Modern methods in the office; how to cut corners and save money

Contents

CHAP. PA< ? E

Foreword lx

I. Typing and Correspondence 1

Foreword

Many of the articles in this volume were previously published in the New York Evening World and other newspapers, under the title, " Dollars and Sense.' 7 It is in response to the requests of readers that they are republished in book form, together with several which now appear in print for the first time.

From messenger to manager, the writer has sought to touch upon the needs of every one in the office. Stenographers and typists will find more than a score of articles devoted to their interests.

Needless to say, the volume makes no pretense at being a comprehensive treatise upon office work or management. But the pointers offered are culled from every-day experience and possess the merit of being thoroughly practical.

Typing Signatures Prevents Trouble

" Fifty years ago a good handwriting was a valuable asset for a young man/' said a local office manager. " Every l Help Wanted ' ad. demanded legible handwriting as a requisite for clerical jobs. The result was that our forebears developed a beautiful, clear chirography. They had to. An illegible handwriting was a distinct handicap in business life. It meant danger of serious errors in transactions conducted through the mail.

" Chirography, however, is now well-nigh a lost art. The present generation sees no necessity for developing a clear handwriting, because of the omnipresent typewriter. The result of this attitude is that millions of business men actually cannot sign their names so that one can read them.

"We have had considerable trouble right here be-

l cause of this fact. Many of our executives are lamentably weak in chirography. For a long time, letters in answer to our correspondence arrived addressed to names which were never represented on our pay-roll. The recipient had been forced to make a wild guess at the writer's signature.

"A very simple idea has obviated the trouble. Now every letter which leaves here contains the full name of the dictator, typed in the lower left-hand corner, with the stenographer's initials beneath it; this in addition to the signature. I expect to see this idea universally adopted in business correspondence."

Renewing Typewriter Ribbons

"In a large office," said an office manager, "the cost of typewriter ribbons is a significant item.

"It occurred to me one day that there must be considerable life left in the old ribbons which are discarded as worn out.

"I tried the experiment of inclosing them in a receptacle with a wet sponge. The dried ink thus became dampened. Upon reinserting the ribbons in the machines, it developed that they had taken a new lease of life. This plan serves to materially lengthen the life of ribbons and substantially reduces this expense factor."

Measuring Typed Matter

"Our typists are paid by the square inch," said an office manager who is in charge of several score operators.

"This necessitates the measuring of all work turned out. Formerly I used an ordinary rule for this purpose, but have recently adopted a' very simple device which I saw in use elsewhere. It consists of a transparent celluloid sheet which is divided into halfinch squares by the use of indelible-ink lines. Each square contains a number representing the total area to that point measured from the top and left margin.

"Thus, by merely laying the sheet over the typewritten matter, taking care that it just registers correctly with the top and left margin of the latter, the total area is indicated by the figure appearing in the square which covers the lower right-hand corner. Simple, isn't it?

"Then, by allowing five square inches for addressing the envelope, inserting the date, name, address, salutary and final line, the total area in inches to be credited to the employee is easily determined.

"A still better plan, however, and one which I intend to install, is to equip each machine with a cyclometer which registers the number of strokes. This insures absolute accuracy and saves labor in measuring each piece."

Increasing the Life of Carbon Paper

"What in the world are you doing that for?" inquired the new stenographer, as the girl at the next desk stood by the steam-pipe and slowly rubbed the uncoated side of a carbon sheet over the warm surface.

"This carbon is nearly worn out," was the reply. "It has begun to render very dim impressions. Application of heat to the back moistens the carbon on the front; it gradually distributes itself over the surface and, after it dries, it gives a sharp impression again. This method increases the life of a sheet of carbon paper about twenty-five per cent."

How to Improve a Business Letter

The correspondents of a large Western concern are provided with the following printed sheet of instructions. These instructions are sufficiently general in character to apply to all business houses.

