover; extra,__30c. With Dealer's Name and Address, first Cover; extra $1.15 Same on additional Covers, each extra 60c. Write for booklet The C. E. Ward Co. (Well-known Lodge Regalia House) 101 William St., New London, Ohio Also!! Manufacturers of Rubberized Covers and Dust Covers for the Wareroom