THOSE GO-GETTERS!

NZ Truth, Issue 1212, 21 February 1929, Page 3

THOSE GO-GETTERS!

'Ware Portrait Salesmen Who Work On Bluff THINK BEFORE YOU SIGN

Organisations which place their products before the public per medium of the salesman canvassing 1 from house to house are, to speak kindly of them, necessary evils. But concerns which flourish on the gullibility, credulity or ignorance of the housewife lay themselves open to be classed as charlatans and impostors.

I JNDER this group are liable to be \J placed some of the portrait com- ' panics at present operating m this country and whose sales. organisations spread, net-like, m both islands. They "do" the country with a line-tooth comb, nor does any district escape heir pestiferous attentions. Time and again "N.Z. Truth" has warned the public to beware of house-to-house salesmen purveying pictures m the interests of these concerns, but just as repeatedly complaints come rolling into this paper's office from people who have been "bitten." Always within the law, these "slick" gentlemen, carefully schooled m the propaganda of their trade, have become the terror of the housewife. In times of stress no one begrudges a man an honest living, but when orders for these portraits are obtained from uninformed women by guile and halftruth, then it is ■ high time something was done to scotch the evil. Working m gangs of either six or eight, and under the control and guidance of a manager, they alight like a swarm of locusts on some unsuspecting town. Lodgings are obtained — and paid for — by the manager, the expenses later being debited against each individual member of the team. Her,e is the incentive to "set to" and show results, for expenses have an unhappy knack of mounting up. In the first place these men are recruited from towns other than the ones at which they are engaged to undertake the business. Turn up your daily paper and you will frequently see the advertisement: "Three salesmen wanted to travel with manager. Big organisation. Experience not necessary. . . ." Recruited m this manner, the men are taken away to some provincial town where, under the careful schooling of the manager, they are let loose upon an unsuspecting public. Bear m mind that the cost of living iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiJiMiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiui

still goes on, and you will then realise why some of these salesmen, m procuring business, use every wile at their command. Should they fail to bring m orders, they are promptly dropped "on the road," m debt to the organisation which promised them such great results. Before the men actually start on their rounds, they receive a little lecture on optimism, enthusiasm, progress and efficiency. When their minds have absorbed these subjects, the manager trots across another line of talk. "Now, boys," he says, "I have here a few sale talks and a little book. I want you to learn and study them well, as your success depends on this." He then proceeds to demonstrate the sale of a picture or painting, taking, each boy m turn. Wherever anyone goes, it is impossible to avoid meeting one of these men, with their inseparable black bags. If you become acquainted with one of them, you lay yourself open to learn quite a lot. Ask him what he has m his bag, and he will run off a line of talk — half American and something else. He 'will show you his wonderful paintings under glass — not outside, as the glass is concaved. .He starts telling you about free pictures and how they are placed m the better homes; but beware, don't make an appointment with him or give him your home address. He'll find it quickly enough without your help. The unfortunate housewife is the one who suffers the brunt of his m

His Glib Talk

quisitiveness, too forceful methods and doubtful tactics. He arrives at her door to get an order, and nothing short of actual bodily force will remove him. These' methods resorted to and he becomes abusive. Were his whole business explained and his orders obtained on legitimate lines (irrespective of what profit he makes), "Truth" would not so often become the repository of people's complaints. The more proficient the salesman and the more glib his talk, the greater number of orders he secures^ m the course of his peregrinations round an allotted district. ' He will knock at a house door, and when it is opened will.start off something like this: "Good morning, madam. Are you the lady of the house?" And then: "My name is Jones. I. am a representative of the 'Sure Light Art Co.' If you could spare me a moment of your valuable time (and he ingratiates himself .inside the doorway) I will demonstrate to you. "You do not mind (with a smile and a quick forward movement) my using the corner of your table or armchair on which to rest this?" Fairly launched on his job, the glib patter rolls from his tongue with the ease exhibited by a prohibition soapbox orator m a public square. With a graceful sweep he will demonstrate.

"This," he says, "is one of our products — framed. Isn't it beautiful? You will notice it is made m the pretty oval Madonna style, showing a rise of one and a-half inches to give it that real life-like effect. You do not get that m the flat paintings. "You. see," he goes on with the assured fluency born of long practice, "instead of the company spending huge sums on advertising we call direct on the people. They get the benefit of the advertising money by giving them a few 'free' paintings — to a few of the better homes" (Oh, very subtle). "If you could show me a few of your better photos I could test them for color and shade, free of charge," and Madam, her curiosity piqued, brings to light a good reproduction of her-v first born.