Instructions to Our Correspondents

1. Don't use a long or big word where a short one will do as well or better. For example: "begin" is better than "commence," "home" or "house" better than "residence," "buy" better than "purchase," "live" better than "reside," "at once" better than "immediately," "give" better than "donate," "start" or "begin" better than "inaugurate."

2. Carefully avoid such words and stock phrases as "beg to acknowledge," "beg to inquire," "beg to advise," etc. Don't "beg" at all.

3. Don't "reply" to a letter; "answer" it. You answer a letter and reply to an argument.

4. Don't say "inclosed herewith." "Herewith" is superfluous.

5. Don't say " kindly " for "please." Avoid "the same" as you would a plague.

6. Don't write "would say." Go right ahead and say it.

7. Be wary of adjectives, particularly superlatives. "Very," "great," "tremendous," "excellent," etc., have marred many an otherwise strong phrase and have propped needlessly many a good word all-sufficient of itself.

8. Don't try to be funny.

9. Carefully avoid even the appearance of sarcasm.

10. Never use the first personal pronoun "I" when writing as this company. "We" is the proper pronoun. Where a personal reference is necessary, "the writer" may be used; but even this should be avoided wherever possible.

11. There are some common grammatical errors so inexcusable that no letter bearing the signature of this company ever should show them. "We was" should be cause for dismissal.

12. Don't forget that certain small words are in the language for a purpose. "And," "a," "the" are important, and their elimination often makes a letter bald, curt, and distinctly inelegant.

Office Time-savers

"Here are a couple of time- and money-saving devices which we have recently applied/' said the manager of a concern which, in addition to its regular sales, does a large mail-order business.

"In making carbon copies of an outgoing correspondence — which, by the way, we have concluded is much cheaper and more effective than using even the most modern type of letter-press — we were accustomed to use one sheet of paper for each page copied. Now, in case of a two-page letter, we use both sides of the copyingpage, thus cutting our stationery bill for this item in half.

"Also we use a different-color paper for the carbon copies of the correspondence of different departments. This results in a great saving of time in looking up correspondence. ' '

How Daisy Bennett Obtained a Merited Promotion

"So Grace Stephens is going to get married," reflected Daisy, thoughtfully, on the morning that Miss Stephens, the head stenographer, arrived, proudly displaying a gleaming solitaire. "That means that one of us girls will be promoted to her position. I wonder which of us it will be. It means an increase of five dollars a week — five dollars which I could use very satisfactorily. I believe I'll make a play for it myself," and Daisy sailed into her notes with renewed vigor, postponing a consideration of ways and means for a leisure moment.

"The more I'm worth to the concern the more they're going to pay me," mused Daisy at lunch that day. "I'll wager I can find a lot of waste and inefficiency around that office if I really try. With our staff of twenty girls, a little saving here and there will amount to a lot in the monthly balance sheet." And Daisy returned to the office, determined upon unearthing some money-saving opportunities.

"What do we spend for typewriter ribbons in a month?" inquired Daisy of the cashier a day or two later.

" About thirty-five dollars/ ' was the reply.

Daisy did a little investigating during her lunch hour the following day.

In the afternoon, while taking dictation from the general manager, she remarked:

"Mr. White tells me that we girls spend thirty-five dollars a month for typewriter ribbons. I have a plan for reducing that expense a half."

"What is it?" inquired Hammond, pleased and surprised at this evidence of initiative on the part of a subordinate.

"I understand that the office is to be equipped with new machines," said the girl.

"Yes, we're considering the question right now," agreed Hammond.

"If you'll buy machines with two-color attachments and insert a one-color ribbon, we can set the machine for black, using the top half of the ribbon; then, when that's worn out, set it for red and run the ribbon through again. Our present models have no two-color attachment; the type strikes in the center and the ribbons last only about two weeks."

"A mighty good idea," exclaimed the superior, studying his stenographer with renewed interest, "and one that had never occurred to me. There's a saving of two hundred and ten dollars a year just from the exertion of a little common sense."

