From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Note from the USA discussing sales difficulties, customer complaints, and the challenges of upgrading Phantom I owners to Phantom II.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\4\ Scan233 | |
| Date | 22th December 1930 | |
| X777 22.12.30. Copy of note received from Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} in U.S.A. To R.{Sir Henry Royce} c. Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} c. Wor.{Arthur Wormald - General Works Manager} L. c. De. EV.{Ivan Evernden - coachwork} X.7772. X.7941. I should not like it to be thought from the attached that I have met here anything but fair criticism. I have been in close contact with some of the men who have to sell the cars and others who have to keep them sold; they each have difficulties. The salesman is looking for reasons how he can convince an owner of a P.I. to sell his car and purchase a P.II. 70 to 80% of sales are to existing owners. All I have met are confident of being able to sell them. The service man has difficulties because, although a man will pay a high price for a car, he will kick unless the service charges are what he knows to be reasonable. We have been over the Derby quarterly complaint list and they are very anxious that most of those complaints would be out of the L.H. cars. I was able to assure them that those complaints were receiving every attention. The service people point out that it is no use taking P.II cars purchased in England as a basis for complaints. It is quite different when the car is sold over here because the customer looks upon the salesman as someone who henceforth will look after his troubles; he has been encouraged to believe this. The fact that they have sold 20 P.I cars since I have been here shows that the market is here if we can supply the right article. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} | ||