Oh no, back to 'piano records'

[James Dally]

Del, I tuned a grand and the tooner had written in pencil on the plate. 
Really!

----------
> 
> 
> Don wrote:
> 
> > Mr Root,
> >
> > I disagree entirely. I want *all* the info from previous work--invoices
even
> > if the client has them. Why re invent the wheel? If another tech has
had a
> > problem with an instrument I want to *know*. I don't like walking in
blind.
> > Zero information = blind.
> 
> ----------------------------------------
> 
> Ah! But isn't this where the information should be recorded? On the
invoice.
> Back
> in my field service days I left the customer with a very complete
summation of
> what
> I did for his/her piano. It listed the work I did. The specific notes
> involved, if
> appropriate. A brief summation of the condition of the piano (if it was
the
> first
> time I'd seen it). Etc.
> 
> No way could all of this information be recorded on the piano. If I had
> questions
> about the piano I would ask the owner. If they couldn't remember what the
> previous
> technician did, they could always get out the invoice. Unfortunately,
while
> some
> were exceptional, most of those invoices didn't tell me much. But then
neither
> did
> the various notes, dates and signatures that I often found sloppily
scribbled
> all
> over the piano.
> 
> I can only say that any tuner or technician that wrote anything on the
> plate/pinblock/keys/action/soundboard/whatever of my piano without my
> permission
> would NEVER be called back. No matter how good the service otherwise.
> 
> Sorry. My vote is to put the information on your invoice and encourage
your
> client
> to keep those invoices close to the piano. Encourage your client to
furnish
> those
> invoices with the piano if/when it is sold. With any luck they will
enhance
> the
> value of the piano since they (hopefully) indicate a pattern of good
regular
> service. I've never seen notes that were scribbled on any surface of the
piano
> enhance it's value. Except when it's the signature of somebody a whole lot
> more
> famous than you or I. And all that scribbling is a royal pain in the butt
to
> take
> off if the potential buyer doesn't like it. And most don't.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Del