Music Trade Review
Issue: 1926 Vol. 82 N. 7 - Page 3
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THE
VOL. LXXXII. No. 7
REVIEW
Piblished Every Saturday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Aye., New York, N. Y. Feb. 13,1926
81n
«& O o°& e r Year*"* 8
Relation Between the Music Dealer
and His Retail Salesmen
L. P. Ambler Points Out That Clear Contractual Relations Between the House and the Salesmen Eliminate
the Chances of Future Controversy and Dissatisfaction—A Contribution to the Solution
of the Dearth of Retail Salesmen in the Retail Music Field
HE question of the relations between the
retail piano sales manager or piano mer-
chant and the retail piano salesman is
one of perennial interest in the retail piano
trade. The trade, as a whole, complains gen-
erally of a lack of good salesmen. The sales-
men, in turn, retort that the fault is not theirs,
but rather that of the manager or of the mer-
chant himself. Mutual recrimination leads to no
solution of the problem, but meanwhile both
sides to the controversy suffer, the salesman in
his income and the merchant in his gross vol-
ume of sales.
Wide Interest in Trade
The Review of January 23 published a letter
from a retail salesman who stated the sales-
man's side of the controversy, as he saw it, in
clear and unmistakable terms. Since the publi-
cation of that letter, a number of other com-
munications have been received on the same
question, indicating the interest which exists
in the trade regarding it. In opening its col-
umns to this controversy, The Review believes
that, by encouraging free discussion, a great
deal of light may be thrown upon it, and that
a basis for mutual understanding may be even-
tually found. For it is the belief of this paper
that a good deal of the mistrust that too often
exists between the salesman and the house that
employs him is due, not to any direct action
by either party to the controversy, but to a lack
of a common ground on which to meet for the
clarification of misunderstandings that are mu-
tually injurious.
T
One Piano Man's Solution
One of the most interesting letters which The
Review has received regarding this matter
comes from E. P. Ambler, wholesale represen-
tative of the Baldwin Piano Co., Phoenix, Ariz.
It is given here in full:
"Phoenix, Arizona,
"January 30, 1926.
"Editor The Music Trade Review:—Your ar-
ticle in The Review of January 23 has just been
read with a great deal of interest by the writer,
who has served in the past few years as dealer,
sales manager and salesman. The article, 'The
Salesman's Side of the Shortage of Capable Re-
tail Salesmen,' therefore, presents two view-
points, that of sales manager and of the sales-
man.
"G. B. Robertson's letter from Bradford, Pa.,
will doubtless elicit similar ones from all over
the country, if a medium of publication seems
possible to the authors. There are thousands
of salesmen with the same complaints. They
condemn the merchant, when the blame should
be placed upon their own shoulders for enter-
r T
l HE recent publication by The Review
•M. of a letter from a retail piano salesman
giving his side of the controversy regarding
the scarcity of good retail piano salesmen in
the music trade has evidently aroused wide
interest, judging by the number of communi-
cations on the subject which this paper has
received. The letter, from a well-known
piano man, reprinted on this page, appears
to go directly to the fundamentals of the en-
tire question, and should be read with close
interest by every music dealer, retail man-
ager and salesman.
Editor.
ing into an agreement not fully understood by
either party.
"It is true some sales managers are willing to
let a salesman who is above the average go out
of the organization when a closing commission
goes to the same sales manager that rightfully
should go to the salesman who originated the
business.
"When the good salesmen refuse to work for
a sales manager who does not have the highest
regard for 'pioneer' work of salesmen and who
does not willingly offer every available protec-
tion on prospects thus secured, then, and only
then, will merchants be more particular in
choosing sales managers and in the contracts
made with them.
