Music Trade Review

Issue: 1932 Vol. 91 N. 8

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
A CREDIT ORGANIZATION
THAT HAS
CREDIT INFORMATION
SPEED
PLUS
SAFETY
T
HE average music merchant today has two outstanding
problems, the first, that of developing enough sales to
keep his business going with at least some measure of
profit and, secondly, the maintenance of a credit system
that will work in good times as well as bad and keep collec-
tion losses at a minimum. The credit problem is not alone
avoiding the activities of frauds but of sizing up the responsi-
bilities of those who are honest enough but are faced with
income uncertainty in the existing situation.
Among the music houses that have developed a system that
works surprisingly well is the Platt Music Co., of Los An-
geles, which, in addition to its main store, operates well over
a score of branches. The credit matters of the branch store
in and about Los Angeles are handled direct from headquar-
ters, but in the branches distant from the main store it has
been necessary to set up separate credit departments with a
personnel familiar with local conditions.
PLATT MUSIC COMPANY
REQUEST FOR CREDIT APPROVAL
-
•"""•'"
r
'•
"'"" I "°
• LLOWIINCI
-
»
R
FORM USED FOR DATA OVER "PHONE
'
GENERAL CREDIT INFORMATION FORM
An excellent idea of how the Platt system operates may
be gleaned from a study of the methods of the main store and
the metropolitan branches. Credit investigation, as a rule,
does not occur until after the first payment has been made.
The salesman fills out the usual credit information on forms
which are forwarded to the credit department of the main
store although the information is telephoned immediately the
sale is made.
It frequently occurs that the credit is passed and the delivery
of the merchandise is made before the papers come in by mail.
If the credit is deemed OK with no delays for investigation,
a dummy delivery order is sent to the warehouse and the
merchandise is delivered. When the papers come in, the
original delivery order is pinned to the dummy and filed with
the other papers.
"We strive not to let the customer realize at the moment
that his credit rating and ability to pay are being seriously
questioned," explained P. J. Cullen, assistant credit manager.
"We have sufficient time between the taking of the order and
the delivery of the merchandise to get enough information to
determine the possibilities. If it doesn't look good, the de-
livery is held up and the customer's money refunded. We
have many newcomers to the region. At first they reside in
hotels or apartments. They want radios. It is necessary for
us to speed up investigation of them, so we use the telegraph
to obtain a line on them from merchants and bankers in their
former homes. A wire sent out in the morning brings an
answer in the afternoon, and, if OK the delivery of the
merchandise may be made the next morning."
Credit passed, a card is made out carrying the information
and terms of payment. Across the top are numerals repre-
senting the days of the month. Red tabs are affixed to the
dates when payments are due. If it is a new account, the
(Please turn to page 14)
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
October,
1932
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
GANGWAY for the LADIES
SAYS THIS W O M A N DEALER
"This slogan is realized by the tobacco people. Make it
AKE your music store an "It" establishment—an
institution with a pleasing personality—and watch the music store slogan. Gain the trade of the women by
trade grow. This is the motto of Mrs. Ethel featuring women at your institution. Housewives, mothers—
Olin, president and manager of the Utah Music the real budget keepers of the family—will patronize your
Co., Salt Lake City, only woman music merchant chief in the store.
State and one of the few in the West.
"And the men will come, too. Show them that your assist-
"Put women in your music store and you have 'It'—not ants are capable and efficient, but above all that 'It' pre-
only women clerks, but women salesmen and department dominates the institution. Sheet music, orchestral instruments,
band instruments, pianos and all—sales may be made by
heads. Being a woman helps—that is my secret of success.
"This is tough on the men, but they helped to give us women.
"This is the era for women. Give them a chance to boom
equal rights and it's a free country nowadays and women
should take advantage of it—bless their hearts. We're men's trade, and win increased business with the feminine angle.
biggest weakness.
"Certain it is that they arc better qualified to approach
"I find that women are just as efficient as men in their wives and mothers on a basis of mutual understanding than
lines of work. Not only this, but they, attract more trade. are a majority of the men whose main object, frequently, is to
Women patronize women
get the sale over by high
managers and sales force—
^
„ „
pressure methods.
the weaker sex sticks to-
"It is also found that the
gether better than the men.
woman
can make a stronger
Feminine charm puts personality and "It" into the
"And not only do the
appeal to the men on the im-
Music store, declares Mrs. Ethel Olin, head of the
women patronize music shops
portant question of having
managed by women, but the
their children trained, in mu-
Utah Music Co., Salt Lake City, who has tried it
men do, too; especially if
sic because they can be more
the store has 'It.' A store
or less sentimental in the
with great success. If her ideas become general
may develop a pleasing per-
matter without hurting their
it is going to be just too bad for the men.
sonality just the same as a
pride, as is often the case
person can cultivate 'It.' By
with male salesmen.
training the feminine sales
"In the matter of making
force to be pleasant, courte-
social contacts a woman has
ous and efficient; by keeping the interior of the store charming a particular advantage over a man, for at various gatherings
she is able to refer to her business activities without being
and agreeable; and by giving service and satisfaction."
Mrs. Olin has been in the music business for twenty years. accused, as would a man, of bringing business into the draw-
She moved the business in her present location on East ing room. In fact I have found many, both men and women,
South Temple street over twelve years ago. She has watched who have evinced much interest in the fact that a woman is
the men music store dealers come and go, and has survived a music merchant and have turned business my way as a
matter of encouragement."
the low trends as well as any of them.
Mrs. Olin, although strong for the feminine element in
"I remember when the player pianos came into style," she
says. "And then the radio. Nobody dreamed that it would music selling, nevertheless has associated with her own son,
amount to the tremendous industry that it is today. Now- Allen Olin, who provides the masculine touch that is found
adays we are pushing our radio sales in great shape, not for- desirable on numerous occasions. He has worked consistently
with his mother in the development of the business.
getting, however, our piano sales and musical instruments.
Throughout her career, Mrs. Olin has insisted, upon
"When we want sales increased—we let the women do it.
"When we want radios explained—we let the women do it. handling only products of quality and for years has featured
"When we want pianos demonstrated—we let the women the Hardman piano among other lines. She has also handled
do it. And it helps to let the women take charge. A woman the RCA Victor and Sparton radio lines and insisted upon
sales lady has a way to a man's heart. And she also has a quality products in such other musical merchandise as she has
seen fit to sell.
way to the women's hearts.
Whatever the value of feminine "it" in the music business
"Women nowadays are the guardians of the purse strings.
They are the bankers of the family. When you have a woman consideration must be given to the fact that in Mrs. Olin's
in charge of an institution the women support her. And case it is coupled with good sound business sense evidenced
with the women's support—the store has the support of the by the fact that she has continued in business and made
progress when other music concerns in Salt Lake City saw fit
moneyed class.
to give up the struggle.
"Appeal to the women!
M
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
October, 1932

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