lesson learned

[JIMRPT@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 6/29/2000 9:25:19 PM, Les B. wrote:

<<"I tend to be
pretty naive">>

 Yes you do, and don't you ever lose it! There is more than 'enough' 
sophistication around and it ain't always good.
 As for your question though,....... first the information we have is:
<<"Tuned a Kaway KG1 for a family yesterday. It was way low. I went through
it twice, and I told the lady of the house, "This piano was very much out
of pitch. I tuned it twice, but some notes will probably not stay in
tune.">>
1. Did you discuss this with the lady beforehand or afterward?  
2. Did you charge extra for it? 
3. If you felt that it was low enough to go "through it twice" how low was it?

your possible answers could be:
 1. No I didn't discuss this with the customer beforehand, I just did it 
because it seemed the right thing at the time..................If this is 
your answer then you were wrong in doing so for two reasons:
a. You were called to tune the piano and they had a right to expect a tuned 
piano when you left given "normal" circumstances, and you failing to discuss 
any problems as they arose and on the spot, explaining the problem and 
outlining her choices,i.e., tune it where it is (regular fee) or do a pitch 
raise w/possiblefollowup. (extra fee), did nothing to alter her expectations.

b. After you have finished the work and presented the bill for "tuning", the 
customer is much less receptive to any explanation of 'maybe it won't hold 
tune on some notes' as readily as beforehand.

<<"I said, that I would not
retune the piano since it had not been tuned in at least 18 months, and I
had told the lady it would have some problems.">>

 Yes..... but did you tell her before or after you "tuned" it?
 Make the effort, go back and take care of this problem that you 'may have' 
created. Don't do work of this nature for free even if the payment you 
receive is only the 'full' attention of the customer while you describe the 
problem and the 'probable' results. It is better to tune it where it is at, 
or a slight raise, than to do work that is most likely to be unappreciated 
for free.

If I am wrong in my suppositions and assumptions about this deal than I will 
let you buy me a beer in DC to make it up to me! :-)
Jim Bryant (FL)