Contrary to what Irma Bombeck thinks most our clients do know what we are listening for and have high expectations. She is not the first one to think we have the easiest job in the world. 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." If her husband hadn't been there and brought up the fact that she has been having some hearing loss while I was telling her that the 5th octave sounded fine to me, I don't know what I would have done. 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. Dave Porritt, RPT SMU - Dallas "I like indoor plumbing, air conditioning and equal temperament." -----------------------MY REPLY-------------------------------------- One of the most frustrating experiences I have had was with a person who kept calling me back after every tuning to complain about the treble range of her piano. I never found anything objectionable, and we always agreed that it was something akin to voicing that was bothering her. After several years of going through this, she finally admitted to the fact that she had a diagnosed hearing loss and even wore a hearing aid when attending lectures so that she could discern what the lecturer was asas saying/. Needless to say, I learned from that experience. When I suspect hearing loss to be a problem in a customer's perception now, I immediately ask if they get their hearing checked regularly. I assure them that this is commonplace, I do it myself regularly, it makes good sense medically, and hearing losses can be treated effectively. Believe me, in the long run it does not pay to mince words Ken Sloane, Oberlin Conservatory
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