surcharge

[Larry J. Messerly]

I hesitate to say this but my fee increased to $88 this year.  I did not
feel comfortable breaking the $90 barrier.  It has been very interesting
to me that I have had no comments or complaints AT ALL about this recent
increase.  It has convinced me to stay away from fees ending in 5.  The 5
ending may make it seem like I pulled the fee out of mid-air and the  fee
ending in 8 may seem to be in my customers minds based on costs of doing
business.  So I am already planning my next increase to $93.  

I also find that in presidential election years business tends to slow as
the election gets closer.  That's why starting 4 years ago, I increased
my fee the month before the election. (to make up for decreased
business.)  NO ONE complained.

Larry Messerly, RPT
Phoenix/Prescott

On Thu, 9 Mar 2000 09:51:33 -0600 "Roy Ulrich" <ulrich@rangenet.com>
writes:
> Of course you're right; the only problem is we're getting a little 
> off
> topic. The original post was with regard to adding a surcharge 
> because of
> increased gas prices, not prices in general. But as long as you 
> brought it
> up....
> 
> It's a little tough to get a handle on the average tuning fee what 
> with so
> many on this list paranoid about discussing the subject, (yet how do 
> the gas
> stations get by with being the same all the time?). But I am under 
> the
> impression that the national average is around $75. I don't know if 
> mileage
> is added on top of that number or not. I've been at $60 for a 
> standard 45
> minute tuning plus 30 cents per mile round trip for the 1st 30 
> miles, then
> 90 cents a mile over 30. It pays the bills - We eat well and I wear 
> $260
> shoes; that's not poverty.
> 
> We're not the grocery store, the gas station, the doctor, or the 
> liquor
> mart; we're a luxury. If I were to double my tuning fee tomorrow I 
> have no
> doubt that I could kiss this job goodbye. Sure, I'd have more time 
> for golf
> but no money for the season ticket! As it is, I'm wasting away the 
> morning
> today although I have plenty of restoration to complete, but I set 
> my own
> hours.
> 
> While I'm considering an increase in the near future, I also have to 
> be
> aware of my competition. Someone also mentioned that with the 
> increase in
> gas prices there is a wide ranging affect to all businesses, and 
> guess
> what - the tuning phone has slowed down quite a bit, and probably 
> won't
> recover until gas goes down. NOT a good time to jack up prices on my 
> end. Go
> ahead, convince me otherwise please.
> 
> btw, I'm not suggesting that you're too high, in fact I'm a little 
> envious.
> Good for you, but I can sense what _my_ customers are willing to 
> part with,
> keeping in mind the cost of living in my area.
> 
> Roy Ulrich
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Brekne <richardb@c2i.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Thursday, March 09, 2000 2:01 AM
> Subject: Re: surcharge
> 
> 
> >Roy... averaging tunings a day isnt really a valid way to look at 
> it.
> Somedays
> >you do several... some days you do none..
> >
> >How many pianos do you tune a year ??? and how much do you get for 
> all that
> >effort. 100 after basic expenses in NOT unreasonable by any means. 
> Those
> who
> >think it is will remain on the poor side (economically) of the 
> technical
> >community.  It is not an hour per day at the office scenario and 
> you know
> it.
> >
> >God... WHAT IS IT with piano techs... this seeming love of 
> poverty...
> jesshh..
> >
> >Roy Ulrich wrote:
> >
> >> Yes, and to pocket 100 bucks a piece after expenses, you'd be 
> very lucky
> to
> >> average 1 1/4 a day! Not bad for an hour per day at the office 
> tho...Boy,
> >> could I improve my golf game or what.
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: kam544@flash.net <kam544@flash.net>
> >> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> >> Date: Wednesday, March 08, 2000 7:00 PM
> >> Subject: Re: surcharge
> >>
> >> >>Richard,
> >> >>
> >> >>    Not too many tuners "I" know charge $100 per tuning. :-)
> >> >>
> >> >>Avery
> >> >
> >> >And he added, that $40 thou' was:
> >> >
> >> >>>"...after travel expences and the like...
> >> >>>Richard Brekne..
> >> >
> >> >Considering there are approximately 260 business days in a year, 
> not
> >> >counting holidays or vacation, 400 tunings equates to about 1 & 
> 1/4
> tuning
> >> >each of those business days.
> >> >
> >> >I could go for that   :-)
> >> >
> >> >Keith McGavern
> >> >Registered Piano Technician
> >> >Oklahoma Chapter 731
> >> >Piano Technicians Guild
> >> >USA
> >> >
> >> >
> >
> >--
> >Richard Brekne
> >Associate PTG, N.P.T.F.
> >Bergen, Norway
> >
> >
>