Have a Heart

A New Slogan for Sales Managers

By B. J. Williams of The Paraffine Cos. Inc.

,;,Rft.t thirty years' actual experience in personal selling and executive sales work, with close observation of mqn. and methods, I am fully persuaded that what we need to develop in our salesmen, our sales organizatiohs and our sales is not more "Efficiency" as the term is ordinarily used, not to further "standardize" our methods, hot to give our customers more of what is called "Sery- ice," but to put into all our dealings with our men more heart, more sympathy and a greater desire to help them.

In common with most sales mahagers, I have dealt in "quotas," in "percentages of increase," in t'bonusesr" in "larger earnings." I have inspired groups of men with the "size, standing and growth of the institution," ih "pride of connection and association" and all the stereotyped appeals in general use, but none of these is equal in pulling power to the old-fashioned plan of giving the men a square deal-to pay them what they are worth as nearly as m4y be determined, to treat them not as men working for you, but as co-workers, partners in the enterprise, with no "master-and-man" attitude or atmosphere about the place.

It's funny how exceedingly human human beings are, and salesmen are very human, I have found. How it does warm a fellow's heart to have a word of commendation when a particularly good deal has been pulled off ! A man is willing to take criticism for errors made when he is givea credit, on the other hand, for good work done. I have never known a case where this was not true. With my own men, if I have occasion to write criticizing severely something they have done or left undone, the same mail usually carries another letter commending them for a good piece of work, even if I have to search the files to find something on which to base such a letter.

How often does the average sales manager sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with a salesman, giving up a Saturday afternoon's golf if necessary, discussing not only matters relatin$ to the salesman's work but also to his family affairs, his small investmehts, his daily life. etc?

Then, confidentially, the silesman is told some of the manager's own troubles, and he is surprised to find that they are about like his own, only perhaps larger and more numerous. He is told some of the difficulties the sales manager has to face, how some of the men deviate from the company policy and the trouble it makes; how a competitor accused him of being a crook because oi a slip made by ohe of the men, etc. Then the sales manager asks the salesman's advice. In this way, the manager not only gets over to the salesman a lot of things that will be valuable for'him to know but makes him an ally; yet, more, a loyal friend. He goes out feeling that his sales manager is great stuff-a regular fellow.

These Saturday afternoon chats afford wonderful opportunities not only for developing morale but morals. I guess I am old-fashioned, sometimes I wonder if I am ahead or behind the procession, but I know that real

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