When the new machines were installed, a week later, they included two-color attachments.

Some days later Daisy remarked:

"By the way, Mr. Hammond, I think that we're wasting money on carbon paper. We obtain it in full-sized sheets, although much of it is used on half-sheets and telegram blanks. After it is used a few times a sheet is discarded, even though a large proportion of its surface is fresh. Can't we obtain it in half-sheets and full sheets? Then we'll be sure that none of it is wasted; that every sheet is thoroughly used before being thrown in the waste-basket."

"A very good suggestion," replied the boss. "I'll speak to White about it." And thereafter the carbon paper was bought according to Daisy's plan.

The girl felt encouraged by this ready response to her suggestions, and became more interested in finding methods of saving time and money.

Every few days she propounded a new one.

Once it was the substitution of printed reply blanks to be filled in for acknowledgment of orders, instead of writing a separate letter in each case. This saved the labor of two girls. They were transferred to another department.

Again it was the substitution of fountain pens in the accounting department. This meant elimination of "lost motion" in the constant dipping of pens.

In another case it was the utilization of both sides of the second sheet in making carbons, saving half the cost of writing-paper.

And so it went. In a few weeks' time her ideas had effected an annual saving amounting to her salary.

Upon Miss Stephens's resignation, two months later, she was elevated to the position of head stenographer, and her envelope contained just double her previous wage.

Office Economies Which Are Worth While

To buy typewriter ribbons in quantity means a substantial discount. But, on the other hand, many an office manager has discovered that, unless carefully preserved, they rapidly deteriorate through becoming dry.

Here is a method of insuring the preservation of ribbons for an indefinite period. Place them in a tin box provided with a lock and key; line the bottom of the box with a pad of cotton batting incased in a covering of cheese-cloth. Soak the pad with glycerin, then, after placing the ribbons in the box, lock it up. This will keep the ribbons fresh and moist.

As the pad becomes dry, treat it from time to time with applications of glycerin.

In offices where a large force is employed, pencils run into money. The use of metal pencil-holders will save money on this item. Instead of supplying the staff with pencils in their original form, cut them in two and have them insert a half-pencil into their holders. Then every inch of pencil will be used before the pencil is thrown away.

One office manager was puzzled to account for the enormous consumption of penholders. Investigation disclosed the fact that the metal barrel of the model he had been purchasing soon became so rusty that the pen could not be easily removed. The penholders were broken in the tussle that ensued to remove the pen.

He purchased a more expensive holder, one with a cork grip and an automatic ejector. This proved to be a money-saver. The b demand for penholders decreased 80 per cent., far more than offsetting the increased investment in the improved model.

For the Stenographer Who Seeks Efficiency

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When I have to make erasures on the original sheet and carbons are beneath it, I avoid smudging the carbons by placing a rule under the original along the platen," says one typist.

"If, as often happens, certain data are required upon carbons which it is desirable to eliminate from the original, I avoid two operations by a simple method," she added. "By placing an extra small sheet over the face of the original and then typing the necessary data upon this slip, the carbons register and that portion of the original remains blank."

"As it happens," said another stenographer, "my educational opportunities have been superior to those of the other girls in our office. My suggestion that I proof-read all outgoing correspondence for the purpose of correcting errors in spelling and punctuation delighted my employer. He has developed the idea even further by installing a bulletin-board upon which repeated errors are posted, with the name of the girl making them appended. This plan has resulted in greatly increased accuracy among our office force and is gradually raising the standard of education."

"When making carbon copies/ ' said another typist, "I found that often the carbon sheet would become wound about the roller of the machine, thus becoming torn. By binding the sheets of paper together with a clip after their insertion in the machine, I now avoid this difficulty."

