Consultation Fees

[Ron Nossaman]

Hi Gina, Lance & all,

One exception, I like to have buyer, seller, piano, the church committee,
and any other peripherally interested party who will muck up the process
later if not informed, on site and alert when I do one of these. The buyer
is ignorant concerning pianos, hence my being there to help. The seller is
either as ignorant as the buyer, knowledgable and honest, or an unprincipled
crook. The buyer needs the education concerning the piano. The seller
possibly does too. The buyer needs to see the reaction of the seller to the
information I present to both of them. This can sometimes be a
transcendental revelation to the buyer when the seller suddenly becomes F.
Lee Baily and emits a dense cloud of obfuscation in an attempt to minimize
the problems I have just pointed out to them both. Very educational, and
strangely satisfying for me (can you say "perverse"? =^*^=  ). Anyway, the
intent is education all around. The wonderful thing about ignorance is that
it can be fixed, and this is too good an opportunity to pass up. 

This goes for dealers too. If the dealer is legit, they won't have any
reservations about having a competent tech check out the piano. They get a
free evaluation out of the deal (Both high standards *and* greed are served,
where do I apply?). Sometimes I find problems, undiscovered by the dealer,
that render the piano unfit for sale. Honest dealers are grateful that these
problems are uncovered *before* the sale. If the dealer balks at having a
tech in, or insists on having only his personal pet tech do the evaluation,
be well, and be gone. Again, education is served.       

This process has the added benefit of endearing me to honest dealers, and
alienating me from the crooks. Yet another benefit. Welcome to Kabuki Theater.

PS: I don't solicit bounty on sales by dealers either. I think it destroys
the credibility of both the dealer and the tech.

Be well, I'm gone
                   Ron



At 07:34 AM 6/28/97 -0400, you wrote:
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>When I evaluate a piano, I do not have the potential buyer be there. That way
>I don't have to answer questions in front of the seller; and I explain to the
>seller that I will give my recommendations to the potential buyer who is
>paying for this service. If the buyer wishes to share my findings that is up
>to them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Hope this helps some,
>
>Gina Carter
>
 Ron Nossaman