“No, it didn’t. That’s the
worst of it. A few days after I reached home
in came a cancellation from the head of the house.
At that time, I didn’t understand it. I
supposed that the head of the house himself had really
canceled the order, so the next time I went to that
town, I waltzed straight up to the office and asked
to see the head of the establishment. I asked
him why he had canceled my order and he told me that
his buyer really had all of that in charge and that
he only followed out his recommendations; that the
buyer had told him to cancel that bill and he had
done so.
“I saw through the whole scheme. There
was just one thing for me to do. I simply came
right square out and told the old man that his buyer
had wanted to get $20.00 from me to make the bill stick;
and I bet him a hundred that the clerk had canceled
my order so that he could get a rake-off from somebody
else.
“The old man sent for the buyer and told him
to get his pay and leave. He thanked me for putting
him wise and from that time on, he or some other member
of the firm always goes to the sample room.”
Now, it must not be thought that every sale that is
made must be put through by some bright turn.
These stories I have told about getting the merchant’s
attention are the extreme cases. The general on
the field of battle ofttimes must order a flank movement,
or a spirited cavalry dash; but he wins his battle
by following a well-thought-out plan. So with
the salesman. He must rely, in the main, upon
good, quiet, steady, well-planned work. Some
merchants compel a man to use extraordinary means
to catch them at the start. And the all-around
salesman will be able to meet such an emergency right
at the moment, and in an original way that will win.
CUTTING PRICES.
Is not the salesman on the road who sells goods to
one customer at one price and to another at another
price, a thief? Is not the house which allows
its salesman to do this an accomplice to the crime
of theft?
This is a hot shot, I know; but, if you are a salesman,
ask yourself if it is right to get the marked price
of an article from a friend who gives you his confidence,
and then sell the same thing for a lower price to
another man who is suspicious and beats you down.
Ask yourself, if you have men on the road, whether
or not it is right for you to allow your salesman
to do these things, and then answer “Yes”
or “No.” You will all answer “No,
but we can’t help ourselves.”
You can. A friend of mine, who travels for a
large house, way down East, that employs one hundred
road salesmen, told me recently of an experience directly
in point. I will let him tell the story to you:
“It is the custom in our house, you know, for
all of the boys to meet together twice each year when
we come in after our samples. After we get our
samples marked and packed, and are ready for the road,
the ‘old gentleman’ in the house gives
us all a banquet. He sits at the head of the
table and is toastmaster.
