Presto
Issue: 1928 2170 - Page 12
March 3, 1928
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
12
same rates of percentages on sales made to "drop
ins" as on other sales. Furthermore, prospects orig-
inating in the store or by phone or mail, coming to
the firm during the salesman's "turn" on the floor,
are allotted to that salesman to work at full per-
centages.
Weekly Drawing Account.
Last but not least, the weekly drawing account
advanced against commissions to be earned is not
less than $50 to $75, with complete settlement every
10th and no reserve fund required, but if one is
maintained by the salesman, the firm pays him 6 per
cent interest per annum twice a year on his reserve
fund. The commission plan of remuneration is a
success in many prominent lines that are far more
successful and profitable than the musical instrument
industry.
The Kansas City firm he refers to as a nationally
known institution and says are opposed to commis-
sions and the commission p!an, is unquestionably a
very honorable, reliable, successful firm. But, they
dominate their field by means of heavy advertising
and a control of the best known piano name in the
world as their leader. This makes a difference,
doesn't it? This firm can easily secure the services
of salesmen on their own terms, even on a straight
low salary without commission or bonus. They
probably have more applicants for positions than
they can use and the writer is under the impression
their force is not overly large, because their clientele
"buys" in spite of salesmen's efforts.
It is generally known that the great majority of
merchants in this and other lines, strive to employ
salesmen at the lowest rate of salary, or salary and
bonus they can induce the prospective salesman to
accept. The two main objects are, keep overhead
down and keep the percentage cost of each individual
salesman low. Merchants boast of a low percentage
cost of individual salesmen. My ten-eight plan is just
the opposite of the prevailing custom or rule. I
figured what is the highest percentage our house
could afford to pay a good, bad or indifferent sales-
man for good service.
Years of experience with actual figures before me
show that in this field with a house like ours, and its
many advantages to salesmen, that ten per cent in
the piano department and eight per cent in the pho-
nograph and radio department is "top" in order to
enable the firm to make a reasonable profit after
INDIANAPOLIS DEALERS
TO MEET NEXT WEEK
Plans for Increase of Membership and Other
Matters on Schedule—Geo. Slater
Held Up—Other News.
The Tndianapolis Music Merchants' Association will
hold their regular annual meeting on March 6 at
the Indianapolis Athenaeum. The purpose of the
meeting is to increase the membership of the asso-
ciation, and create a feeling of good fellowship. The
meeting will be called at 6:30 by H. G. Hook, presi-
dent of the association and after the singing of "Indi-
ana" and the "Gang's All Here," there will be a real
supper served. Before any speeches or discussions
the organization will sing "Side by Side," with Frank
Wilking at the piano. One of the attractive features
will be the dessert of frozen cream in the shape of
musical instruments. Then the meeting will continue
and round table discussions will constitute the re-
paying all overhead items. In order to check the
salesman from giving away profits, we drew the plan
up in such a way that the salesman penalized himself
for mediocre or poor service, and yet any fair-minded
individual, or jury of fair minded individuals, can
readily see that even this feature of the ten-eight plan
is fair to all concerned.
Changed Conditions.
It is very apropos to call attention to the fact that
times, methods, styles, costs, profits, habits, living
conditions, desires, etc, have materially changed
since "such men as George P. Bent, H. D. Cable,
W. W. Kimball, Chas, Kohler, George Foster, W. B.
Armstrong. C. A. Smith and a number of others
who blazed the way to success" made their records.
A very enlightening analysis could be made of each
one of these gentlemen's "old-time methods," but
time and space forbids, further than to say the firm
two of these gentlemen are at present associated with
hire many salesmen on straight percentage plan w T ith-
out any drawing account, and W. W. Kimball was,
in the writer's judgment, the daddy of the percentage
plan in the piano industry.
-
;
mainder of the program. The last feature wiil be
the ever famous old favorite, "Auld Lang Syne."
Dealer Held Up.
George W. Slater, one of the road salesmen of the
Starr Sales Corporation, has been the victim of a
hold-up gang. Mr. Slater on returning to Indian-
apolis on Saturday night around midnight was held
up on Ohio street just east of Pennsylvania street,
while on his way home and relieved of $220 in cash.
