Jeannie I think you and I share the same concept. It baffles me why manufactures spend so much time and money going to PTG seminars offering classes on how to take care of their instruments, but then are not strongly encouraging their dealers to hire the techs that take those classes. I agree that the classes don't have anything directly to do with PTG, other than the classes are being offered at PTG sponsored seminars, where anyone is allowed to attend. Wim -----Original Message----- From: Jeannie Grassi <jcgrassi at earthlink.net> To: caut at ptg.org Sent: Sun, Nov 22, 2009 11:12 am Subject: Re: [CAUT] Jeanie's brain storm - was Boston changed to dealers... Wim, The previous idea of continuing education came from PTG to enhance our own members’ skill levels and it ended up being worthless because, as you state, there was no incentive. I’m responding to the comment that manufacturer’s might want to train and certify the technicians working on their pianos and that it might be more cost effective to do it at conventions. This would be from them, not from PTG. The incentive would come only if the manufacturers required or strongly recommended that the dealers use such techs in their stores or in the field. This, basically, has nothing to do with PTG except that conventions and conferences may be able to host such classes. Frankly, I don’t understand why the manufacturers who offer such training haven’t stepped up and followed through with their dealers. There seems to be a huge gap in there. jeannie From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of wimblees at aol.com Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 1:35 AM To: markwisner at earthlink.net; caut at ptg.org Subject: Re: [CAUT] Jeanie's brain storm - was Boston changed to dealers... Mark The idea of "earning" credits for attending seminars, etc., has been brought up before. In fact, didn't the PTG have some sort of voluntary system a couple of years ago? But the continuing education concept won't do any good unless there is an incentive for the tech to take the classes. One of the best incentives would be for the manufactures to require dealers to hire only techs who have attended a certain number of instruction hours. Although these classes can be offered at PTG seminars and convention, piano techs do not necessarily have to be a member of the PTG to be able to take them, just as those who attend the LRS have to be members of the PTG. It won't have an impact on all techs, but it will certainly have an impact on the dealers. I recognize that there are some dealers who hire qualified techs, but if this can become an industry wide requirement, where all dealers will have to hire "qualified" techs, it might encourage more techs to take the seminars, especially if they want to be considered by dealers. Wim -----Original Message----- From: Mark Wisner <markwisner at earthlink.net> To: caut at ptg.org Sent: Sat, Nov 21, 2009 8:02 pm Subject: [CAUT] Jeanie's brain storm - was Boston changed to dealers... Jeanie, Your "brainstorm" is a little like my wife's profession. In order for Stella to keep her license valid every year she has to pick up a specific number of continuing education credits, which she earns by attending classes at any one of a number of professional conventions, classes, seminars, etc. I'm not seriously suggesting we can apply this to PGT at this time, but in a world where pianos are more important than they are.....what a great way to increase skills, event attendance, and importance to the "RPT" title. Mark Wisner -----Original Message----- >From: Diane Hofstetter <dianepianotuner at msn.com> >Sent: Nov 21, 2009 9:39 PM >To: College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org> >Subject: [CAUT] Boston changed to dealers techs mfgrs and other such > > >Jeannie, > > I like your "just brainstorming"! It seems with the changes in the economy it is becoming essential that the different parts of the piano industry find a way to work together and support each other. Someone said on one of these lists that one of the manufacturers lost 300 dealerships this year. That adds up to LOTS of pianos not sold, and even more tunings that don't need to be done over the coming years. And, that's only one manufacturer. > >Diane Hofstetter > > > >Jeannie said: > In fact, I had >to turn down one of the Steinway sessions one year because I couldn't afford >it. I think it would be a mistake to make it so pricey that even less >people could attend. > >Manufacturer's classes at Conventions and Regional Conferences can be >documented. Paying a small fee and pre-registering for such a class, or >series of classes might be doable for many. In the past I've been willing >to pay $50 or $60 for a special class and might even consider paying more if >it would save me the hotel and airfare of going to another facility. >Attendees could be given some sort of certificate to attest to the fact that >they were there. Instructors could actually give feedback as to whether the >student was on the right track or needed some additional training. This >certificate could be requested by dealers if the manufacturers expected them >to use such accredited technicians. > >Just brain storming... >jeannie > > > >Diane Hofstetter -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut.php/attachments/20091122/2c8a3cf7/attachment-0001.htm>
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