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Jean Ross: Girl Friday Thursday
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Jean Ross: Girl Friday Thursday
Florida Automotive Journal
December 1970
This month we introduce you to Jean Ross, a Billing Clerk who works for a big man with little automobiles - Mr. Zinn of Triangle Toyota. How big he is we don't know. Jean says he stands ten feet tall.
Jean started her career in Miami with Trail Auto Tag Agency. At that time is wsa owned by Mrs. I.D. Smith whose husband later became Assistant Director of the Division of Motor Vehicles in Tallahassee. She worked there for over four years as an outside representative delivering tags and also in the office. Having learned all the intricacies of title work during those years, she was well equipped to move on to the glory (?) of becoming a Billing Clerk. She accepted a position with Vic Potamkin Chevrolet and worked with them for thirteen years.
Being a very versatile gal she not only billed cars, but moved around to any position in the office where help was needed . . . bookkeeping, cashiering, or switchboard. Also, if all the salesmen were busy when a customer walked in, Jean was right there to help them until a salesman could take over. Knowing Jean we are sure that her ingratiating manner and sincerity helped more than one salesman get a name on a dotted line.
She was a whiz on the switchboard. Calls were taken promptly and unanswered rings on the show room phones were at a minimum. Jean had a way with her as well as microphone. The sleepiest salesman moved when he heard: "Answer your phone or I'll pull everyone of these damn plugs out!" A drastic system, but effective.
Jean says a Billing Clerk's job is interesting and challenging. When asked what she found most difficult about her work she said: "Invoices, contracts and titles are a cinch - the only hard part is reading the salesmen's orders." According to her you must be an expert at reading hieroplyphics. No two salesmen write an order alike. Once you have decoded the pertinent information, eliminated the doodling and any notes in the margin such as "stop by the grocers for bread on the way home," the rest is clear sailing.
Jean's pet peeve is leaving unfinished work on her desk at night. No matter how busy the day, she must have her desk cleared off before she goes home. Thanks to her former boss of Potamkin Chevrolet, Mr. Larry Costley of Costley Chevrolet, Inc., we learned more about our girl wonder whose modesty kept her from telling all.
He recalled that back in 1965 after the General Motors strike Potamkin Chevrolet sold 1877 new cars during the months of January and February. From inventorying the cars to the last details of invoicing, typing contracts, and applying for tags and titles, Jean took care of it all. This we must admit is some accomplishment. Mr. Costly also added that there wasn't a salesman on the force who slod as much Credit Life Insurance as Jean. If a deal came to her desk without Credit Life she refused to type the contract until she had done her best to sell that additional insurance.
Now for the lighter side . . . we learned that Jean has other talents. Our flaming redhead is also an accomplished dancer and entertainer. Her performances were always the star attraction at the Potamkin parties.
Unlike many of us, Jean doesn't take off her shoes and relax after a busy day at the office. She loves sports and swings a mean paddle at the paddle ball. She also swims a lot and spends two or three nights a week at the gymnasium. Her trim, whistle provoking figure and her zest are good recommendations for that routine.
Jean is a native of New York, but has lived in Florida about nineteen years. She and her son Jules, a college boy of twenty, live in Miami Beach. She gets a lot of the salt sea air along with the sunshine and her beautiful tan makes her look more like a tourist than a career girl, but let not looks deceive you.
