Free estimates

[Donald Lemoine]

jim,  You are 100% correct in your statement regards free estimates.  I have
had customers, when i first started this business ask for free estimate, get
one from me and the next day I would meat another piano tuner friend who
charged her his tuning fee as an estimate fee and she paid it, from that
moment on I have done the same with
respect to my personal time.

> From: JIMRPT@AOL.COM
> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 08:01:38 EDT
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re:  Free estimates
> 
> 
> In a message dated 6/02/2000 7:21:47 AM, Clyde wrote:
> 
> <<"Do those of you who rebuild pianos give free estimates?">>
> 
> Clyde;
> I don't give anything free except smiles, kind words and occasionally
> advice/opinions :-)  I charge the equivalent of a tuning fee for all
> estimates. During an estimating trip if they want the piano tuned I will not
> charge for the tuning..cause they are already paying for it and I can make my
> estimate while tuning. On an 'estimate' call I never leave the customer with
> anything in writing except the bill for the estimate.  When I get back to the
> shop I will fill out a formal quote/estimate with all suggested work fully
> described and with any notations or alternatives included. I send a copy of
> this to the customer, keep a copy for myself.....thus precluding and holding
> any "I Thoughts" "I Understoods" "But You Saids" in abeyance. :-)  My quotes
> are good for sixty days only and include a credit for the estimate fee in
> some cases.
> 
> All we have to sell is our time and if we don't get paid for it, and give
> value for what we charge, we are shortchanging ourselves and our
> customers..but that is just my opinion, perhaps others will feel differently.
> Jim Bryant (FL)
> 
>