Client

“ A client is to me a mere unit,—a factor in a problem. ”

“ Our fair client, like many another histrionic genius, had more charm than business ability and was persuaded by an unscrupulous manager to intrust to him a large sum of money for investment in his various enterprises. ”

“ For instance, you open a shop—not for the purpose of doing business, but for doing some unfortunate flat, in the very spirit of a "Good-will;" so that when your business is done, your client may find his business done too, and when you have taken yourself off, he may find himself taken in. ”

“ Some of those who had attained much reputation for their skill used to command very high fees when called in to decorate a client, and their services could therefore only be secured by the men of high position. ”

“ You will not be able to see the face of your client. He will stand behind two curtains, and put out his hands for you to inspect. If you care to accept a fee of fifty guineas, you will be doing us a tremendous favor. ”

“ Bankers and engineers, builders and contractors, physicians and surgeons and manufacturers of every kind describe the work which they have themselves successfully done. They explain to the lawyer the details of his client’s own business, which the client is almost always incapable of explaining. ”

“ The job I'm going to give you is like a lot of work you'll get in this business, and you can take it or leave it.'
"Then he told him about the job, which really is of a sort that you get all the time in some agencies. The client was a nice old gentleman. ”

“ I didn’t come to advertise products, I didn’t come to speak on behalf of clients, we’re all in the same business together. I came to say that we can do what we need to do, every day, all the business that we need to do, all the telephone calls, and messaging, and planning, and delivery, we can do all of it in a way which is calculated to address the basic question of how we allow everyone to learn. ”

“ To these markets nearly every booking agent and manager in the vaudeville business might be added. Each one has a list of acts he handles that need new material from time to time. And often the agent or manager will add to his list of clients by producing an exceptionally fine act himself. ”

“ Act in the best interest of clients at all times, including placing the interests of
clients ahead of the Broker’s interests, protecting clients’ rights and informing
clients of all relevant information relating to clients’ securities transactions ”

“ And language, by your skill made pliant,
Can save an undeserving client. ”

“ Chaffanbrass. Mr. Chaffanbrass was safe, and he might speak out his mind to him without fear of damaging the cause. Not that he could bring himself to speak out his real mind, even to Mr. Chaffanbrass. He would so speak that Mr. Chaffanbrass should clearly understand him; but still, not even to his ears, would be say that he really believed Lady Mason to have been guilty. How would it be possible that he should feign before a jury his assured, nay, his indignant conviction of his client's innocence, if he had ever whispered to any one his conviction of her guilt? ”

“ But where the agency is continuous, and concerned with a business made up of a long series of transactions of a like nature, of the same general character, it will be held that knowledge acquired as agent in that business in any one or more of the transactions, making up from time to time the whole business of the principal, is notice to the agent and to the principal, which will affect the latter in any other of those transactions in which that agent is engaged, in which that knowledge is material. ”

“ You should approach a possible customer with something of this professional air, an air of supreme assurance, of confidence in your ability, in your honesty and integrity, confidence in your knowledge of your business. Your professional dignity alone will help to make a good impression, and will win courtesy. ”

“ We purpose to hold the work, when completed, as a subscription book, just as during its progress to completion, and we trust our agents will appreciate this positive adherence to price, which is to their advantage, and to the credit and character of the business in which they are engaged. ”

“ If you happen to have an account at an old banking establishment, to have entrusted your affairs to the management of an old-fashioned solicitor, or to be acquainted with a broker who is one of a firm known in the City for years, you may call upon each and all of them, season after season, without fearing to encounter that villainous smell of paint which meet those who do business with new people at every turn, on every landing. ”

“ Every salesman is really teaching the customer something about the goods. He is, so to speak, a teacher of values, or if you prefer, “a business missionary.” In order to teach well he should have these most valuable assets: first, right methods of meeting customer; second, thorough knowledge of self, of goods, of customer and conditions; third, ability to meet competition, both real and imaginary; fourth, helpful habits; fifth, good powers of originating and planning; sixth, a selling talk, or something worth while saying ”

“ Then there is a third source of material, scarcely less important than the study of the house and the customer, and that is a study of the competitors—other firms who are in the same line of business and going after the same trade. The broad-gauged correspondent never misses an opportunity to learn more about the goods of competing houses—the quality of their products, the extent of their lines, their facilities for handling orders, the satisfaction that their goods are giving, the terms on which they are sold and which managers are hustling and up to the minute in their methods. ”

“ Agent (walking up to the proprietor) .—“Pardon me, but are you Mr. Denim?”
Mr. D.—“That’s my name, sir.”
Agent.—“I am representing the Weekly Illustrated Rooster of New York and I want to put you down for a year’s subscription.”
Mr. D.—“Don’t want it. I’m taking too many papers now.”
Agent.—“Let me explain a little. The former manager of our paper died some months ago, and while the matter was kept up to its former high standard the business end was neglected, subscriptions expired without any effort to obtain renewals, and consequently half of our advertising got away from us. ”

“ CUSTOMER CONCENTRATION Another way of expressing the idea of customer concentration is just this: Give the customer, while you are serving him, one hundred per cent of your attention, interest, thought and knowledge of the business. Any measure less than that means there will be a loss somewhere and the wise salesman will make sure it is not his loss. ”

