Music Trade Review
Issue: 1926 Vol. 82 N. 4 - Page 3
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REVIEW
THE
VOL. LXXXIL No. 4
Published Every Satirday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madiwo Ave., New York, N. Y. Jan. 23,1926
l° B c r e n t B
The Salesman's Side of the Shortage
of Capable Retail Salesmen
A Retail Piano Salesman Attributes the Entire Problem to Poor Management on the Part of the Retail
Piano Merchant and His Sales Manager—His Experiences as He Describes Them Himself—Funda-
mental Cause Seems to Be Lack of Clarity in Employment Agreements Made by House
HE problem of the salesman in the retail
"The manager either has some excuse to fig-
piano trade, like every other problem, has ure the commission down, or says the sales-
two sides to it. One is from the mer- man is not entitled to any commission, or that
chant's viewpoint, which has always been very he must await until so-and-so, or that the price
much to the fore; the other, from the viewpoint was cut. I want to say right here that, as a
of a salesman himself, which in the past has
not received so much attention. That there is
a shortage of efficient and capable salesmen is
T is only fair that in the discussion of
a generally accepted fact; why this shortage
the problem involved in the so-called
/
exists is the point that arouses the discussion.
shortage of capable retail piano salesmen,
As in most problems of this type each side
is prone to lay the entire blame upon the other. that the salesmen himself be given his day
The piano merchant complains that he is unable in court and that his views be given full
to get the proper type of man; the salesman publicity. The letter printed on this page
himself declares in many cases that he is unable represents an attitude that is fairly typical
to get the proper working conditions in the among many retail salesmen at the present
warefooms where he is employed. To one who
hears both sides of the question it is apparent day, as will easily be found through inter-
that a deep cleavage of misunderstanding exists viewing a number of them. The Review
between these two groups, one that must be presents these opinions for what they are
bridged before effective work is done to elim- worth as a contribution to this important
inate a condition that has a widespread effect problem, and as an aid to its solution.
on the ultimate sales volume of the piano
—EDITOR.
industry.
A Typical Letter
The following letter is typical of a number
which have been received by The Review dur- salesman, I have never had the right to cut
ing the past several months. It represents an prices. If I turned over a prospect to discuss
attitude which is found with many salesmen and the reduction question, the manager drew the
one which is a big obstacle towards the devel- contract and said: 'I just sold so-and-so.' All
opment of retail sales organizations which can the time it was the work of the salesman under
function at full efficiency. As typical, The him who was responsible for the sale. This
Review believes that it should be given full has happened to me many times and I. expect
the piano business is pretty much the same all
publicity:
"Editor, The Music Trade Review: In every over.
"Just the other day I had a prospect in the
paper I pick up I read an article on the 'Dearth
of Good Piano Salesmen.' This is so, no doubt, store and previously I had offered $100 for his
but some times I wonder if it is salesmen or old upright on the sale of a player-piano. I
good piano houses. They are all good until could have sold this party if I had not wanted
him to have a square deal. What was the
proven otherwise.
"But after selling pianos for eighteen years, result? Well, some large house in a large city
giving myself over to the study of this line, I offered this party $240 for his piano and made a
am inclined to think it is not all the fau.lt of deal. The prospect admitted that that sold the
salesmen. I have seen as managers of piano piano. There was no money in that deal, but
stores those who are so incompetent that they what do you suppose my manager said? 'It
shows there are high-pressure salesmen in the
make a salesman laugh, and often times d
mad. What makes salesmen disgusted is the city. They get deals.' I told my manager that
if that was a good deal, he had 'better go and
paying end.
"I have as yet to hear from a salesman who give himself up.' My manager makes deals like
has ever got a square deal from a house where that but I, as a salesman, can not. That's the
that salesman has been working on a commis- kind of bunk that's being put over all over the
sion basis. The thing never works out as the country.
"There is also a dearth of good square dealers
salesman expected.
T
but the trade papers state very little on this
side of the question. There's lot of salesmen
who could make deals that would be accepted
by the house, but on the other hand if they do,
they get h
for it. It makes a difference who
makes the sale. 1 personally have had people
buy pianos that were absolutely no good from
store owners, managers or head salesmen.
Those fellows are the big noise in civic affairs,
clubs, etc. When there is to be an adjustment,
what a holler! They are all alike to a certain
extent. You, my dear sir, go out 'incog' and
try selling pianos for the average piano house.
Direct your slams at the houses which employ
salesmen, not at the boys all the time.
"Yours very truly,
"G. B. ROBERTSON,
"Bradford, Pa."
"P. S.—As a New Year's thought, why don't
some trade paper have a page where salesmen
in general can blow off steam? I have a lot to
say if I could write as fast as I could think.'*
Source of Misunderstanding
It is evident from this letter that one of the
fertile sources of misunderstanding between the
salesman and the merchant who employs him is
lack of clarity in the original agreement of em-
ployment. It is inevitable where such a con-
dition exists that controversies are going to
arise over future sales, and every controversy of
this kind leaves a disgruntled salesman who
never works as well in the future as he has in
the past.
