XI- 3
Although Edison once told his English agent, Gouraud,
that "all experience with marketing novel machines points to
the need experts," the National Phonograph Company had been
unable provide the skilled salesmen needed market the
3
machine."^
The creation the commercial department the National
Phonograph Company 1906 was the beginning the formation
of special organization, staffed specialists, support
the manufacture and sales the business phonograph. After Edison had tried market dictating machine in
the 1880s and 1890s recognised that little instruction
and practice are needed operate. But these
were small beginnings; the amount user instruction offered
was slight because the dealers were given only minimal
education the operation and selling points dictating
machine. The problem the 1880s and 1890s was that the
Edison organization was too lean support the costs of
training experts and could not keep large sales force the
field. The user had be
trained the correct method speaking into the recording
diaphragm and certainly was not just matter "talk into
a tube fast you can rattle off— that's all." usual had
underestimated the amount effort needed train both
salesmen and potential users. The operation the recording
and reproduction diaphragms the business machine required a
gentle touch and good hand-eye coordination. The sales network this time were dealers of
amusement phonographs who were trying make some money the
