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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
NOVEMBER 7, 1925
strument then goes, first, to the piano depart-
ment for such attention as it requires, and when
the work there is completed the second tag is
torn off and hung on the production board
hook. The instrument then goes to the player
department where the same procedure is fol-
lowed, and finally progresses t o ' the varnish
E
Piano Number
Make of Piano
Received with Piano
Style
Received From
Address
Date Received
moving other instruments. Then in the office
on the wall hangs a board representing the floor
plan exactly with sectional specifications A, B,
C, etc., corresponding with the layout of the
storage floor.
Every instrument brought into the shop is
tagged—a white tag covers an "outside repair"
job; a yellow tag "new stock"; another form
of tag "used" instruments; a green tag "re-
possessed stock," and a red tag for "storage."
The full size tag containing all information, as
shown in the accompanying cut, is attached to
the piano itself, and a miniature, bearing the
instrument's number is hung on the board in
the office designating its position on the floor.
Therefore, when the tag is removed from the
board in the office it is a simple matter to go
to the correct section and find an instrument
without the slightest difficulty. This color
scheme in tagging the instruments obviates any
loss of time in locating a particular kind of
piano and the sytem itself saves the time that
would otherwise be wasted in checking over
hundreds of instruments in order to find the
right one and then perhaps moving several
pianos to get the desired instrument out on the
workroom floor.
Before work is started on any instrument a
careful and detailed estimate is made of tfie
cost. If it is an outside job a special form is
Wm. Knabe & Co.
Estimate No.
4S» FIFTH AVEMUE
NEW YORK. N. Y.
Tag on Job
department for the final touches, if necessary.
Last comes the final inspection tag which marks
the completion and final passing of the work.
As the work passes through each department
19
New York,..
Mr.
TIMS STAMP
WOHM DOMR
MAKK
NUM..
Dear
—
The work on your
piano, number
has been completed, and we
would thank you to kindly call at our Repair Shop,
425 West 55th Street, New York at your convenience to
inspect same prior to delivery so that we may be sure it
is satisfactory to you in all respects.
1
Mechanics' Time Record
it is checked up by the foreman who okays the
proper tag.
A clever feature of the tag system is that
each is perforated at a different point so that
it hangs just a little higher on the hook than
the one preceding it, making it possible to tell
at a glance just how far the job has progressed.
If the piano tag is on top it indicates that the
piano has passed through that department and
is in the player department; the presence of
Very truly yours,
WM. KNABE &. C O
SERVICE DEPARTMENT
In order to avoid the detail of keeping thousands of small
. accounts, all charges for repairs are payable before delivery of in-
struments.
_ Storage charges begin 30 days after date of this notice.
Notification to Owner
used upon which provision is made f«r check-
ing each part of a piano that may need replace-
ment or repair. This form is filled in with an
estimate of the cost of the work and mailed to
VAKNISH
DEPT.
PLAYER DEPT.
PIANO DEFT.
the customer who signs a perforated tag at-
c
£
z
1 s
tached thereto as authority for going ahead
9
a
a
|
a
i
&
2 I S z a £ X & X
A
s
a X
V.
with the work and who returns it to the shop.
Where these outside jobs are handled through
—
one of the retail stores, the estimate form bears
the name and address of the store in question.
For office use a similar form in detail is pro-
vided, properly punched to fit into a loose-leaf
binder. On the back of this form is space
provided for entering details of the work and
the cost of doing it as figured from the regular
Hours AlWoed
Hours Allot.nl
Hours Allo.id
time cards. A record is kept of each job, and
Make
Style
NumKr
.
O»««
Acldrc
it is thus possible to keep an accurate check on
Kititute
Autb. R « .
Dote Finishr
the estimates. For the seventeen retail stores
serviced by the American Piano Co.'s service
Office Cost Record
the player tag shows that it has passed through department the work is done at cost, and for
that department and is in the varnish depart- outside individuals on a definite cost-plus basis.
When estimates are furnished to the customer
ment, and so on. When the final inspection
tab is on the hook, the job is complete and the and no reply is received within a reasonable
time, a follow-up system is put into effect which
instrument is ready for delivery.
So that there may be no delay in finding consists, first, of letters inquiring regarding the
an instrument on which work is to be done, the job and when it is to be done, and then of a
storage floor is divided into sections indicated personal visit from a representative of the repair
by painted lines on the floor, each space being department to look into the case. It is found
wide enough to accommodate two rows of in- that this system brings in a sufficient number of
struments. Between each section there is space orders from those who are inclined to be dila-
enough to move pianos from any row without tory to make the effort well worth while, fn
•A
other words, it pays to give a little attention
to selling the service.
The main point is that the department knows
where it is at every minute. Nothing is done
haphazardly, for it is possible to tell at a glance
just what work is being done and how far it is
progressing, together with all the details con-
nected therewith. It is a system that, under
ordinary circumstances, could be adopted very
successfully by the average dealer, for it has
served to simplify shop practice and records so
they can be easily handled.
One of the main things is to know actual
costs, and, as previously mentioned, these vary
with the different circumstances.
However,
study and experience will serve to give accurate
information regarding the overhead of a man
per day, which provides for the time charge.
The cost of the materials needed may be deter-
mined correctly from the bills. These two fac-
tors, plus the average shop overhead for rent,
clerk hire, etc., provide the cost figures for the
job, to which should be added a fair amount
of profit.
Music Trade Enlists
in Annual Red Gross Drive
Prominent Members of Industry Head Commit-
tees to Raise Funds in Various Trade Divisions
The music trade has been organized for the
Ninth Annual Roll Call of the American Red
Cross, with John J. Glynn, of the James &
Holmstrom Piano Co., as head of the retail
music group; George W. Allen, of Milton Piano
Co., the piano group, and E. C. Mills, of the
Music Publishers' Protective Association, the
music publishers' group. Allied groups are talk-
ing machines, under Lloyd L. Spencer, of the
Silas E. Pearsall Co., and the radio industry,
under David Sarnoff, of the Radio Corp. of
America.
The drive will begin on Armistice Day, No-
vember 11, when 5,000 volunteers will cover the
industrial life of the city, asking people to vol-
unteer their dollars so that the Red Cross may
be kept on the line of duty, ready for service
day or night.
Each chairman will be assisted by a special
committee of trade representatives and will co
operate with the citizens' committee of 1,000,
under the chairmanship of Gen. James G. Har-
bord, president of the Radio Corp. of America.
Opens New Store
FITCHBURG, MASS., October 30.—Charles E. Far-
rar and Oliver H. Wiley have opened a new
music store at 152 Pine street. They will main-
tain a repair department and will specialize on
repairing musical instruments of all kinds. Mr.
Farrar has been connected with one of the big-
gest music houses in Boston and Mr. Wiley has
been doing repair work in this city. He is a
well-known local musician.
To License Canvassers
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., October 31.—Permits for
house-to-house canvassers at an annual cost of
$2 apiece will be required here next year if the
proposed recommendation by the committee on
ordinances and legislation is passed on by the
city council. The solicitors under the proposed
measure will be required to wear a badge with
a permit number.
Dexter's Is Chartered
Incorporation papers for Dexter's, Newark.
N. J., have been filed recently, providing for
$50,000 in preferred stock and 250 shares of
common, no par. Leland A. Dexter, Harry B.
Deleuran, Antonio Constantino, Richard Mul-
hall, Charles E. Gould, all of Newark, are the
proprietors of business.