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).
Outlining the policy for conducting vehicle demonstration runs and interacting with customers.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 53\1\ Scan090 | |
| Date | 11th October 1922 | |
| R.R. 199 (500 H) (SD. 295. 15.3.17) M P. 176549 C O P Y. To Cx. {Major Len W. Cox - Advertising Manager} from BJ. Copies to PN. {Mr Northey} Bgs. Hr. [Signature] Demonstration Runs. There may be occasions when PN. {Mr Northey} cannot give demonstration runs personally, and we may have to arrange for a demonstration, either to a customer or a pressman, to be given by a driver-mechanic. In such cases, one of our salesmen, or Captain Burgess, should be on the car, as a mechanic-driver does not know, and is not expected to know, our policy, or what to tell customers and what not to tell customers, and the less they talk to customers or the press, the better. I presume it has been made quite clear to all salesmen that they should never discuss compressions and gear ratios with customers; it is sufficient for customers and the press to know that we give the type of engine and the type of car which we consider is best suited for the particular body and requirements of the customer. I find that our knowledge of such subjects is far in advance of the knowledge of the average customer, to whom high and low compression and different gears of back axles mean very little, as they do not know actually what are the "pros and cons" of results obtained. Will PN. {Mr Northey} please also pass this information to demonstrating drivers, and anyone on that side of the business who is likely to come into touch with customers ? B.J. | ||