A reputation for promptness is one of the things that a job printer should strive for. He will have gained a great advantage when it comes to be said of him that he always gets work out on time, and it will pay him to endeavor to secure such a reputation by every means in his power. I know how prone is the ordinary business man to wait unitl he is entirely out of stationary, or what-eAer he wants, before ordering more, or ct postpone until the latest possible moment the order for circulars, or handbills or any bit of commercial work; and then, when he does give you the order, he acts very much as though he though this was the only work you had in your shop, that you should immediately give him precedence over everybody else.

If your office is run systematically, you can tell after a moment's reflection just how the work is getting on, and what chances there are for getting a new job started in. Then you can tell your customer when he can have his work, within an hour or two, unless it is a job of considerable magnitude. Then, if he says that is too late, tell him you are sorry, but you would rather lose the order than disappoint him in the delivery of it. Explain the situation to him, and it is ten chances to one he will leave the order.