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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ENERGETIC SALESMANSHIP?
Salesman in Detroit Piano Store Just Wouldn't
Be Convinced That Two Customers Wanted
to Buy First Class Instruments and Maybe
He's Sorry Now—Doesn't Pay to Misjudge.
(Special to The Review.)
DETROIT, MICH., November 17.—An object lesson
in salesmanship took place here, on what probably
were the first two pianos sold and stored away for
Christmas delivery.
Two men, somewhat seedy or rough looking,
but one of whom was wealthy and the other one
well-to-do, visited all the downtown piano stores
looking over the lines. They proved that they
were very good business men, by investigating all
the good points and talking points of all the pianos
that were shown them. They spent two or three
weeks on the job, in fact. Finally they purchased
a couple of the best known and best pianos on
the market, the names of which are not given here
because they would identify the dealer. They paid
the cash for them, then told him a story.
"What sort of a man is
?" first asked
the spokesman of the pair.
The piano merchant made a discreetly non-
committal reply.
"Well, he ain't much of a piano man, or at
least, a salesman," was the next comment. Then
he related what had happened in the store re-
referred to.
When he entered the salesman who approached
him looked him over, and without asking any
questions as to what sort of piano he wanted, took
him to a dark spot a long way back and showed
him the cheapest thing he had in stock.
"Haven't you anything better than that?" queried
the prospect.
"Yes, here's a better one, but it'll cost you more
money."
"Well, how much?"
"Two hundred dollars."
"Is that the best thing you've got in your store?"
Still no effort to ascertain the taste or purchas-
ing powers of the visitors—simply a repetition of
the former information that here was one that
would cost more money, followed with the price
only when it was demanded, and again the query:
"Is that the best thing you've got in the place?"
"Oh, here's a
— over here, but that'll cost
you a lot of money."
"No, I don't think it will," replied the rich man,
and walked out.
The store in which this occurred, the man who
made the sale declined to state, but it is safe to
say that when the manager of it reads this, if he
recognizes the incident, he will hunt up that sales-
man and have a conversation with him.
RETURNS THE COMPLIMENT.
Pacific Coast Piano Man Shows Appreciation of
Value of Testimonial in Other Lines of
Business by Writing One Himself.
(Soecial to The Review.)
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., November 14.—That the
piano men realize the value of the testimonial re-
garding the merits of their - instruments is indi-
cated by the eagerness with which such testi-
monials are accepted and placed before the public.
A' piano man who is willing to acknowledge the
value of a testimonial to those in other lines of
business and live up to the golden rule in that
particular has been found in this city in the person
of a Pacific Coast manager for a prominent East-
ern piano concern, who testifies to the medicinal
value of the herbs and other medicines prescribed
by Chinese doctors. The publication of the testi-
monial gave both the piano man and the doctors
some widespread publicity.
LACK OF COOPERATION
In Matter of Confidential Credit information
Causes Heavy Losses to Merchants That
Could Readily Be Avoided.
A credit adjustment bureau of a local associa-
tion made up of many prominent manufacturers
deplores the lack of co-operation among members
with respect to credit information.
The association claims that this fact is brought
home to it whenever a concern goes into bank-
ruptcy . or becomes financially embarrassed, at
which time investigation shows that a large num-
ber of members interested in the failure have never
given to the bureau any statement of their deal-
ings with the debtor, notwithstanding the fact that
within recent periods the membership has been cir-
culated for such information.
It is pointed out that this lack of co-operation
not only handicaps the efficiency of the credit in-
formation service, but actually works to the in-
jury of the members themselves who fail to re-
spond to inquiries.
TO CLOSE OUT_BRANCH STORES.
The Montenegro-Riehm Music Co. Louisville,
Ky., whose line includes the Chickering, Haines
Bros., Price & Teeple, Sterling and other mak«s
of pianos, has announced that the directors of the
company have decided to close its branches in
Lexington, Owensboro and Bowling Green, Ky.,
and Bedford and Columbus, Ind. Following the
decision to close the branch stores plans were also
completed for closing out the stocks of pianos.
INJUNCTION TO SECURE POWER.
GET RESULTS WITH NEW LINES.
Holding that the Schiller Piano Co., Oregon,
111., is entitled under contract to be supplied with
free power and light perpetually, President Jones,
of that company, has secured an injunction to
prevent the Utilities Co., of Oregon, from cutting
the supply of motor power from the company's
piano plant.
The Berkhoel Piano Co., Salt Lake City, Utah,
1
which some months ago secured the agency in that
city for the Hardman, Peck & Co. line of instru-
ments, including the Hardman pianos and the
Autotone, reports some very satisfactory sales with
the new line, as well as with the Armstrong piano,
the agency for which was also secured recently.
A dry kiln at night
Floor space during the day
Your capital tied up in semi-finished stock can be reduced 50%; space
in your factory can be saved; your varnish will positively dry better and
quicker with a finish that will give credit to extra coats, by using the
CUTLER CURTAIN KILN
This kiln is built anywhere in your factory; during
the day the curtains are rolled up and the space utilized
as you would any other part of the floor. In fact, your
regular floor serves as the floor of the Cutler Kiln.
Roll your trucks right in without any bother. Nor is
there any interference with the sprinkler system.
In brief, the Cutler Kiln is very simple, both in
installation and operation. In no way does it compare
with the "armored type" kiln. The Cutler Kiln costs
only $300 for a 15-foot square, but consider it only
on the basis that it actually dries varnish quickly and
gives a lustre to the finish that is brilliant and perma-
nent.
We'll install a kiln, and if you are pleased with
its work, pay us; if not, we'll take it away. Foster-
Armstrong Co., Lyon & Healy, Louismann-Capen Co.,
Hardman, Peck & Co., Lester Piano Co., and some
other up-to-date piano houses "O.K." the Cutler.
THE
CUTLER DRY KILN CO.
1
Inc.
24 Churchill St., BUFFALO, N.Y.
Send for Booklet
"A Quicker Finish
and
A Better Finish"