The Dealers'service Room

No dealer should ever build himself a Service Room u:rtil he has first convinced himself that his real business is selling Building-Service. If he ISN'T convinced of that. he,won't use his Seryice Room.

If he IS convinced of this, then he will tay out his Service S,oom and equip it exactly in accordance with his estimates 'of the requirements of his community, and he will be proud of it as one_ place in which he has the privilege of exercising his best salesmanship. IIe will then rnake i success of hii Service Room, for he will put HIMSEITF into it, and no Service Room, regard.Iess of its equipment of MATERIAIT things is somplete until it possesses a living, enthusiastic, competent PERSONALITY.

The question of what to put into the Service Room can best be answered by the individual dealer. Ilowever, he should not make.the error of underestimating the requirements of his community or its appreciation of progressiveness. The time and expense of visiting other dealers who have provided. themselves with Service Rooms, will be well spent. No two dealers, even in the same town, will design and. furnish their Service Rooms alike. It should be more than a show window. It should be in intimate connection with the office, yet separate from it.

The IDEA behind the lumber d.ealer's Service Room is that the dealer should use his knowledge and experience to teach the consumer the proper use and application of his materials. to help him select the right materials, to give him information in construction methods, and in the planning of his buildings, and such other assistance in building as will make him a contented. customer, pleased with the'service he got from the dealer. Thus this service will be the means of keeping the customers he has, and of bringing new ones as he becomes recogniZed as authority on building material and buildings.

The Sale Room is to add to the Service Room idea a salesappeal, and. to visualize the selling talk. It is to the dealer a selling room; but to the customer it is a BUyING room, and since the customer cares very little in fact about raw materials the sales room is used. to SEI_/L IDEAS, to show the function of our merchandise, and. to visualize the finished product to the customer. The Sales trioom should embody the principles of an atmosphere conducive to good salesmanship. It shoulcl have freedom from interruption, should provide comfort for the customer, a restful atmosphere, be attractive to the eye, and be suggestive of better and more attractive buildings.

The Plan Room idea is to add to the Service and Sales Rooms, and architectural service. 'With the use of plan looks, plans, pictures, etc., tbe dealer offers for sale the functions of BUILDINGS. He visualizes the HOME in many patterns, in the. latest styles and fashions; he appeals to the progressive and beauty-loving thoughts of prospective home owners. Ife destroys the old joke that the bill of extras doubles the original estimate; he takes upon himself the worry of d.etails, and actually does the building THINKING for his customer.

Service, Sale, and Plan Rooms, three rooms? No. But at least one special room in connection with the retail office. where special equipment and service for buying and selling, are to be found. The purpose of this room is sinply to.equil the modern lumber dealer to sell more of his product at a profit non-competitively by giving the customer assistance in making his buying easy, accurate and satisfactory, in the most attractive way possible.

But, like every other good thing, the dealer must sell him. self first, before he creates his Service'Sales, plan Room.