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).
Challenges of determining customer requirements for car springing.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 18\3\ Scan283 | |
| Date | 13th October 1931 | |
| S/W. c. Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair}, BY.{R.W. Bailey - Chief Engineer}, Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} Re- SPRINGING. feel we do not do sufficient to ascertain customers' requirements in respect of springing. When you come to consider, however, that we in most cases do not meet the customer and are dependent upon information obtained from, or supplied by, the Agent who is selling the car, you will, I am sure, realise that we have no opportunity of talking to the customer himself about his particular requirements as indicated by the nature of the motoring he does. Also, so many of the cars purchased to-day are originally erected for stock and we have to spring them for the average. We already ask customers, either direct or through the agent, the following questions, once we know the type of body, the Coachbuilder and the seating accommodation :- (1) Number of passengers usually carried. (2) Maximum weight of luggage carried. (3) Weight of luggage usually carried. (4) Number of spare wheels required. (5) Country in which the car will be used. (6) Will the car be used mainly for Town work or for fast touring ? We do not feel that we can really ask much more information of the customer at the time of his placing his order. Of course, where a customer may bring the car along to you because the springing does not suit him, it is a comparatively easy matter to ascertain what his requirements are and in what way the springing of his car is unsuitable. But before the customer has the car we doubt very much whether it is possible to do more than we do at present, but we would of course welcome any suggestions which you may care to make which would help the matter in any way. We rather feel that the question of springing is like one of colours, and that what one person likes another dislikes. We fully realise that in springing we have a very difficult question to contend with, and are naturally anxious to do all we can to assist you in the proper selection of springs. Ox. | ||