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November 1969 Electronics World
Table of Contents
Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles
from
Electronics World, published May 1959
- December 1971. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.
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Bill Woodbury,
president of Sprague Products Company, addressed the National Electronics
Association's (NEA) National Convention in 1969, praising his firm's commitment
to high-quality replacement components for electronic service technicians while
flipping the topic to solicit their input on manufacturer support. He candidly
criticized the independent service industry for failing to unite, with only
15-25% of 125,000 technicians in fragmented trade associations that waste energy
fighting each other. Woodbury urged forming one powerful national body like NEA
through mergers, warning that disunity has cost billions in missed opportunities
like garage doors, intercoms, CB radios, hi-fi, and emerging medical/computer
sectors. He stressed preparing for modular TVs requiring minimal service by
attending trade shows, expanding into new home gadgets and electric repairs, and
establishing neighborhood service centers. Emphasizing self-reliance, he
declared technicians must lead this "survival plan" cooperatively, as no one
else will.
A Plea For... A United Service Association
 By R. W. Woodbury,
President, Sprague Products Company
Highlights from speech presented by Bill Woodbury before NEA (National Electronic
Assns.) National Convention held in Waterbury, Connecticut.
"Thank you for the opportunity to spend a few minutes with you this evening.
As you know from our history, we at Sprague Products Company strive to maintain
a very close relationship with all of you people in the electronic service industry.
We devote a high percentage of our research and development activities towards providing
you with exact re- placement components... It is also our aim to supply you with
replacement components of the highest possible quality level...
"Because my company, and I personally, are vitally interested in your organization,
I am here today to give you my thoughts on a few things which I hope will contribute
to your future.
"Your committee has assigned me a topic for my talk, the title of which would
be something like 'What the parts manufacturer can do for the service technician.'
So let me start out by changing the words around and ask you, 'What can the parts
manufacturer do for the service technician?' I would - very seriously - like to
hear from each of you on that subject...
"In the meantime - until I hear from you - I am going to strike out on my own,
and give you some of my thoughts .
"You may not like to hear some of the things I am going to say - you may not
agree with me - but because we are friends I am going to speak freely...
"Here's the first thing I am going to say that you may not like. The independent
electronic service industry does not know how to work together in a trade association.
I should perhaps soften that and say: Either you don't know or you won't work together.
I am not, of course, talking about only fellows here in this meeting; I am talking
about the total independent electronic service industry. It is obvious that most
of you here in this group do know how to work together: Your committees make an
excellent attempt in the job of organizing, planning, and association promotion.
The handwriting is on the wall, however; these few cannot do everything that must
be done - it will take every one of your members and even those who will join later.
"You have a tremendous task ahead of you. I understand there are 125,000 active
electronic service technicians in this country, and 15 to 25 percent of this number
belong to a trade association. Isn't that a pathetic batting average? So I say it
is going to be a real accomplishment to get the majority of these 125,000 technicians
to work together; some people say it is impossible, that it never can be done. I
say it is not impossible, I say it can be done, and the nucleus of motive power
needed to gain the necessary momentum is right here in this group. You fellows who
care enough about your future... to take time away from your businesses to come
here to contribute to that future, and that industry, are capable of successfully
completing this job that absolutely must be done.
"Another very important point that I should make here, and one that disturbs
all of us, is this: 15 to 25 percent who belong to a trade association belong to
several different trade associations, each going off in its own independent direction,
each having some small effect on the objectives you all are attempting t to attain.
Wouldn't it be an ideal situation if all of these electronic service businesses
belonged to one nation -wide trade association...
"So, how do we turn these trade association membership percentages around? A
minute ago I said you have a big job to do. I emphasize you, because nobody - there
is nobody - can do it for you... I might add, also, that manufacturers, distributors,
or the consuming public are not going to do it for you.
"This leaves you standing out there pretty much all alone.
"First you must have an objective. And here, your first objective should be to
build a strong, large, effective, and single national trade association with a voice
so loud as to be heard from coast to coast. NEA, it appears to me, has the vitality,
the enthusiasm, the talent necessary to do the job.
"The first step involves the binding together of all the splinter service associations
across the country. This can be accomplished with the help of the responsible individuals
here tonight. These fellows can do the groundwork; they can negotiate the merging
of these various associations through meetings with those leaders who see the wisdom
of joining together in one association...
"There are so many benefits to be derived from a national trade association that
the service industry actually cannot afford to continue on the route they are now
following. It appears to me, as I am sure it must to others, that your existing
trade associations spend so much time and effort fighting among themselves there
can be little time left to make the necessary contributions to the industry... Think
for a moment: One segment of this industry holding its national convention here
in July, another doing the same next month in Chicago. Think how this looks to the
world...
"I firmly believe that if you fellows had had a strong, influential, and well-financed
national trade association, supported by every electronic service technician in
the country, you would not have -in recent years -let millions, perhaps billions
of dollars in electronic sales and service literally slip through your fingers.
I refer to the electronically controlled garage door business, intercom, marine
radio, mobile radio, hi-fi, electronic organ, Citizens Band business - and on and
on - all slipping through your fingers. The fact that the service industry has virtually
refused to sell and service these products has not helped your image.
And now we are in an era where we find heavy electronic application in the medical
profession and even heavier application in the computer industry. Consider the digital
read -out manufacturers who are looking for warranty repair stations. How many of
you are going to sit idly by and let these opportunities slip through your fingers?
"A strong, healthy, and properly functioning trade association could have supplied
you with marketing trends and data that would have provided you with information
with which to prepare yourselves for handling the business I have just outlined.
This is an important function of a trade association.
"You now need the information with which to prepare yourselves for the shocking
changes that will take place in this industry within the next ten years. What are
you going to do when every new TV set is completely modularized, could possibly
require very little service? You had better start preparations now, attend every
'Home' Show and Electronic Trade Show available to you to learn about the new electronic
gadgets for the home that will be quite commonplace five or ten years from now.
You must branch out into these other areas of electronic service. Somebody is going
to do it. It had better be you.
"Every town and neighborhood in larger cities should now have an electronic service
center, capable of repairing any electronic and electric gadget to be found in the
American home. You notice I said 'electric' as well as electronic. Yes, I recommend
that you gear yourself into this phase of service too. Through a cooperative effort
you can do anything that must be done. The electrical industry is getting into your
business; you had better get into theirs. It should be a part of your over-all 'survival'
plan."
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