The Important Position He Holds in the Traffic Department of the Railroad.

(By C. H. Pumphrey , in the Baltimore and Ohio Magazine.)

The favourable position occupied by a stationmaster in relation to the development of railway business in his territory is being increasingly emphasised in overseas railway publications. The following interesting article, taken from the “Baltimore and Ohio Railways Magazine,” besides having a general application, contains some useful information bearing upon this subject, and is reprinted for the benefit of our readers.

To get business is the supreme object of the Traffic Department. For the railroad to prosper it must have traffic. People must travel upon it; shippers must send their freight over it. This is traffic, and the volume of traffic must be large enough to provide sufficient revenue to pay expenses and contribute some surplus.

It is the mission of the Traffic Department to secure this sufficient volume of business, and the local agent in the front line of direct contact with the public is a very important representative of the Traffic Department.

Traffic Solicitation.

At points where traffic organisations are maintained, they assume the main responsibility for traffic solicitation. Out on the line solicitation largely depends upon the local agent, for the division freight agents and travelling freight agents covering extended territories can get around only at irregular intervals, whereas the local agent is on the ground all the time and is the direct representative of the Traffic Department.

Being a part of the community life, the local agent forms intimate relationships with the people in the community and is in the position of being on terms of real friendliness with the public he meets.

Patrons of the railroad judge its service by their contacts with its employees. The impression made by the local agent is an advertisement, good or bad. Whether his contact with the public is friendly and efficient, or arbitrary and inefficient, largely determines the standing of the railroad in the community and its success in securing traffic.

Public Relations.

To an important degree the local agent, individually, is responsible for the establishment and maintenance of that cordial public goodwill which is so necessary for the successful and profitable operation of the railroad property.

This is the ideal situation at all points and particularly at competitive points. The railroad is like other industries. It produces something for sale—transportation. However, there is this difference, the price at which its product is sold, generally speaking, is the same as that of its competitors. So the question is asked—what is the inducement to purchase railroad transportation? The answer is that it gives full value in quality service—in supply of equipment, careful handling, dependable transit performance, terminal facilities, satisfactory deliveries, courtesy, fair treatment and safety.

The station agent, as the representative of the Traffic Department and the first point of contact with the buying public, is in a position of great responsibility, and it follows that he is an extremely important factor in selling transportation service.

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Transportation salesmanship requires closer and more constant attention to-day than ever before. The dependable service being furnished by the railroad means that merchants instead of stocking up once, twice or four times a year, are now purchasing only as needed, with the result that orders are being placed more often and for smaller quantities. This means that more frequent contacts must be maintained with customers, and that the local agent, in his capacity as Traffic Department representative, should be more diligent than ever in the solicitation of freight and passengers.

The station agent is entrusted with the business of the railroad in his community, and its business is his business. He is the representative of all departments of the railroad, but of paramount importance to the railroad is his effectiveness in securing business. The railroad first has to have the business before it can haul it, so the agency job of greatest importance is the solicitation of business.

Value of Personal Contact.

Advantage should be taken of every possible opportunity to cultivate the cordial goodwill of all shippers and receivers and travellers in the surrounding community. This best can be accomplished by personal contacts. Therefore, a part of each working day should be devoted to calling upon shippers and receivers and prospective travellers to offer our service in solving their transportation problems and in the movement of their freight business or in handling their travel requirements. Better understanding and relationships undoubtedly result from visits to and personal contacts with shippers and receivers.

The agent should keep in contact with shippers and receivers on the lines of our competitors so that they may see from our courteous and efficient attention that the railroad offers something attractive in the way of high-class service.

Industries served by private sidings from our rails should be looked after to ensure that their transportation requirements are fully met and that everything is so satisfactory that they will desire all their traffic to move in such a way as will be most profitable. Special attention should be devoted to those who seem disposed to use competing roads.

How Business May be Increased.

Station revenue should be watched, and the agent should strive constantly to increase it. A good practice to follow is to set a goal at the start of each month. To those agents who haven't done this in the past, it will be surprising the satisfaction that will come when that goal is attained or exceeded.

Revenue oftentimes can be increased through the watchfulness of the agent in securing long haul on traffic to and from his station.

By being on the alert at all times, whether on duty or off, the local agent can secure additional business.

As the direct field representative of the Traffic Department, station agents will derive personal satisfaction to the degree that they have succeeded in expanding the business at their individual stations.

With the wholehearted and enthusiastic co-operation of all station agents, the Traffic Department will be successful. No one person singly can do it, nor can we all do it except by working together.

Let “teamwork” be our watchword.