EFFICIENCY IN U.S.A.

Shannon News, 7 December 1926, Page 3

EFFICIENCY IN U.S.A.

J POINTS IN ITS FAVOUR. THE EXPERT SALESMAN. The scientific' pitch to which Americans have brought the practice of retail business formed the text of an address by Mr D. W. M;itheson, uefore a large gathering of shop assis'ants'of Lavin, who were entertained by tkeh> employers on the eve of Shopping Week. Mr Matheson returned from a visit to the United States and Canada not long ago, and he has made it evident that his perceptive faculties used to advantage during the tour. Without a doubt,, said Mr Mathesor., the L r nit3d States and Canada were wonderful countries from the point of view - ' of business. His experience was that the American in particular did knew how to put out the glad hand: he knew how to make a fuss of the visitor, and in a whole-hearted way. Mr Matheson went on to relate tr- • circumstances of a visit to a shoe st.ire

in San Francisco, where his wife and himself were met by ; a "director,." who showed them to chairs and called a salesman. The job of the latter was

to attend to the customer only. "They don! 't worry about the boss,'' added Mr Matheson; "they know he can take care of,himself, and the system-is sucl: that die employee has to take core of himself., Mrs Matheson wanted a cer-

tain pair of shoes, which were numbered 2620 in the window. The salesman brought out the shoes, took the measurement of the foot, and then said, "'What size do you take?' Wheu he :had been told, he tried the shoe on; but his-one aim was to make certain that it was a genuine fit, and he induced the customer to walk up and down and brought her a mirror. Then, when she was admiring the effect, he said 'I do admire your taste in -shoes.' If he had. shown her more than three pairs of shoes he would have got the ' sack.'

, WILLING SERVICE.. "The employers insist that their staff shall become so efficient that it is not

necessary to pull down,a lot of shoes. You may think that hard. I asked one of the salespeople what was the idea. He said, 'lt is all right. We

iave to do a certain amount s of busi

ness every, week to warrant our salary, For all the business over and above thar. we get our commission.' The Yankee enjoys earning his money and tnjoyd spending it. He wants to give every service ha can to the customer. He has to hold his/job, and if he builds up a connection in that way he is going to get more money. '' One might ask, How can we /apply that system here? We work under an entirely different system. I am satisfied that the majority of'employers are prepared to pay more money if they can get more business. As far as tin; business is concerned, it rests with the employee, because he is the man who handles the customer. It is going t) pay you—you may not get it next week

—but it is going to pay you if you can get some of that idea of handling your customer. The Yankee salesman never says 'Good-bye,'« when you are going; he says, 'You will call again, won't you?'" and you say 'Yes'—you cannot say you won't. If we can say that to our visitors, I think it will be worth while." WELFARE WORK. Speaking of the welfare work undertaken by American employers, Mr Matheson said he thought he would be saf<. in saying that the' welfare work of many of the companies was greater than that which was undertaken in any city in New Zealand. The Stetson Hat Company, for instance provided two auditoriums, holding respectively 5000 and 1500, the latter being principally for the children. He. met two of the ladies who were in charge of the welfare work, which was run by a committee composed of members of the staff. They might hear that one of the employees had a child who was particularly clever. Nothing was at first said to the parents of the child, but investigations were made, and if it was found that the father's salary was not sufficient to develop the genius of the child, an offer was made to advance the money for this purpose without interest. Such an enterprise might not be possible in this" country, but such cases could be encouraged and the employee could assist by telling the employer about the child. THE NEGRO CONDUCTOR, Mr Matheson, like many other visitors to the States, was intensely interested in the negro conductors- on the trains,-men with 25 years' service, and with one company. These men were always boosting the companies w ( hich employed them. One- of them t<sd him that the reason for this was tfiat visitors, on going back to their own countries, would tell their frie.nd-3 to travel on certain companies' lines. "Where do ,you come in?" Mr Matheson inquired. "It means, "replied the conductor, "that our company will make more money, they will piovide more libraries and more social 'shall get bigger salaries and more tips." This showed that, even with the negro, the more he did for-his company, the better it was for himself. There- war; two companies that had absolutely made good on that system. .CONTENTED EMPLOYEES. America, in the last 30 years, had shown the world what efficiency in business meant, It would pay them in this country to adopt some of those methods. The prosperity in America was marvellous. Not only the employers, but the employees were making money; they, were coming to work in motor cars to the Ford factory, and they looked really happy. They would talk to a visitor to the works, but they did" not knock off work to do so. They did not have smoke-ohs and morning, and afternoon teas, but they did enjoy thenfselves when they knocked off, and they had money to spend.