Music Trade Review

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21
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, OCTOBER, 19 hi
Piano
Supplies
Actions - Hammers - Plates - Hardware
Strings - Pins - Felts - Tuners Supplies
TUNERS BOOKKEEPING IMPORTANT
J. W. Tapper, president of the Boston Tuners Association
gives reasons and suggests methods for follow up system
J. W. Tapper president of the Boat
Boston Tuners Association who was one
of the speakers at the annual convention
of the National Association of Piano Tuners
pointed out how through careful book-
keeping and system the tuning profes-
sion can be made a profitable career.
"The subject of bookkeeping would
seem to be rather a foreign one to piano
tuning" he said, "Yet. to any man doing
any amount of business it is as closely
related to his tuning business as to any
other, if he be a progressive business
man. Today books have to be useful,
and not merely a procedure. They must
tell cold facts, and, these Facts must be
reckoned with, if future procedure is to
be profitable. Our operations must be
analyzed to see if they have been fruitful
and if not to apply a remedy. Incidentally
I have instituted a simple but effective
set of books for our Boston Association,
and method of dues collecting and ac-
counting, which is working admirably.
REASONS FOR KEEPING BOOKS
Now, why keep books at all? Why do
I keep books? Here's why:
1. I want to be sure that every cent
of income is reflected.
2. That every customer shows up
again for repeat.
3. That I positively charge every cus-
tomer.
4. That I positively credit every pay-
ment received.
5. That I get every cent of expense
accounted for.
6. That I can find out promptly, at
any time, what my cumulative
earnings are for any period, and,
be able to compare with like per-
iod with previous years.
7. That I can find out promptly, at
any time, what my cumulative ex-
penses are for any period, and, be
able to compare with like period
with previous years.
8. That I can find out promptly, at
any time, what my cumulative net
earnings are for any period, and,
be able to compare with like per-
iod with previous years.
9. That I can secure information as to
sales (jobs) from different sources,
and, if these sources are a paying
proposition.
10. That I can watch any particular
class of expense.
11. That I can watch gross expenses
and keep them in proportion to the
sales.
12. That I can determine, and be able
to compare, gross number of cus-
tomers served each year, or por-
tion of the year, and compare with
past years.
13. That I can determine the number
of repeat customers each year, or
portion of the year, and know that
it remained healthy.
And, many more items of control infor-
mation, on which I can act as necessity
demands.
"Going on from year to year and find-
ing that you have enough to eat and wear
is not sufficient. You either improve or
you stand still; and, standing still is
going back. I keep charts from such
figures obtained, and these charts are
watched continually. The charts have re-
peatedly had the effect of pushing me
when they show declining lines, or of
curbing me when they show ascending
lines of expense, or, any particular kind
of expense."
To illustrate this Mr. Tapper displayed
a sales account (meaning jobs). Each
sale bore a consecutive number; the date,
customers' names, amount and whether
"check, cash or charge". Each check item
was posted to the check book. Each cash
item to the cash account. Each charge
item to the accounts receivable. (On
another board was shown two styles of
miscellaneous accounts receivable.) and
the carge accounts were posted to them.
The incoming credits to these accounts
later were also posted, and the outstand-
ing accounts stood out prominently. This
sales book also showed the sales by
territories, or towns, for comparison, the
sales by sources (sources of the income)
for comparison. "The result of this" said
Mr. Tapper, "is that (1) the most fruitful
territory was pushed the hardest and the
others according to their health.
(2) The sources and there cost were
watched, and the unfruitful sources either
eliminated or less stress put on them.
He then displayed an expense account,
columnarized for classification of expense:
totals of expenses f6r one month, two
months, three months, etc., -were clearly
in view. Total of expenses for classes of
expense also clearly in view for same
periods.
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