He was badly beaten about the head and was left
lying in a semi-conscious state on the sidewalk. He
was one of the 52 persons held up on Saturday night
in this city.
Frank Davis, manager of the Baldwin Piano Com-
pany, reports the sale of one of the Baldwin grands
to Loews State Theater on Pennsylvania street. The
instrument will be used in the orchestra pit exclu-
sively.
New Assistant Manager.
William Huttie has been appointed assistant to
Wm. McCreery, wholesale representative of the
House of Baldwin in the state of Michigan, accord-
ing to Frank Davis, manager of the local House of
Baldwin.
On Sunday afternoon Feodor Chaliapin, one of
the world's greatest artists, sang at the Murat Thea-
ter, the concert being given under the auspices of the
Ona B. Talbott Fine Arts Enterprises. Chaliapin was
accompanied by Max Rabinowitch on the Baldwin
concert grand. The attendance was unusually large.
Visitors in the city during the week were: Mr.
Furbush of the Schaff Piano Company of Hunting-
ton, Ind., and Ed. Stout of the Wurlitzer Company.
GOING TO HONOLULU.
Geo. P. Bent had a visit last week in his Los
Angeles home from R. O. Foster, head of Foster &
Waldo, music dealers, Minneapolis, who was accom-
panied by Mrs. Foster. Mr. and Mrs. Foster were
en route to Honolulu to remain a month.
BUYS IN OAK PARK, ILL.
George M. Heinze has purchased Hafner's Music
Store at 189 South Oak Park avenue. Oak Park, 111.,
at which place a complete line of radios will continue
to be on display as well as Brunswick records and
sheet music. For the time being, it is said, there will
be no change in the trade name.
Just One of
Nineteen
Beautiful
Designs of the
Schiller Line
Style M. Jacobean Schiller
If You Are Meeting With Sales Resistance Let Us Help You.
SCHILLER PIANO COMPANY
Factory and General Offices:
OREGON, ILL.
Chicago Offices: 932 Republic Building
New York Office: 130 West 42nd Street
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
12
same rates of percentages on sales made to "drop
ins" as on other sales. Furthermore, prospects orig-
inating in the store or by phone or mail, coming to
the firm during the salesman's "turn" on the floor,
are allotted to that salesman to work at full per-
centages.
Weekly Drawing Account.
Last but not least, the weekly drawing account
advanced against commissions to be earned is not
less than $50 to $75, with complete settlement every
10th and no reserve fund required, but if one is
maintained by the salesman, the firm pays him 6 per
cent interest per annum twice a year on his reserve
fund. The commission plan of remuneration is a
success in many prominent lines that are far more
successful and profitable than the musical instrument
industry.
The Kansas City firm he refers to as a nationally
known institution and says are opposed to commis-
sions and the commission p!an, is unquestionably a
very honorable, reliable, successful firm. But, they
dominate their field by means of heavy advertising
and a control of the best known piano name in the
world as their leader. This makes a difference,
doesn't it? This firm can easily secure the services
of salesmen on their own terms, even on a straight
low salary without commission or bonus. They
probably have more applicants for positions than
they can use and the writer is under the impression
their force is not overly large, because their clientele
"buys" in spite of salesmen's efforts.
It is generally known that the great majority of
merchants in this and other lines, strive to employ
salesmen at the lowest rate of salary, or salary and
bonus they can induce the prospective salesman to
accept. The two main objects are, keep overhead
down and keep the percentage cost of each individual
salesman low. Merchants boast of a low percentage
cost of individual salesmen. My ten-eight plan is just
the opposite of the prevailing custom or rule. I
figured what is the highest percentage our house
could afford to pay a good, bad or indifferent sales-
man for good service.
Years of experience with actual figures before me
show that in this field with a house like ours, and its
many advantages to salesmen, that ten per cent in
the piano department and eight per cent in the pho-
nograph and radio department is "top" in order to
enable the firm to make a reasonable profit after
INDIANAPOLIS DEALERS
TO MEET NEXT WEEK
Plans for Increase of Membership and Other
Matters on Schedule—Geo. Slater
Held Up—Other News.