The Trade-in
"Mr. Robertson's letter emphasizes an indi-
rect way of price-cutting by one-price firms,
that of making exorbitant bids under competi-
tion on trade-ins, thus moving new goods from
the store, bringing in used instruments in which
all the profits lie, requiring drayage, repair work
and sale. This condition is continually lamented by
the merchant, for it requires the expense of two
sales to secure the profit of one. But he allows
his sales manager to convert new goods into
old stock which is more unsalable, likely anti-
quated when taken in, and the salesman who
brought in the prospect is asked, in the interest
of the business, not to ask for a commission on
the deal which was made to keep the competitor
from making a sale.
"No code of ethics will solve this problem.
Its nearest solution is in the general use of a
contract between employer and employe, stating
nature of services, percentage of commission on
all accepted business, based on net sale after
trade-ins are deducted, advance for expenses,
if any; length of protection given on all pros-
pects turned in and last but not least is the
treatment to be accorded prospects who drop
in unexpectedly to 'look around.' The merchant
should see to it that his agreement with a sales
manager be such that the latter's remuneration
should be ample to cover such contingencies,
and not at the expense of the salesman who is
at that minute out sole-leathering up to door-
bells in all kinds of weather, while the sales
manager is comfortably under cover from the
elements. On the length of time protection
will be extended on a prospect turned in de-
pends a great deal, as in some instances a cus-
tomer sets the time as far as ninety days ahead, and
it only arouses antagonism in making other
calls.
"The sales manager is more appreciative of
the efforts of a salesman if he himself has been
through the 'Old Mill.'
"After all, the life of the firm depends at all
stages upon 'sales.' Without them no firm can
long exist. If the sale is not good enough that
the salesman is enabled to have his just com-
mission, then it should not be 'acceptable busi-
ness.' This is up to the merchant himself.
"With all due respect to Mr. Robertson, it
seems that, after eighteen years of experience,
a salesman should have acquired knowledge of
the ways of the old piano world sufficient unto
himself at least to afford protection against an
unscrupulous firm.
Sell Your Ability
"If a man be deserving of the name 'sales-
man,' then sell yourself to your next sales man-
ager and get his name on the dotted line. He'll
have more regard for you after you have sold
him on your ability as a salesman, and your
drop-in customers will be cared for in your nh-
sence.
(Continued on page 4)
THE
VOL. LXXXII. No. 7
REVIEW
Piblished Every Saturday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Aye., New York, N. Y. Feb. 13,1926
81n
«& O o°& e r Year*"* 8
Relation Between the Music Dealer
and His Retail Salesmen
L. P. Ambler Points Out That Clear Contractual Relations Between the House and the Salesmen Eliminate
the Chances of Future Controversy and Dissatisfaction—A Contribution to the Solution
of the Dearth of Retail Salesmen in the Retail Music Field
HE question of the relations between the
retail piano sales manager or piano mer-
chant and the retail piano salesman is
one of perennial interest in the retail piano
trade. The trade, as a whole, complains gen-
erally of a lack of good salesmen. The sales-
men, in turn, retort that the fault is not theirs,
but rather that of the manager or of the mer-
chant himself. Mutual recrimination leads to no
solution of the problem, but meanwhile both
sides to the controversy suffer, the salesman in
his income and the merchant in his gross vol-
ume of sales.
Wide Interest in Trade
The Review of January 23 published a letter
from a retail salesman who stated the sales-
man's side of the controversy, as he saw it, in
clear and unmistakable terms. Since the publi-
cation of that letter, a number of other com-
munications have been received on the same
question, indicating the interest which exists
in the trade regarding it. In opening its col-
umns to this controversy, The Review believes
that, by encouraging free discussion, a great
deal of light may be thrown upon it, and that
a basis for mutual understanding may be even-
tually found. For it is the belief of this paper
that a good deal of the mistrust that too often
exists between the salesman and the house that
employs him is due, not to any direct action
by either party to the controversy, but to a lack
of a common ground on which to meet for the
clarification of misunderstandings that are mu-
tually injurious.
T
One Piano Man's Solution
One of the most interesting letters which The
Review has received regarding this matter
comes from E. P. Ambler, wholesale represen-
tative of the Baldwin Piano Co., Phoenix, Ariz.
