SEASON'S GREETINGS from

Bill Johnson

John Polach

Larry Hansen

Walt Hjort

Ruby Spoor

Sonia Mastriana

Lill Bruccoleri

Susan McAtee and

Don't Hang Up on a Sale

Is the telephone shopper a second class customer in your store? If so, you are underestimating a potential customer, according to Reuben H. Donnelley, a major producer of Yellow Pages telephone directories.

As the cost of gasoline continues to rise, more and more customers are calling ahead to see if the store has what they need. Phone rates are still cheaper than mileage costs, according to the experts.

Sales people should be schooled in telephone manners to prevent alienating those calling for information. The retailers who refuse to give out prices over the phone are turning away customers as much as if they locked the door.

Some policies to stress in dealing with telephone customers include:

(1) Prompt answering of the phone.

(2) Clearly identifying the store or the department.

(3) Answering the question quickly and completely.

(4) Avoiding transferring the call if possible.

(5) Speaking politely and being helpful; sounding t tnice. t t

(6) Not saying you have an item unless you are sure it is in stock.

Being accurate on the price if it is asked.

Volunteering to telephone the customer when the merchandise comes in if it is out of stock. Offering to special order the item if you do not carry it or suggesting where it is available.

(10) Thanking the customer for calling and asking him to call again.

Interest, sincerity, and politeness come across over the telephone as successfully as in a face to face encounter.

30o/o of Starts in West

Although the West has only 200/o of the U.S. population, it is expected that 3090 of all housing s tarts, in the metro areas of the country this year will take place in the West.

A prediction of I19,318 new single family houses built in the largest 23 metropolitan areas of the West comes from the metropolitan area forecasters of the National Association of Home Builders.

This number is just fractionally higher than the number of starts recorded in 1980.

We'reGoingComputer

The transfer of circulation records for The Merchant Mago{ne to a new computer system is being completed.

Although the system eventually will facilitate the record keeping of subscriber files, there is always the possibility of a computer goof in these initial stages of operation.

If this happens to you, please accept our apologies and have patience with our computer. It's just learning the job! If you have problems, just call or write and we'll straighten it out for you.

Thank you, The Merchant Magazine