A second point that the letter develops makes
it evident that many retail piano houses fail to
have a proper system of handling their pros-
pects with the result that two salesmen, or the
salesman and the house, are both likely to claim
a sale. A condition such as this is inexcusable
with any piano dealer, as there are few that
have complex conditions to meet in this direc-
tion. One of the biggest houses in New York,
which has a number of branches in the metro-
politan territory, has a system whereby any
salesman in a branch who once lists a prospect
and who shows that he has been working on
that prospect, receives full credit for the ulti-
mate sale, though it may be closed by the floor
force in the main warerooms or in any othef
branch the house has in the city. If a problem
such as this can be solved satisfactorily, why
can not the smaller dealer work out a similar
(Continued on page 4)
REVIEW
THE
VOL. LXXXIL No. 4
Published Every Satirday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madiwo Ave., New York, N. Y. Jan. 23,1926
l° B c r e n t B
The Salesman's Side of the Shortage
of Capable Retail Salesmen
A Retail Piano Salesman Attributes the Entire Problem to Poor Management on the Part of the Retail
Piano Merchant and His Sales Manager—His Experiences as He Describes Them Himself—Funda-
mental Cause Seems to Be Lack of Clarity in Employment Agreements Made by House
HE problem of the salesman in the retail
"The manager either has some excuse to fig-
piano trade, like every other problem, has ure the commission down, or says the sales-
two sides to it. One is from the mer- man is not entitled to any commission, or that
chant's viewpoint, which has always been very he must await until so-and-so, or that the price
much to the fore; the other, from the viewpoint was cut. I want to say right here that, as a
of a salesman himself, which in the past has
not received so much attention. That there is
a shortage of efficient and capable salesmen is
T is only fair that in the discussion of
a generally accepted fact; why this shortage
the problem involved in the so-called
/
exists is the point that arouses the discussion.
shortage of capable retail piano salesmen,
As in most problems of this type each side
is prone to lay the entire blame upon the other. that the salesmen himself be given his day
The piano merchant complains that he is unable in court and that his views be given full
to get the proper type of man; the salesman publicity. The letter printed on this page
himself declares in many cases that he is unable represents an attitude that is fairly typical
to get the proper working conditions in the among many retail salesmen at the present
warefooms where he is employed. To one who
hears both sides of the question it is apparent day, as will easily be found through inter-
that a deep cleavage of misunderstanding exists viewing a number of them. The Review
between these two groups, one that must be presents these opinions for what they are
bridged before effective work is done to elim- worth as a contribution to this important
inate a condition that has a widespread effect problem, and as an aid to its solution.
on the ultimate sales volume of the piano
—EDITOR.
industry.
A Typical Letter
The following letter is typical of a number
which have been received by The Review dur- salesman, I have never had the right to cut
ing the past several months. It represents an prices. If I turned over a prospect to discuss
attitude which is found with many salesmen and the reduction question, the manager drew the
one which is a big obstacle towards the devel- contract and said: 'I just sold so-and-so.' All
opment of retail sales organizations which can the time it was the work of the salesman under
function at full efficiency. As typical, The him who was responsible for the sale. This
Review believes that it should be given full has happened to me many times and I. expect
the piano business is pretty much the same all
publicity:
"Editor, The Music Trade Review: In every over.
"Just the other day I had a prospect in the
paper I pick up I read an article on the 'Dearth
of Good Piano Salesmen.' This is so, no doubt, store and previously I had offered $100 for his
but some times I wonder if it is salesmen or old upright on the sale of a player-piano. I
good piano houses. They are all good until could have sold this party if I had not wanted
him to have a square deal. What was the
proven otherwise.
"But after selling pianos for eighteen years, result? Well, some large house in a large city
giving myself over to the study of this line, I offered this party $240 for his piano and made a
am inclined to think it is not all the fau.lt of deal. The prospect admitted that that sold the
salesmen. I have seen as managers of piano piano. There was no money in that deal, but
stores those who are so incompetent that they what do you suppose my manager said? 'It
shows there are high-pressure salesmen in the
make a salesman laugh, and often times d
mad. What makes salesmen disgusted is the city. They get deals.' I told my manager that
if that was a good deal, he had 'better go and
paying end.
"I have as yet to hear from a salesman who give himself up.' My manager makes deals like
has ever got a square deal from a house where that but I, as a salesman, can not. That's the
that salesman has been working on a commis- kind of bunk that's being put over all over the
sion basis. The thing never works out as the country.
"There is also a dearth of good square dealers
salesman expected.
T
but the trade papers state very little on this
side of the question. There's lot of salesmen
who could make deals that would be accepted
by the house, but on the other hand if they do,
they get h
for it. It makes a difference who
makes the sale. 1 personally have had people
buy pianos that were absolutely no good from
store owners, managers or head salesmen.
Those fellows are the big noise in civic affairs,
clubs, etc. When there is to be an adjustment,
what a holler! They are all alike to a certain
extent. You, my dear sir, go out 'incog' and
try selling pianos for the average piano house.
Direct your slams at the houses which employ
salesmen, not at the boys all the time.
"Yours very truly,
"G. B. ROBERTSON,
"Bradford, Pa."
"P. S.—As a New Year's thought, why don't
some trade paper have a page where salesmen
in general can blow off steam? I have a lot to
say if I could write as fast as I could think.'*
Source of Misunderstanding
It is evident from this letter that one of the
fertile sources of misunderstanding between the
salesman and the merchant who employs him is
lack of clarity in the original agreement of em-
ployment. It is inevitable where such a con-
dition exists that controversies are going to
arise over future sales, and every controversy of
this kind leaves a disgruntled salesman who
never works as well in the future as he has in
the past.
A second point that the letter develops makes
it evident that many retail piano houses fail to
have a proper system of handling their pros-
pects with the result that two salesmen, or the
salesman and the house, are both likely to claim
a sale. A condition such as this is inexcusable
with any piano dealer, as there are few that
have complex conditions to meet in this direc-
tion. One of the biggest houses in New York,
which has a number of branches in the metro-
politan territory, has a system whereby any
salesman in a branch who once lists a prospect
and who shows that he has been working on
that prospect, receives full credit for the ulti-
mate sale, though it may be closed by the floor
force in the main warerooms or in any othef
branch the house has in the city. If a problem
such as this can be solved satisfactorily, why
can not the smaller dealer work out a similar
(Continued on page 4)
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