It is given here in full:
"Phoenix, Arizona,
"January 30, 1926.
"Editor The Music Trade Review:—Your ar-
ticle in The Review of January 23 has just been
read with a great deal of interest by the writer,
who has served in the past few years as dealer,
sales manager and salesman. The article, 'The
Salesman's Side of the Shortage of Capable Re-
tail Salesmen,' therefore, presents two view-
points, that of sales manager and of the sales-
man.
"G. B. Robertson's letter from Bradford, Pa.,
will doubtless elicit similar ones from all over
the country, if a medium of publication seems
possible to the authors. There are thousands
of salesmen with the same complaints. They
condemn the merchant, when the blame should
be placed upon their own shoulders for enter-
r T
l HE recent publication by The Review
•M. of a letter from a retail piano salesman
giving his side of the controversy regarding
the scarcity of good retail piano salesmen in
the music trade has evidently aroused wide
interest, judging by the number of communi-
cations on the subject which this paper has
received. The letter, from a well-known
piano man, reprinted on this page, appears
to go directly to the fundamentals of the en-
tire question, and should be read with close
interest by every music dealer, retail man-
ager and salesman.
Editor.
ing into an agreement not fully understood by
either party.
"It is true some sales managers are willing to
let a salesman who is above the average go out
of the organization when a closing commission
goes to the same sales manager that rightfully
should go to the salesman who originated the
business.
"When the good salesmen refuse to work for
a sales manager who does not have the highest
regard for 'pioneer' work of salesmen and who
does not willingly offer every available protec-
tion on prospects thus secured, then, and only
then, will merchants be more particular in
choosing sales managers and in the contracts
made with them.
The Trade-in
"Mr. Robertson's letter emphasizes an indi-
rect way of price-cutting by one-price firms,
that of making exorbitant bids under competi-
tion on trade-ins, thus moving new goods from
the store, bringing in used instruments in which
all the profits lie, requiring drayage, repair work
and sale. This condition is continually lamented by
the merchant, for it requires the expense of two
sales to secure the profit of one. But he allows
his sales manager to convert new goods into
old stock which is more unsalable, likely anti-
quated when taken in, and the salesman who
brought in the prospect is asked, in the interest
of the business, not to ask for a commission on
the deal which was made to keep the competitor
from making a sale.
"No code of ethics will solve this problem.
Its nearest solution is in the general use of a
contract between employer and employe, stating
nature of services, percentage of commission on
all accepted business, based on net sale after
trade-ins are deducted, advance for expenses,
if any; length of protection given on all pros-
pects turned in and last but not least is the
treatment to be accorded prospects who drop
in unexpectedly to 'look around.' The merchant
should see to it that his agreement with a sales
manager be such that the latter's remuneration
should be ample to cover such contingencies,
and not at the expense of the salesman who is
at that minute out sole-leathering up to door-
bells in all kinds of weather, while the sales
manager is comfortably under cover from the
elements. On the length of time protection
will be extended on a prospect turned in de-
pends a great deal, as in some instances a cus-
tomer sets the time as far as ninety days ahead, and
it only arouses antagonism in making other
calls.
"The sales manager is more appreciative of
the efforts of a salesman if he himself has been
through the 'Old Mill.'
"After all, the life of the firm depends at all
stages upon 'sales.' Without them no firm can
long exist. If the sale is not good enough that
the salesman is enabled to have his just com-
mission, then it should not be 'acceptable busi-
ness.' This is up to the merchant himself.
"With all due respect to Mr. Robertson, it
seems that, after eighteen years of experience,
a salesman should have acquired knowledge of
the ways of the old piano world sufficient unto
himself at least to afford protection against an
unscrupulous firm.
Sell Your Ability
"If a man be deserving of the name 'sales-
man,' then sell yourself to your next sales man-
ager and get his name on the dotted line. He'll
have more regard for you after you have sold
him on your ability as a salesman, and your
drop-in customers will be cared for in your nh-
sence.
(Continued on page 4)
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