"Often our mail directed to points abroad would get away bearing only domestic postage," said one typist. "To avoid this I adopted the practice of writing the word 'Foreign' in the upper right-hand corner of the envelope at the time of typing it. This solved the difficulty, and at the same time saved the mailing department much time and worry.

"When making four or five carbon copies of a letter or document," she added, "I tear off the top right-hand corner of each carbon. Then, after extracting the sheets from the machine, by holding the top right corner between the thumb and forefinger and giving

the sheets a slight shake, the carbons promptly drop out, thus saving the trouble of handling each sheet individually/ '

"My employer was much pleased," said another typist, "at an idea I suggested some time ago. It was

merely to type in caps the words l not over dollars '

on the line intended for the signature on his checks. This device affords complete protection against raising the amount, as to tamper with my typed words would mean defacing the signature, which would render the check void."

Tips for Typists

"Here are a few pointers which I've picked up in the course of the day's work," said a competent typist. "Possibly they'll be of value to my fellowcraftsmen.

"I have found that pins are safer to use in fastening papers together than patent clips. Clips have an unfortunate faculty of annexing everything in their vicinity. Several valuable papers have been mislaid in our office in this way. In using pins, I take pains to see that the point is passed back through the top paper, thus avoiding danger of its sticking any one using our files.

"I have discovered that in making a neat job of

erasures there is a right way and a wrong way. I use

a pencil-eraser first to remove the top surface of the

paper; then I use the typewriter eraser, blowing the

"When I have a line in a letter which is to be underscored clear across the page, instead of striking the underscore key fifty or sixty times, I shift the carriage and lock it. Next I press the underscore key down until it touches the paper. Then with my left thumb I press the type bar against the ribbon and with the other hand release the carriage. It runs quickly across the page, leaving a clean black line. Not only does this method save time, but it results in a neater job.

" Occasionally I find it necessary to use a copy ribbon. To avoid the necessity of removing the regular ribbon at such times, I attach a two- or three-foot length of copy ribbon to each regular ribbon when the latter is inserted in the machine. Then when the copy ribbon is required it is a simple matter to turn the ribbon reverse until the copy ribbon appears.

" Often I am given reports to write on sheets which are wider than my typewriter carriage. In a case like this I fold the paper vertically. Then I insert it in the machine and type across to the fold. I then skip enough of the text to just fill out the folded portion and start on the next line. After the sheet is covered, I remove it and reinsert it with the previously concealed portion visible. It is a simple matter to fill out the lines with the portion of the text originally omitted.

"To conclude: Weekly I thoroughly clean my machine, oil it, adjust the tension, polish all the nickeled portions, and apply a cleaning polish to all the blackenameled surfaces. To-day my machine, which has been in constant use for two years, looks as though it had just come from the factory. That this policy pleases my employer goes without saying."

Letters — Their Physical Appearance

For years advertising-men have wrangled over the question as to which was the most important feature of a newspaper advertisement — the copy or the display. As a matter of fact, each is so important that they can hardly be considered apart. No matter how convincing the copy may be, a poorly displayed "ad." will not pull results, because it will not be read. On the other hand, if the copy is weak, the "ad." will fail, no matter how striking the display. In advertising, then, display and copy are equally potent factors.

The physical appearance or display of a letter is a vital element in its pulling power. Although not quite so important as in newspaper advertising, it is a feature which should receive careful attention. And yet how seldom does one receive a business letter which is beyond criticism in this respect.

Generally the margins are inadequate, the letter is not properly centered on the page, the right-hand margin is ragged in the extreme. Two and a quarter inches is none too much for marginal display. Few typists allow more than an inch and a quarter. If a letter is short, it should not be bunched at the top of the page, but carefully centered — equidistant from the top and bottom. As for spacing, the tendency to-day is toward single spacing between lines, with a double space between paragraphs and no indentation for the latter. We are reproducing a form which is becoming increasingly popular among progressive business houses :

Punctuation is another weak spot with the average typist. The best usage to-day prescribes as little as possible. Here Timothy Dexter proved himself to be a century ahead of his time. He wrote a book, you may remember, which had not a sign of punctuation.