The Tndianapolis Music Merchants' Association will
hold their regular annual meeting on March 6 at
the Indianapolis Athenaeum. The purpose of the
meeting is to increase the membership of the asso-
ciation, and create a feeling of good fellowship. The
meeting will be called at 6:30 by H. G. Hook, presi-
dent of the association and after the singing of "Indi-
ana" and the "Gang's All Here," there will be a real
supper served. Before any speeches or discussions
the organization will sing "Side by Side," with Frank
Wilking at the piano. One of the attractive features
will be the dessert of frozen cream in the shape of
musical instruments. Then the meeting will continue
and round table discussions will constitute the re-
paying all overhead items. In order to check the
salesman from giving away profits, we drew the plan
up in such a way that the salesman penalized himself
for mediocre or poor service, and yet any fair-minded
individual, or jury of fair minded individuals, can
readily see that even this feature of the ten-eight plan
is fair to all concerned.
Changed Conditions.
It is very apropos to call attention to the fact that
times, methods, styles, costs, profits, habits, living
conditions, desires, etc, have materially changed
since "such men as George P. Bent, H. D. Cable,
W. W. Kimball, Chas, Kohler, George Foster, W. B.
Armstrong. C. A. Smith and a number of others
who blazed the way to success" made their records.
A very enlightening analysis could be made of each
one of these gentlemen's "old-time methods," but
time and space forbids, further than to say the firm
two of these gentlemen are at present associated with
hire many salesmen on straight percentage plan w T ith-
out any drawing account, and W. W. Kimball was,
in the writer's judgment, the daddy of the percentage
plan in the piano industry.
-
;
mainder of the program. The last feature wiil be
the ever famous old favorite, "Auld Lang Syne."
Dealer Held Up.
George W. Slater, one of the road salesmen of the
Starr Sales Corporation, has been the victim of a
hold-up gang. Mr. Slater on returning to Indian-
apolis on Saturday night around midnight was held
up on Ohio street just east of Pennsylvania street,
while on his way home and relieved of $220 in cash.
He was badly beaten about the head and was left
lying in a semi-conscious state on the sidewalk. He
was one of the 52 persons held up on Saturday night
in this city.
Frank Davis, manager of the Baldwin Piano Com-
pany, reports the sale of one of the Baldwin grands
to Loews State Theater on Pennsylvania street. The
instrument will be used in the orchestra pit exclu-
sively.
New Assistant Manager.
William Huttie has been appointed assistant to
Wm. McCreery, wholesale representative of the
House of Baldwin in the state of Michigan, accord-
ing to Frank Davis, manager of the local House of
Baldwin.
On Sunday afternoon Feodor Chaliapin, one of
the world's greatest artists, sang at the Murat Thea-
ter, the concert being given under the auspices of the
Ona B. Talbott Fine Arts Enterprises. Chaliapin was
accompanied by Max Rabinowitch on the Baldwin
concert grand. The attendance was unusually large.
Visitors in the city during the week were: Mr.
Furbush of the Schaff Piano Company of Hunting-
ton, Ind., and Ed. Stout of the Wurlitzer Company.
GOING TO HONOLULU.
Geo. P. Bent had a visit last week in his Los
Angeles home from R. O. Foster, head of Foster &
Waldo, music dealers, Minneapolis, who was accom-
panied by Mrs. Foster. Mr. and Mrs. Foster were
en route to Honolulu to remain a month.
BUYS IN OAK PARK, ILL.
George M. Heinze has purchased Hafner's Music
Store at 189 South Oak Park avenue. Oak Park, 111.,
at which place a complete line of radios will continue
to be on display as well as Brunswick records and
sheet music. For the time being, it is said, there will
be no change in the trade name.
Just One of
Nineteen
Beautiful
Designs of the
Schiller Line
Style M. Jacobean Schiller
If You Are Meeting With Sales Resistance Let Us Help You.
SCHILLER PIANO COMPANY
Factory and General Offices:
OREGON, ILL.
Chicago Offices: 932 Republic Building
New York Office: 130 West 42nd Street
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).