SERVICE" IN CONNECTION WITH TRACTORS.
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SERVICE WAS at one time, in the sense in which . we now use it, purely an American word. In the beginning, when Americans sold touring cars, they offered, in order to push sales, to repair the cars for stated periods free of charge. The procedure was hardly a paying one, and after a time the very .word became something of a nightmare to the American salesman, and eventually the practice was discontinued. The word, however, still remains, but its present meaning is a more general one. It refers to the service which every car maker of repute naturally offers to all his clients in the way of advice, provision of spare parts, and prompt despatch of them to the customer in case of urgent necessity, also prompt help to the car owner in time of need, the object being to eliminate, as much as possible, any in-convenience to the owner which might arise out of any mishap to his car. All this service, except the advice, has, naturally, to be paid for in cash.'
Buy with an Eye on the Spare Parts Store!
With the lorry, of course, the need for thetprovision of adequate service is much more imperative. The loss of use of his motor lorry means more than personal inconvenience. It certainly involves direct monetary loss, and may involve breaking of contractual obligations or the loss of future business or custom, owing to delay in delivery of goods. The wise purchaser of a commercial motor buys with one eye, metaphorically speaking, on the spare parts stores of the maker or agent. He investigates -the local provision for immediate repairs and overhauls.
The needs of a tractor are still more pressing. The issue in that case is complicated by many circumstances extraneous to the tractor itself, and concerning -which it would be possible to write a considerable book without -exhausting.the subject. It should be plain to all who are concerned with agriculture that a breakdown may mean more than the loss of a week or so of valuable time and the consequent delay in the execution of the normal routine work of the farm ; it may involve the complete disturbance of the work of the whole farm, to the extent of losing the crops on one or more fields.
There is another aspect of the matter, too. The tractor is, even yet, something of a novelty. With many farmers it is still, on general grounds, not proven. ft is not sufficiently rare for him particularly to notice one which happens to be at work, but if he should come .across one standing idle in a halfploughed field I—and bear in mind that if a tractor does break down it is usually in a field, and it is left there till it is repaired, as splendid a " devertisement " for the tractor as any horse-breeder could wish to see.
Service, then, is important in connection with a touring car; it'is a necessity in the case of a commercial motor ; it is absolutely vital where a tractor is concerned, and it involves more. The vendor of a tractor cannot eispect, if the tractor belonging to one of his customers has broken down, -tlat it should be brought to his garage or workshop to be repaired. He must make arovision for going'out to the fields and executing all types of repairs,' everything short of a complete overhaul, in the fields. He must maintain, and have ready for instant Service, a breakdown lorry fully equipped with all the neceasary tools, andr,nause employ a staff of sound 'mechanics whom he-can trust to go out and do a job -Without his personal supervision, with the practical certainty that, barring accidents, it will be well carried out.
The Essential Breakdown Lorry.
In this regard we note with considerable satisfaction the service scheme which is being prepared by the Austin. Motor Go, Ltd. Each agent for Austin cars or lorries is advised to.keep a breakdown lorry, fitted with lifting tackle and capable of.removing and carrying away a/complete tractor., It is suggested that the "lorry should draavv-a trailer fitted up with machine.teols, sothatitfiould:be, in effect, a travelling.Workshop. It is pointecrourthat the tools could besIpart ef the;yarage, equipment, and need, in no sense, be regarded as dead,capital.during what time they are.notsactually;.reseured for emergency outside work. We regard the suggestion as an admirable 'one ; it is not,pretended,that it is in any way novel: and we commend it to all agents for the sale of tractors --whatever the'make. • Little difficuitylshould be met in the search for a suitable breakdown lorry ; the travelling workshops which were so largely used by the M.T, in France would be ideal for the work. There must be a large number of them available amongst the vehicles in the hands of the Disposals Board.