The Press Saturday, May 18, 1929. British Salesmanship.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 18 May 1929, Page 16

The Press Saturday, May 18, 1929. British Salesmanship.

The social and economic historian of English affairs should note the curious power that Royalty has of drawing public attention to conditions that are, or should be, already well-known to the nation. King Edward gave an impetus to the war on consumption byasking why, if consumption was curable, it was not cured. King George, as Duke of York, returned from a tour of the. Dominions with the message "Wake iip, England!"; and John Bull opened an eye. The conditions in the mining villages of Britain, to which the Prince of Wales drew pointed attention a few months ago, were familiar to all who took a real interest in the coal-mining problem. They had been before the public for years. But the tour of the Prince through the mining villages made such a mark on the public mind and conscience as had not been made before, and had the practical result of attracting large sums to the relief funds. Since then the Prince of Wales has publicly called for improvement in British salesmanship, and though apparently the appeal has not resulted in the establishment of courses of salesmanship—on the American model —in all the British universities, it has caused some mind-searching on the subject. And it has been followed by a recommendation to the same effect in the final report of the Balfour Committee on Industry and Trade. Our readers should be quite familiar with the comglaint that British salesmanship is not so efficient as it should be. Prqjiably almost since the foundation of New Zealand there have been grumblings about the unwillingness of certain British manufacturers to study this market. That some of them adopt the "take-it-or-leave-it" attitude is an old charge. It is said also that British manufacturers do not send out travellers sufficiently well equipped with languages or catalogues. A wellknown English traveller has described in a popular book how on a voyage to South America he noticed commercial travellers of other countries talking to Spanish-Americans on board and doing everything possible to equip themselves to meet possible customers in the Spanish republics, but the English travellers amused themselves all day with the usual shipboard pursuits. We should say that to-day there was much less of this neglect of opportunities than there was a generation ago. Adversity is the best of teachers. It should be realised, however, that there is something to be said on the other side. Dominion markets are, per head of population, the most valuable in the world to Britain, but some of them are still comparatively small. A New Zealand boot importer, who visited a large factory in the centre of the industry in England, was shoAvn one English order greater than the whole of New Zealand's imports for a year. It must be admitted, however, that the weight of tradition is still heavy on English industry. In the nineteenth century, when Britain became the workshop of the world, she was far ahead of all rivals, and there was nothing like the present necessity for studying the requirements of customers. The belief grew up that all Britain had to do was to make goods; as Punch's young man just out of college says to his father who wants to know what he is going to do for a living—"Let the beggars scramble for " me." This belief is hard to eradicate. Younger nations, in order to compete with Britain, have been obliged to sharpen their weapons. Some of them are free from social and economic traditions that hamper British industry. In America there is no prejudice against trade and industry as a career. Much of the energy and enthusiasm that in Britain, among the "ruling " classes," has been devoted to politics, in America goes into business. "Salesmanship is a national pursuit. The whole country is combed by men trained in special schools or under special systems to make people buy goods, and of course these methods are alssp used Oversea. Business is a religion, and salesmanship part of its ritual. Britain can learn much from America, but it is to be hoped she will not learn without a critical mind. American salesmanship has obvious limitations. It is sometimes reduced to rigid formula!, so that a business man waited upon by a traveller can tell from his visitor's first words * what school he has been trained in. If British salesmanship is to succeed, it must be based on habits and traditions. The British Minister for Overseas Trade advises English travellers to take their golf clubs with them. " Many an order has been obtained " through a friendly chat whilst standing on the 14th tee before business " has been mentioned." This is wise advice. Personality and goodfellowship count for much in this, as in other paths of life, and "a good mixer," as our American friends say, may get business where men trained to the last 1 ounce of some business college's curriculum will fail. The Englishman starts out with the great advantage of the highest reputation for integrity. The word of an Englishman is still a carrent saying. If on to this and his national characteristics of reserve, good humour, and a love of sport, are super-imposed real knowledge of his business and of his customer's requirements, he may out-distance all competitors. He will do so only by remaining English, and not making himself a pale reflection of his formidable competitors.