Doug, I wanted to do a follow-up on this too. Bad news, good news. This won't be your last lesson. People just think differently, and there is no way to say everything the "right" way or anticipate everything over the phone in one catchall conversation. After thirty years, I am still looking for the most efficient explanation for why "my action is uneven now that you've tuned it." On the other hand, you do accumulate a library of flags and signals, after you've been at it a while. Flag #1: she had to get her husbands permission - a sign that they think differently about their marriage than we do about ours. It carries other implications. Flag #2: They own much less piano than they can afford. That tells you something about priorities. Take a look back, and I'll bet you can find several others. There is nothing more important in building any business than a long-term view. From the very beginning, my wife and I pretended to ourselves that money didn't matter, only satisfied customers. We spent a lot of money on Conventions, and time on "reading up." It has meant over the years a loyal clientele, a satifying business, more work than we can handle, and a very good living. Your refund of 0.4 hours is a "continuing education fee," and a willingness to not worry about every penny will be repaid many times over in reputation. Yes, it meant a cheerful return call once in a while while smiling with jaw clamped. Once, a lacquer we were using was reformulated without our knowledge, and caused problems on a Steinway B we had refinished two years before. While the customer was fighting with the drape cleaners who had completely ruined her drapes and disclaimed responsibility, we whisked her piano away and refinished it AGAIN without a whimper, at least not audible to her. It cost us thousands, but over the long haul, there was a large deposit in our Reputation Bank. Muddle through; write it off...... Bob Davis
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