New Customer Fee

[PAT A RALPH]

My two cents worth.

When a new customer calls, whether they talk to me or my wife, Pat, they get
the same story.  "Since it has either been a long time since the piano has
been serviced OR a "tuuner" had/has been servicing the instrument, it will
probably be more that just a tuning.  So my new customer are already
prepared that they are going to have more than just a tuning bill.

Ken Gerler
Gerler Piano & Organ Service
Black Jack (St. Louis,) MO

----- Original Message -----
From: Clyde Hollinger <cedel@supernet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 21, 1999 5:05 PM
Subject: New Customer Fee


> Larry,
>
> The thought crossed my mind already, but I decided not to charge a new
customer fee.  I
> just assume that the first call is likely to take a few minutes longer.
Clients will
> balk at being charged extra just because it's your first time there, but
they can
> easily understand paying more for additional needed services you provide.
>
> You could call the client to the piano and say something like this:  "Mrs.
S, I looked
> over your piano, and there are several additional things I noticed that
need attention
> (point them out).  This really should be done, and it wouldn't take long
to do, so I
> can do it right now.  It would probably cost about ($10 or whatever).  Is
it okay if I
> go ahead?"
>
> If the piano hasn't been serviced for a number of years, the owner
shouldn't be
> surprised and is nearly always willing to pay, and you won't feel cheated.
I usually
> work in this somewhere:  "There may be more; I learn about your piano as I
tune it.
> But if there is, we can discuss that afterward."
>
> Remembering the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto
you), and
> looking at things from the clients' point of view, will go a long way
toward building a
> satisfied clientele who will recommend your services to their friends.  Of
course we
> need to be competent as well.  It is hard to be humble saying this, but I
am now taking
> new client orders four months in advance.
>
> Regards,
> Clyde Hollinger
>
> Larry Gardner wrote:
>
> > Dear list,
> >
> > Lately I've been considering charging a "New Customer Fee" since I find
that
> > servicing a new customer is typically extra work due to pitch raises as
well as
> > extra work cleaning the piano.  I typically clean the soundboard on
grands and
> > vacuum up the dust on the inside of a vertical each time I do a service.
It seems
> > like these are the customers that haven't tuned their piano in 10 years
(or who
> > knows!) and have the 40 to 100 cent pitch raises.  Also, these are the
customers
> > with a few  little problems that only take a minute to fix, so I end up
not
> > charging.  Does anybody else charge a "1st time customer fee" ?
> >
> > Thanks
>