“ Be wise, be patient, and above all things, acquaint yourself thoroughly with the goods you are selling. Know more about them than your customer does. Live up to your obligations. Keep your appointments. Study your customers' welfare. Help them when opportunity offers.
The life insurance solicitor who gets the most turn-downs is the one who writes the most policies, because the fact he gets so many turn-downs is owing to the fact that he has seen so many people.
Hard work, cheerfulness, honesty, patience, sobriety and knowledge of good goods will make a man a successful salesman. ”

“ Principal and Agent; Master and Servant
THE IMPORTANCE OF AGENCY.—Now that we have finished our discussion of the general principles of contract law, it remains for us to apply these principles to the specific topics of commercial law. Of these, the law of agency is one of the most important. It is perfectly obvious that a man can be in only one locality at a given time. Under modern business conditions he may wish to perform acts in different places at the same time. When business men were first confronted with problems of this kind, the principles of the law of agency began to develop. ”

“ Question—What does the firm owe the agent, or the agent owe the firm?
The Agent’s Statement Being—
This puzzle first appeared in “How to Become Quick at Figures,” the answer being withheld. It is a record of transactions that actually occurred in America, which were the subject of litigation. Although we received thousands of replies, not more than 5 per cent. were correct. It is a question that individuals not conversant with book-keeping would be as likely to solve correctly as the expert. ”

“ Another nearby source of information is the status of the customer's account; whether he is slow pay or a man who always discounts his bills. It is a very important fact for the correspondent to know whether the records show an increasing business or a business that barely holds its own.
Then a most important source—by many considered the most valuable material of all—is the customer himself. It may be laid down as a general proposition that the more the correspondent knows about the man to whom he is writing, the better appeal he can make. ”

“ In one, as a book or patent agency, the agent works for one or two persons at a fixed commission and needs no capital. In the other, as that of servants and of supply companies, the agent is also in a certain sense a principal; he obeys no one’s orders, fixes his own commissions, and makes his profits directly from the public. Here are a few points for agents:
287. Book Agency.—The book agency depends partly upon the kind of book, but chiefly upon the kind of man. The right man selling the right book can make enormous wages. ”

“ If they are letting too much business get away from them, it looks as if they were not attending to their business. They get it from what they see as they go around selling goods." But there is no such generality about this part of the agent's or salesman's business as this statement would lead one to believe. ”

“ The latest tendency especially in the technical journals, where immense sums are spent in this business, is to become soberly educative. The customer is offered gratuitously the benefit of the immense experience acquired by the advertiser from an extended business in meeting the particular needs of the buyer. ”

“ Whether the customer comes to you, or you go to the customer, there are certain very simple things to keep in mind. The first is the important part personality plays in selling. [34] The appearance and the manner of a salesman, together with the tactful enthusiasm which he manifests, and the concentration which he puts into his work, all tend to inspire confidence. The salesman must consider his customer’s business, and sometimes his social position. The temperament, also, of the customer, as well as the best time and place to see him, must be taken into consideration. ”

“ But you didn't ask me, ma'm. We always help customers all we can. You see our experience—living right among books all the time—that sort of thing makes us able to help a customer make a selection, you know. ”

“ The principal point is to meet the customer on even ground when the claim is made, and as already, mentioned, to get him in the proper frame of mind so that he will be in condition to think on a reasonable basis and without prejudice. ”

“ The transaction of business by the corporation in the state, generally or specially, appearing, and a certificate of service of process by the proper officer on a person who is its agent, there would, in our opinion, be sufficient prima facie evidence that the agent represented the company in the business. ”

“ Learn all you can in an open, fair way, but do not resort to trickery, or [179] to any methods which you would be unwilling to have a competitor use with your house.
The second rule for meeting competition is “Know Competitors’ Goods.” This again involves not only being familiar with the quality and uses of the goods, but with the reputation of the manufacturer and his selling agents, as well as the class of trade to which competitors cater, the class of salesmen they employ, and the ethics they observe in doing business. ”

“ The said salesman shall, subject to the control of the said firm, keep proper books of account, and make due and correct entries of the price of all goods sold, and of all transactions and dealings of and in relation to the said business, and shall serve the said firm diligently and according to his best abilities in all respects. ”

“ No matter how small the transaction, even if it be only the selling of a stick of candy to a little child, put into it the thought of increase, and make sure that the customer is impressed with the thought.
Convey the impression of advancement with everything you do, so that all people shall receive the impression that you are an Advancing Man, and that you advance all who deal with you. ”

“ What are our competitors' weaknesses and strengths? What relationships do they maintain with our most important customers? How is their customer support functioning, and what methods are they using in their quality assurance? ”

“ You have to have the real feeling of wishing to do something for the customer, and you have to show the customer you want to help him by every word and action. Such a feeling, don't you know, will make you, when you see a customer coming, go to him instead of standing still and waiting for him to come to you. ”

“ But what a different thing it is and how important it is for the salesman to know the difference between this and forced familiarity or attempts at “showing off.” The latter can do nothing but cause the customer to lose his regard and perhaps go elsewhere to be served. 62The man of experience in business recognizes the difference and governs himself accordingly. He continually bears in mind the fact that the customer has come on a business matter and that his sole interest is to be well served with the goods he needs. ”

“ There are four methods by which the relationship of agency arises: (1) By contract; (2) by ratification; (3) by estoppel; (4) by necessity.
WHO IS OR MAY BE AN AGENT.—The law of agency, as between principal and agent, is simply an application of the general law of contracts, but as between third parties and the principal, or agent, new questions arise. The first question is, who is an agent and who is a principal? Any employer is a principal and any employee is an agent. The employer is a principal whether he employs the employee for a single act or whether he employs him for a period of time. ”