Tough jobs.

[S. Brady]

On Mon, 10 Jul 1995, David Porritt wrote:

> Some jobs in this business are easy some are very difficult.  This past
> week I had to do the hardest job there is.  No, not the "I'm sorry lady
> your piano has died."  That's maybe the second hardest.  The one I had to
> do was "I'm sorry lady, your piano is fine, you are loosing your hearing.

> Has anyone yet
> come up with a good way to tell a customer that their hearing is declining?
> It's a tough thing to do.  When they say the top octave just sounds like a
> knock and it's loud enough to kill you have to tell them something.  I'd
> love to hear any tactful and kind ways you have done this.

      I have to admit, this is one of my least-favorite situations.
What has worked for me, when I'm pretty sure it's a hearing-loss thing,
is to say, "You know, it sounds great to me. I'm wondering if there might
not be some high-frequency hearing loss preventing you from hearing the
tone on these notes. Doctors tell us that most of us experience some
hearing loss in that range from about the age of 40..."
      Now, most of these people are at least 60 or so, and they don't
mind too much being reminded that folks over 40 are likely to have some
specific hearing loss.


Steve Brady, RPT        "The most expert and rapid tuners are...
University of Washington       possessed of a highly excitable,
sbrady@u.washington.edu        nervous, and emotional temperament,
                         verging on the border of insanity at times."
                              -Daniel Spillane, The Tuner's Guide