Success
He cut the ribbon and
removed the outer covering. Under this was a covering of tissue
paper, fastened with beautiful gold seals bearing the Caldwell initials
and trade-mark. This paper was removed and behold! A most
beautiful plush-lined box met his eyes.
The box was opened, and, after removing the tissue paper packing,
there was a cigarette case, which he recognized, after careful
examination, as the one he had left to be repaired, but it did not look
like the same case, thanks to the imagination of the Caldwell
manager.
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E. M. STATLER BECAME THE MOST SUCCESSFUL HOTEL MAN IN THE WORLD BY RENDERING MORE SERVICE and BETTER SERVICE THAN HIS GUESTS WERE ASKED TO PAY FOR. |
Every dent had been carefully straightened out. The hinges had been trued and the case had been polished and cleaned so it shone as it did when it was first purchased. Simultaneously a prolonged
"Oo-o-o-o-o-o-Oh!" of admiration came from the onlookers, including the owner of the cigarette case. And the bill! Oh, it was a plenty, and yet the price charged for the repair did not seem too high.
As a matter of fact everything that entered into the transaction from the packing of the case, with the fine tissue paper cover, the gold seals, the ribbon tape string, the delivery of the package by a neatly uniformed boy, from a well appointed new delivery wagon, was based upon carefully calculated psychology which laid the foundation for a high price for the repair.
People, generally, do not complain of high prices, providing the
"service" or embellishment of the merchandise is such as to pave the way for
high prices. What people do complain of, and rightly so, is high prices and
"sloppy" service.
To me there was a great lesson in this cigarette case incident, and I think there is a lesson in it for any person who makes a business of selling any sort of merchandise.