The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 3 (August 1, 1931)
Selling Railway Transport
Selling Railway Transport.
Railways all over the world realise that, in order to secure new business and retain existing traffic, it is just as necessary for them to exert untiring zeal and persuasive effort as it is, say, for the dealer in soap, motor cars or patent medicines, to embark upon ambitious selling campaigns. Transport is a commodity which railways have to sell in face of keen competition. To dispose of transport to the best advantage, therefore, railways must devote much attention to the training of their staffs in traffic canvassing, public relations, and the many varied arts that go to make a successful salesman and a satisfied patron.
It is somewhat singular to find, even nowadays, that some of the largest railways in the world conduct the most elaborate educational campaigns for the benefit of their employees in such subjects as traffic operation, signalling, accountancy, railway law, and so on, leaving quite untouched the most important topic of salesmanship. This is an omission that is being rapidly righted, and in Europe educational campaigns devoted to the subject of railway salesmanship are being inaugurated on several leading systems.
Since its formation from the old London and South Western, South Eastern and Chatham, and London, Brighton and South Coast Railways, the Southern Railway of England has shown itself one of the world's most progressive transportation concerns; and this go-ahead line has now entirely reorganised the selling side of its activities. Not long ago, the whole of the operating and commercial business of the Southern was placed under the supervision of one chief officer, styled a Traffic Manager, thereby enabling the railway to give more attractive service to its patrons and to secure a much more intimate contact with commercial leaders and the general public.