The Next Card

But failing this ready response, the salesman, eyes already roving, espies and commandeers a nearby photo standing on the sideboard. "A beautiful specimen," he will readily admit, "and the best I have seen to-day." Madam admits with pride it is a photo of her dear boy so-and-so and then, with the key to the situation, the salesman plays his next card. "Just think," says the representative of the Sure Light Co., "concentrate; imagine this person who is so dear to you made up m this eightguinea grade of work. What is the color of the ■ eyes, hair. . . ? at the same time putting the description on the chart. "Have you a photo of yourself or your husband, Madam,," he goes on. "I will show you what I am going to do. I am going to make you a painting of your son, m this eight-guinea

Scenes such as those depicted are familiar m Wellington just now. The deafening noise of drills eating into steel is a tax on the nerves, but it all means progress. So what does it matter? The more noise apparently the greater the advancement of the city.

grade of work, but I am also going to give you the benefit of the advertising money by charging- you £4 on the delivery of the order. In addition to that I am going to take this one of your husband and yourself, and make that m the same grade of work, free of charge, on condition that you do something for me. "That is, when these paintings are delivered bade to you m one month's time you will hang them m a conspicuous place so that when people visit you they wyi ask where you had them done. If you teJl them you procured them from us 7 and show them the slip, that is all I ask. If you do that for us we will do this for -you." Before the bewildered housewife knows what she is doing, out comes the order book and Madam is asked to, sign, just to "verify my statement," the salesman adds. "Good-day, Madam, I hope you will be a booster for us. You need not bother about the frames if you do not' want them, but we have the price to suit your pocket. Good-bye." . Under instructions, the generoushearted salesman . tells you not to bother about the frames. You needn't take them unless it pleases you. But the housewife strikes trouble as. soon as the finished product is delivered. She has to take the frame to make the picture, for one is no good without the other. Mounted m its frame, with concave glass, the painting takes on a little merit 1 when judiciously hung.- Denuded, its cheap and clumsj r finish becomes all too patent. Seen without the frame the purchaser refuses to take delivery of the pointing, but she is faced with the ingeniously worded agreement-order bearing her signature and m the possession of the salesman. Another fly m the ointment is the calm statement that with the frame the painting will cost eight guineas! Having expended so much good money fnd between the devil and the deep sea with threats of summonses, the poor woman at last agrees to take the whole sorry job. What was at first meant to be a pleasant surprise for the family culminates into a surreptitious saving out of housekeeping moneys to pay for, the unwanted articles, while the paintings themselves, are sometimes relectated to the-lumber-room, taken down to the wood

J . block and smashed up or burnt, under the copper at the first available opportunity. The man who takes the order m the first place is not the one who delivers the finished painting. Oh, dear, no. A ! 'f iiJly qualified man, and one accus- j tomed to his work is employed m this I service. He it is who, with scrutinising glance, picks out the most suitable place to hang the painting. This h,e does, for he carries with him the necessary nails, hooks, or tacks (whatever the case may be) for the purpose. Placed m a half light, the .painting may pass for other than what it is — a cheap and tawdry production of little value. ! The order form upon which a signa- ' ture is secured is, m itself, quite a work of art. It runs: "I, Mr. (Mrs.) agree to have delivered m or not later than two months' time two paintings charged for as one and a free advertising one. Strict terms, £4/4/- on delivery." It also goes on to state that "this order cannot be countermanded. Verbal agreements not recognised." And then, at the bottom of the slip are the words: "This order does not . include frames and glass." But these originally American get-rich-quick organisations have brought the whole matter down to a fine art. They never deliver without frame and glass, and if, after a battle of words, the unfortunate signatory to the order refuses point blank to take the frame and glass, she is left with a worthless painting. For worthless the whole job is — painting, frame and glass. It can be, and is, produced for under 10/-. Approximately about 7/6 would be the e'Lftual cost of these fifteen-minute jobs. The original photo from which, the

THE MARCH OF PROGRESS

"iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiinniiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiuuiiuiiiiuiuuiii likeness is taken is placed m an apparatus which reflects an imprint on to a piece of cardboard material chemically treated, and pinned on the wall. When this imprint is sufficiently clear to be discernible, it ia roughly outlined by an artist— a little touching here and there, and ' the "picture" is paint -sprayed m the necessary color schemes. A trifle more re-touching and the job is complete. As for the frames, well, of a fibrous plaster compound — and. pressed, then sprayed m gold, they can be turned out by the hundreds daily. One gentleman has offered to make them on contract for "N.Z. Truth" m unlimited quantities at 1/3 each! No, there are no flies on these organisations, and big -money is paid to the managers and team work bosses. Individual members of the gangs can | also make' good money at the game if i they possess m a sufficient degree a case-hardened conscience which enables them to gull unsuspecting womenfolk. Each salesman is provided with a "salesman's weekly report sheet" upon which is a multiplicity of ruled lines and spaces for different entries — calls made, sales talks made; counts (orders) taken and hours worked. There is also a space allotted for the entry of "hotel dues paid by the foreman or manager" while on the road, and another one for "cash drawn

Game Goes On Si

for next week's expenses and a plus total cash debit as shown by last report." But the gem of the whole concern is the little book of "Do's" and "Don't's," which also includes a score-sheet for every day m the week for twelve months. . Here the ambitious salesman marks down (us per sample on the first page) the number of successful and unsuccessful calls he makes each day. A week's tally will fill a page and at the bottom he can .affix the number of profitable calls he has made at the end of that period. At the back of this marvellous little book is the salesman's song and the salesman's creed, both remarkable examples of prose and rhyme. And so the game goes on. North, south, east and west these men scour the country m search of orders, worrying: already harassed wives into taking something they don't want. ' Legitimate salesmen, on honest business following m the track of these go-getters, have to bear the brunt of a sharp tongue and are told to move on. Is it any wonder that women look with suspicion upon all canvassers who come to their doors? "Truth," however, is not so much concerned with those- people who are wise after the event, but with the ones who have yet to meet the. man with "the little black bag." Beware of him, Is the best advice this paper can. give.