The last page, however, contained a miscellaneous assortment of commas, colons, hyphens, etc., with the request that the reader insert them where he pleased.

Quotation marks are used in hundreds of cases where they're not needed. In referring to a magazine, for example, as The International Review, the average typist inserts quotation marks. Capitals are sufficient.

I am inclined to hold the employers responsible for the poor appearance of the average letter. Ten minutes' instruction should be enough to post a typist on the proper procedure. In order to insure uniformity, up-to-date firms issue printed instructions to their typists. Those given below are copied from one firm's book of instructions.

City and date must be written about three spaces below the lowest printed matter on letter-head, as follows: Boston, date single space below, regulated so that it will precede and extend beyond " Boston" an equal distance, the end of the date being in line with margin of body of letter; spell the month in full, followed by the date in figures, after which use comma; add year in figures and end with period.

Paragraphs must begin ten points from margin on a line with city. Use single space, with double space between paragraphs.

In closing use the phrase "Yours very truly" and sign "The Jones Company." Have correspondent's and stenographer's initials on line with margin on left-hand side of sheet. Margins must be regulated by length of letter to be written, using your

judgment in this respect.

The half-size letter-head should be used for very short letters.

Envelopes must be addressed double space, with beginning of name, street, address, city, and state on marginal line.

How to Obtain Good Duplicates and Triplicates on

a Typewriter

"In making out triplicates many typists have difficulty in securing perfect alignment on the copies,' ' said one operator, recently. "The carbons are likely to be a shade above or below the line. Here is a plan which obviates this difficulty.

" Before inserting the sheets, push the lever which operates the paper release. Then slip in the sheets, being sure that they coincide. Following this, snap the release back into position, and you'll find that your carbon copies are in perfect alignment; in other words, the type strikes on, rather than over or under, the horizontal lines."

Carbon Copies vs. Press Copies — Plain Envelopes vs. Window Envelopes

The findings of the Commission on Economy and Efficiency appointed to overhaul the business methods in vogue in the government departments at Washington also have a very direct application to private business.

In comparing the two methods of reproduction named in our title, the commission's verdict was unanimously in favor of the former.

To press-copy 1,000 letters cost $2.80 in materials alone; 1,000 carbon copies cost but 56 cents, the net saving to be credited to the latter method amounting to $2.24 a thousand. Other advantages of the carbon copies are adaptability for riling, neater originals, convenience in handling copies later, and readiness for immediate mailing of the original.

Another point thoroughly covered by the commission was the question of window envelopes. It developed that the expense of addressing envelopes came to $6.50 per thousand. The new-style envelope cost but 60 cents a thousand more than the opaque forms — in many sizes but 30 cents a thousand more. The saving came to $5.90 per thousand, thus making an annual total saving of $102,907 on the 17,442,000 envelopes used yearly.

The commission admits that on a few classes of correspondence the use of the window envelope is impracticable. But these have been deducted in their estimate of total possible saving.

Dictation by Telephone

"Our department managers have considerable correspondence to get out in the course of a day," said the efficiency man of a great department store, "but not enough to warrant the assignment of a girl's entire time to each manager. Consequently, whenever a stenographer's services were required we despatched one from the correspondence department.

"It developed, however, that very often interruptions delayed the progress of the work. A salesman might call, or the department manager's presence be required at the main office; sometimes a girl would consume a couple of hours in receiving a half-dozen letters.

"'Why not transact this business over the 'phone?' I reflected, one day. 'By keeping the girls right here, they could be engaged in routine work constantly, except when actually needed for dictation. Furthermore, it would save the time required in going to and returning from the department manager's desk.'

"The new system has worked perfectly. Now the girls are constantly engaged in actual productive labor. When an executive wants to get out some letters, he calls up the central office, is connected with a stenographer, and rattles off his correspondence. In case he is interrupted, she can proceed with her typing until she is needed again. And no time is wasted in walking long distances through the store."

