Music Trade Review

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THE: MUSIC TRADE
business requires a good system combined with plenty of work. It
REVIEW/
9
It is results that he is after.
The manager's records should
means intelligence shown in the matter of discriminating between
not be needlessly burdened by a mass of detailed reports. The man
live prospects and idle inquiries.
under whose direction a number of piano salesmen carry on their
UT the fact remains that an enormous piano business is being
developed through correspondence, and it would surprise a
good many people to know just to what point Lyon & Healy have
developed this special department of their biriness.
work realizes the benefit of system. The kind of system, too, which
will enable him to distinguish between necessary facts and useless,
tiresome details.
But how much of this tiresome business could be eliminated,
This great
Western concern sells annually through correspondence a nu::: 1 ?er
of pianos which would make a mighty good yearly ouf ut for some
pretty good sized piano dealers, and not country dealers at that—
if one price, and one price only, were placed upon their instruments
and their salesmen positively instructed to accept nothing less than
the marked figures.
UCH a policy not only gives enthusiasm to the salesmen them-
and this is only one department of their establishment—and which
selves who believe that their prices are honest and are there-
has been worked quietly and without flamboyancy in any way.
Few institutions, however, could follow out successfully their
system of disposing of used pianos, but by opening up a correspon-
fore non-flexible, but it cuts out a lot of tiresome talk and weari-
some detail from the manager's work.
Only recently while chatting with a local manager, a salesman
dence with a person on the subject of a piano it invariably follows
that this great concern supplies other musical accessories to the
came up and reported.
same home through the mediumship of correspondence.
if he would take off thirty-five dollars and cut out the interest
I I OUSES which have developed a department of correspondence
* *
He stated that he could sell a certain piano,
clause.
The manager replied by saying that he was not there to listen
have a perfect system where the inquiries which are received
tlirough advertising are divided into what are termed "live pros-
to reports of that kind.
pects," which means that an inquiry simply comes for a catalogue.
less it would have been so marked.
The ''extra live prospect" is where a party expresses a particular
been desirable, it would have been cut out.
interest and asks for quotations and particulars.
man went back and sold the piano.
There is also a
The last is the one where the trail is warm, and which
is followed up very rigidly by replies at such intervals that the cor-
If the interest clause had not
That particular sales-
Another case: The salesman reported that his customer had
"very warm prospect" where further particulars and details are
requested.
If the piano was worth thirty-five dollars
agreed to the interest clause, liked the piano, but would only pay
$240 for the instrument which was marked $280.
This manager instructed the salesman to do the best he could
respondent is not permitted to lose interest in the particular wares
with the customer, but not to let him go out, even if he had to sell
advertised.
the piano at $240.
'HP* H E piano business has developed so that in our larger institu-
*
tions in the great cities a large number of salesmen come un-
der the immediate supervision of wareroom managers.
We may say that one of these institutions, the first, is success-
ful from every standpoint; the other is a failure.
In the
larger concerns the manager has absolute charge of the salesmen,
engaging them, and dismissing them, fixing their salaries without,
save in rare instances, referring the matter to the heads of the insti-
tutions.
You may draw your own conclusions as to which policy has
assisted in bringing about the different conditions.
/
"T" HE question of distinguishing articles, editorials and news
*
items which appear in the paper with the name of the writer,
is one that has frequently been discussed in journalistic circles.
A few years ago such wareroom conditions did not exist. The
piano business was so small that the proprietor himself was brought
into the closest contact with his salesmen.
The general absence of the practice is in itself a showing of the
trend of the public opinion.
To-day in many in-
stances it is the manager, and the successful manager of a force of
If there were a demand for signed articles in the newspapers,
they would be there, no question about that.
piano salesmen must be possessed of tact, courtesy and an ability
to command respect.
A newspaper is only successful and influential to the degree
He must pursue a persistent policy along
that it gets into harmony with that indefinable something called
definite lines so that his men may know what to expect in any con-
public sentiment, and the personality of every man who is associated
tingency.
with a publication is not lost, though his articles are not signed. His
He must be scrupulously honest and straightforward in
his dealings with them, and avoid any semblance of trickery.
And
the relations must be cordial to gain the best results.
The salesmen must feel that they are treated fairly at all points,
rise is in accordance with the success and standing of the journal
with which he is connected.
S a matter of fact, in spite of the unusual activity in the rumor
and if certain salesmen are permitted to lower prices on certain
factory, which has lately been supplied with new and improved
brands of pianos, it is certainly discouraging to the one who talks machinery, the music trade moves on without a ripple, with but few
annoyances to confront the piano men, save those which are traceable
one price.
to a lack of supplies. Combinations which would largely increase
XT OW as the piano business has broadened, rigidity in price is
certain kinds of supplies would be welcomed with exceeding joy by
*• ^ becoming more and more a prime essential and a necessity.
the music trade fraternity.
No manager can permit a half dozen prices on the same piano. The
There is a feeling that a dearth of piano sounding boards
manager of course should know of every occurrence or condition will cause unhappiness later. Indications now point to a big fall
that may effect piano sales but he should not hamper his men with trade, and many dealers have taken advantage of The Review's ad-
vice to place their orders early for fall shipment.
a lot of useless work in the way of reports.
A