318 



SELLING LUMBER 



Salesmen 

 Should Guard 

 Employers' 

 Interests 



Information 

 the Mills 

 Should Have 



Extremely technical inspection by the buyer of lumber on a 

 declining market. 



Delay of shipment of the car beyond the time proniised by the 

 mill. 



The settlement of disputes or claims must necessarily be done 

 on an impartial and equitable basis, and should on their conclu- 

 sion be satisfactory to both the customer and the mill. However, 

 salesmen settling claims with customers should continuously bear 

 in mind that they are in the employ of the manufacturer and should 

 guard his interest very carefully. 



When a claim is filed by a customer, full and complete in- 

 formation should be submitted to the mill immediately, not sim- 

 ply advice that the car has been refused or that a claim has been 

 made on part of the shipment. 



In order to handle the adjustment in a most efficient and 

 most business-like manner, the following information should be 

 furnished the mills: 



Car and order number. 



Date of arrival of the car. 



Condition of delivering equipment, with seal numbers, if any. 



General condition of the load. 



Full and complete report as maintained by the customer. 



Full report of stock in, accordance with your best judgment, 

 including grade marks. 



If stock has been unloaded, whether or not any of it has been 

 sold or remanufactured and the manner in which it is being taken 

 care of, whether stacked in the open or under cover. 



Best adjustment that is acceptable to the customer, with rec- 

 ommendations as to whether or not it should be accepted by the 

 mill, and if not, what other disposition you can make of the lum- 

 ber. 



All of this can be incorporated in one letter so that definite, 

 prompt and final action can be taken by the mill without endless 

 correspondence. 



In conclusion, all salesmen should remember that claims mean 

 monetary loss to the mill and if by following some of the forego- 

 ing suggestions claims can be avoided, it will be much easier for 

 salesmen and beneficial to the mill, to assist in forestalling dis- 

 putes rather than to effect their settlement. 



