Out and Horne. By "The Extractor."
Page 16
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
PORTSMOUTH,
k'7th September, 1912. I have just. had sent to me a copy of your paper for last week with t he paragraph marked dealing with motor broughams for commercial travellers, and I am much interested in the question. Like yourself I have questioned fellow travellers who possessed motors, and I have been envious at the amount of ground covered and apparently the time saved. Once really convinced myself, I think I could bring conviction to headquarters and induce them to make a trial of motors.
I represent a drapery concern employing 15 country travellers who cover some few parts of the ground twice a year only. We find this is not quite often enough, but good travellers are, 1 daresay, hard to find. I can see plainly that if about eight of our men had motors we could get over the whole ground, calling oftener, and with infinitely better results to the firm. It would mean that the weaker would go to the wall, but I suppose that is a natural result in any business. One thing is that the ordinary traveller works long enough hours as it is, although home birds think that life is one long holiday for him, especially when he is doing the South Coast towns. I notice here travellers with motors are grinding away at their work at all hours, and I can't see at the moment how it can be altered. I could not dictate my own stuff to a typist, because the orders in their details have to be written in a manifold book, so that I can always retain by me a copy for reference.
I should certainly like to save some of the many hours I waste going to and from the stations and fitting in times of trains. I won't say that I possess a " persuasive tongue " but, such as it is, it would be better employed at a customer's than in so much inquiring after trains. I shall examine your paper in future and find out some comparative costs, with the idea of putting them before my people who are terribly conservative but once convinced, are usually disposed to go ahead.—Yours truly, This little note, I fancy, voices the opinion of a good many travellers, and the objection about the extra writing is not a very serious one. It is about time that the dear old-time manifold letter and order book went. I used one in travelling for many years, and lumbered up my personal luggage with the copies, and it is astonishing how seldom they are required, but it takes a long time where they are once used to break away from them. After all it is one's own concern who retains the original, and it is at headquarters to be referred to if needs be. I have, in my travelling, never kept copies for many years, and no difficulties arise, but if it is felt to be essential, then the temporary typist can, of course, as they do all along, give you a copy by the one operation, and you carry a file with the bound copies ; that is a mere detail. I shall be much interested to try and answer any other objections that correspondents may raise. Obviously the use of motors pays, but it is the "outside " influences that. require a little speeding up.
It is only a few weeks ago I ventured the suggestion on this page that a new name was necessary in place of chars-ii-bancs, partly because of the desirability of British words for the Britishers, and partly because of the diversity of taste in the spelling. I am bound to confess that the tumult occasioned by my attack on an inoffensive and useful word would not. outdo the commotion made by a couple of flies in a milk jug. I have had a few suggestions, but evidently there is not, at the moment any wild desire for a change. One suggestion received is a specially welcome one, as it is dated from Buffalo, N.Y., and comes from Mr. John Younger, who went from Dennis Bros. Ltd. out to the Pierce-Arrow company. It may be inferred that Younger—a proud Scot by the by---is becoming rapidly Americanized when he suggests that we shall call them
Rubberneck wagons," as they do in America. He asks me to think over the name a little, and I shall fully realize how appropriate it is, and, that. done, I am to hand him the prize. Welt! Well ! " In the Country of the Blind, the oneeyed man is King" and "Rubberneck " if you please is the best suggestion on hand at the moment. The only " prize " I offer to Younger is a friendly greeting from this side mingled with a hope that he. will go on sending 13 s suggestions from time to time and not to be discouraged because we make haste to decline " Rubberneck.".