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THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Three Questions of Interest to Manufacturers of and Dealers in Player-Pianos
Answered and Elucidated by Otto Schulz, of the M. Schulz Co., Fayette
S. Cable, of the Cable-Nelson Co., and Paul B. Klugh, The Cable Company.
The player business has in itself three aspects, from each of which it may be, and is being viewed. They
are the aspects achieved respectively by the manufacturer, the dealer and the public. It is unfortunate that
in the past the first two of these elements have not been bound together by a close enough tie of common in-
terest; although their interests most certainly are common. It is also true that while the dealers have always
been ready to talk to, at and about the manufacturers, we have not heard enough in the opposite direction.
We, in fact, need the refreshment that comes from a change of aspect.
Western opinion is usually fresh and keen. So we have asked three Western manufacturers to answer
the following questions in their own way. They are important questions, and the answers are equally im-
portant. Every dealer who reads this paper, will we sincerely hope, read what these men have to say. For
they speak with authority. The questions put to these gentlemen are these:
1. AS A MANUFACTURER, W H A T IS YOUR ADVICE TO DEALERS IN RELATION TO THE RETAILING OF PLAYERS?
2. AS A MANUFACTURER,.WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER IS THE TREND OF PUBLIC DEMAND IN PLAYERS, AND THE
PROBABLE COURSE OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT?
3. AS A MANUFACTURER, W H A T HAVE YOU TO SAY TO THE RETAILER WITH REGARD TO HIS RELATIONS WITH
THE MANUFACTURER?
Views of Otto Schulz, President M. Schulz Co., Chicago.
I will take your questions one by one and
answer them categorically. I take it that you want
to have me speak of the most important aspect of
each question. Answering the first, then, I feel
that the most significant advice I can give to the
retail trade in reference to their sales policy is that
they should formulate definite plans for definite
service to every retail purchaser and consider this
service as a part of the selling expense. Sales in
the player business have been made too carelessly,
and without a sufficient consideration of the
simple fact that players must be kept in order and
must also be made satisfactory to their purchasers;
if they are to stick. The dealers often forget that
the average person knows absolutely and exactly
nothing about the player-piano, and must be in-
structed in its use from the ground up. Other-
wise he will not know how to extract from it any
reasonable satisfaction, and it will soon pall on
him.
My advice is that, immediately after'delivery of
each player-piano sold, the dealer should send
around to the purchaser's home a representative
of the house. This man will then examine the in-
strument carefully and see that it is in perfect
order. He should have a practical knowledge of
player mechanism. Not only should this repre-
sentative examine the instrument carefully to see
that it is in good order, but he should also take
care to instruct the new owner, and especially the
wife, in the use of the various expression and
other devices. . He should play for the family,
show them how the thing is done, and profess him-
self at their service in every way.
Two weeks later the same representative should
make a second call, find out if everything is mov-
ing smoothly, and answer any question that may
have arisen. He should also talk about music and
suggest some additions to the collection bought
with, the player-piano.
Again in another two weeks a similar and last
call should be made, with the same object.
By this time the owner will have been instructed
in the use and care of the instrument, future
trouble will have been minimized and a proper
feeling established. The latter point is of the ut-
most importance, since most player-pianos are
sold on time payments and the customer's state
of mind is always an element of significance with
regards to the closing up of the contract. I
of no greater or more important matter than this.
As for your second question, it is my firm be-
lief that the future of the player must be all in the
direction of greater simplicity along with greater
efficiency. To an extent the two must run side by
Otto Schulz.
side, of course, but unless the early tendency
towards complexity and elaboration be checked for
good, the player business will languish and the
player will never take its rightful place.
We notice that we are now never asked why we
do not have a lot of extra buttons and levers.
There was a time when we should have been asked
such questions. But time is showing that the pub-
lic demand is for simplicity and intelligibility
above everything else. People want a player
which they can play easily, which they can easily
understand, and which will give them the sort of
music they want at all times. They care little for
talking points and less for mechanical ingenuities.
They want results; as simply gotten as possible.
The relation of the dealer with the manufacturer
is a theme we have ever with us. Dealers are
prone to resent any dictation as to their policy;
and one can easily understand this. But the fact
remains that we manufacturers are forever seeing
that dealers are too ready altogether to disregard
reasonable business considerations in retailing.
This evil is worse with the player than with the
straight piano. The dealer sells too cheaply, gives
terms far too easy, and in consequence is com-
pelled to seek from the manufacturer accommoda-
tion beyond anything to which he is rightly en-
titled.
[n my opinion, no dealer should sell a player-
piano to any customer unless the latter is prepared
to pay down a sum sufficient to give him a reason-
able equity in the beginning. Fifty dollars is as
little as ever should be accepted, and the balance
should be arranged for in not more than twenty-
four monthly payments. The other day we saw a
record of the sale of a $300 piano at $5 per month.
This means five years time. Why, the very cus-
tomer himself gets tired of the thing long before
this. Is it any wonder that payments fall off,
when there is this apparent eternity in front of
the buyer? If the whole thing was to be wiped
out in a couple of year, that would be different,
but to make payments every month for a whole
year and then suddenly realize that you have four
more years of the same thing is discouraging to
any man. The fact is that business of that sort
is better left alone entirely. It does not pay, the
element of risk is too great, and there is no money
in it for anybody.
Dealers who do this sort of business are in the
thing all wrong, and the more business they do,
the worse off they are.
There is another feature to this matter of the
dealer's relations with the manufacturer. If the
latter is carrying the dealer, as he only too often
must, there is always the disagreeable fact to be
reckoned with that piano instalment paper is not
in the best odor with banks. Dealers who can
never settle except with this sort of paper are
doing the wrong sort of business. Manufacturers
should force dealers to get down to a fair basis
of business and use reasonable business sense. The
player business particularly should be treated rea-
sonably and the dealer who sells players on long
time is making a fool of himself and of his manu-
facturer.
A drawing in of our forces, and a general period
of retrenchment and reform are inevitable unless
present tendencies are sharply checked.
(Continued on page 7.)