Let's Talk About NCR!
by
Molly Jebber
Amish Historical Romance Author
I remember when the National Cash Register Company was located in Dayton, Ohio for many years and their beautiful building stretched far and wide with all the flags of countries they did business with lined in front.
In 1881, a group of investors acquired the Ritty Cash Register Company, and it's patents. The new owners changed the name to National Manufacturing Company.
In the early 1884, James Patterson, who was formerly in the coal and railroad business, became the highest investor and owner of the National Manufacturing Company, and he renamed it the National Cash Register Company where they now made mechanical cash registers. The first office had thirteen employees in the Callahan Power Building in Dayton, Ohio.
In 1885, when the self-adding cash register was introduced at an exhibit in Chicago, Illinois. J.W. Allison, visiting from England, found out the machine could be adapted to English currency, he became the company's first international agent in Liverpool, England.
In the mid-1880's, James Patterson put together the first sales manual, where he invented guaranteed sales territories, quota and point systems, sales conventions, and dress codes.
In 1893, James Patterson constructed a daylight factory with very big windows to allow for daylight and better ventilation for employees. He added baths, shower, exercise programs, and hot lunches for workers also.
In 1906, a friend of James Patterson, Charles Kettering, invented the first electric powered cash register. In 1911, Charles Kettering invented the Class 1000 electric register which stayed in production for forty years. He also created the O.K. Credit Authorization service for verifying customers' credit for retail stores.
In NCR's twenty-seventh year of business, they sold their millionth cash register. They are still in business today, but a few years ago, moved their corporate office to New York.
I hope you've enjoyed learning the history about the cash register. Another tidbit about Charles Kettering, is that he was a major contributor to Kettering Hospital for which I was once employed.
Visit me here! Molly's website for my news on books and the movie of Liza's Second Chance that is supposed to release at the end of 2023!
Thank you for posting today! It's always nice to hear of good employment practices, and those improvements in 1893 could stand to be brought into the forefront for some companies even today. Healthy and happy workers will improve the products they help make, at least that's my humble opinion. Even I have worked in some questionable work environments.
ReplyDeleteMy husband recently retired from NCR after 10 or so years of service with them! He was a Service Tech supporting their POS systems for major retailers.
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