A New Wrinkle in Business Correspondence

"Here's a new one on me," remarked a local business man as he tossed the writer a letter.

"Note that directly under the date they've typed the phrase, 'Replying to your letter of Aug. 21st.'

"A good idea I call it. It removes that stereotyped

interest-killing phrase from the initial portion of the

body of the letter, and yet, by its presence, assures 3 19 that no confusion will result from lack of data as to just what the writer is talking about."

In concluding a letter, says an office manual, avoid stereotyped forms:

Example: " Awaiting your reply with interest."

Or:

" Trusting that we shall be favored with your order," etc.

Say, instead: "It is not simply because we want the order that we are anxious to send you these goods. That's one reason, of course; but we want most to show you what complete satisfaction buying from us really means. You have our Style Book. Do not lose this opportunity."

Or:

"The coat you have asked about is one of our most beautiful models, and it is one of our best values, too. You could not make a better selection."

As regards the physical appearance of letters, the following pointers are valuable:

Quotations: When a paragraph is quoted in the body of the letter, both right and left margins of the quoted paragraph must be indented at least five spaces further than the regular paragraphs.

Quotations should be single spaced; quotation marks should not be placed before each quoted paragraph, but only after the last.

When an original letter is quoted in a follow-up

letter, do not inclose the quoted letter in quotation

marks.

Specific instructions for side margins.

For example:

The left margin is controlled by the left marginal guide, which should be set at 20. There is no excuse for an uneven left margin.

The right margin depends upon the words ending the line. In attempting to keep this margin even, it is often necessary to divide a word of several syllables, placing the last part on the next line.

To further assist you to keep this margin even, the following facts should be observed:

Under no circumstances let the line extend beyond 83. Better stop at 76 than at 85.

Better divide a word at 76 (or up to 83, of course) than to extend to 84.

Place the right margin guide at 80; this causes the bell to ring at 75.

If necessary to go beyond 80 (up to 83), press the right release key.

Saving Typists' Time

"It is surprising how much time is saved by an improvement involving but a fraction of a second if the process is repeated often enough/' remarked a typist.

"We do a tremendous amount of circularizing in this office. Here is a little device which has proved practicable. Instead of inserting but one envelope, addressing it, and removing it, we insert an envelope to a point represented by turning the platen six spaces ;

then insert another, again turning the platen six times, and continue this until the first envelope is properlylocated for addressing.

"We then address it with a vertical left-hand margin and remove it. Another envelope is then inserted, and turning the platen brings the second one into position. By repeating this process indefinitely a constant chain of envelopes passes through the machine. The saving of time comes in the fact that the platen is not turned clear to the center of the envelope for each one addressed. Actual tests of the old and improved methods have demonstrated that a substantial saving of time is effected by the latter during a day's work."

Is Your Business Correspondence Up-to-date?

u

Within the past few years I have noted a great change taking place in business correspondence," remarked an office manager. "Instead of feeling obliged to adopt a quasi-legal phraseology freely interspersed with polysyllables, people are beginning to write as they speak — simpfy, and directly to the point.

"I ran across some data bearing on the subject, recently, which impressed me so favorably that I embodied it in a bulletin to be distributed to our correspondents. Here are some of the items:

Do not say, "We wish to acknowledge the receipt of your esteemed communication. " You should say, "We are glad to receive your letter."

Do not say, "We trust the dress is in your possession ere this."

You should say, "We hope you have received the dress."

Words, Expressions, etc., Not to Be Used

For example:

Do not Say: Say, Instead:

Inclosed herewith Inclosed (simply)

At the present time. At present.

Two pair.

Two pairs.

This quality goods This quality of

goods.

The demand for these There has been a goods has been great- great demand for er than we looked for. these goods.

You are due us $2, or There is a balance of