price raising

[Farrell]

> I also should mention that I had to travel 65 miles one way to the piano
job.  Do
> any of you charge extra for extreme mileage?

Yes. I divide my normal service area into 3 zones. The closest zone (within
about 10 miles) gets normal fee. Next zone (10 to about 20 miles) gets $5
added on. The far regular zone (within my county - about within 30 miles)
gets $10 added on. I'll tune a few far out ones. For whatever reason, these
have always been somehow related to one of my clients - her mother's piano,
her old church where she formely played the piano, something like that. I
tell them (after thinking what they might have to offer) that I normally
don't go that far, but if your mom will make a plate of the home-cooked
lasagna you told me about, I just might (it was worth the drive - had some
very wonderful conversation also) - or something of the sort. I have had
several very enjoyable outings as a result - one guy is going to take me out
fishing and teach me how to catch snook for tuning his brother's piano (of
course I charged the regular fee that I charged his brother/my client).

Be imaginative. There is always a deal to be worked out! :-) Otherwise I
would charge $50 for travel beyond my regular rate area - never have
though - but I would (if no lasagna or blueberry pie).

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brown, David" <dbrown@tri-city.org>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 9:27 AM
Subject: RE: price raising


> I'd like to throw in my two cents here.  I like the extra fee for old
> uprights.  I dread them every time I get involved in such projects.  I
spent
> 3 hours on Friday repairing hammers, reglueing damper felts, etc. and
tuning
> a piece of trash piano.  I charged $65 for the piano and $65 for the
> repairs.  I also should mention that I had to dig through 2 inches of crud
> and dust at the bottom of the piano to find all the missing parts.  I also
> should mention that I had to travel 65 miles one way to the piano job.  Do
> any of you charge extra for extreme mileage?
>
> Dave
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: J Patrick Draine [mailto:draine@mediaone.net]
> Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 7:54 AM
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: price raising
>
>
> Clyde replied:
>
> >Terry,
> >
> >I don't think you should give a discount for the worst ones, but charging
a
> >premium doesn't seem right to me, either.
>
> Keep in mind that Terry wrote
> >  > I charge $10 more
> >>  for old uprights because I figure I will spend at least 10 minutes
> gluing a
> >  few hammers back on or the like.
>
> And if you think about it, probably more than 10 minutes! Spacing
> hammers, adjusting capstans, etc. enough to get through a
> "minimalist" tuning!
>
> >  your ethics could be in question.
>
> Maybe we can all stand to rethink our definitions of "a service
> call", or how we'll reply to the phone call "How much does a piano
> tuning cost?", but Terry's ethics look pretty healthy to me, and I
> doubt his customers spend much time reviewing his activities in a
> negative light.
> In fact there's always a number of customers who are suprised that my
> "basic tuning fee" is the same for grands as for uprights. Of course,
> the true amount of work that a piano needs depends on more factors
> than the "basic" fee (which I keep high enough to do minor pitch
> adjustments or lost motion adjustments): whether the action needs
> regulation, a major pitch raise is indicated, etc.
>
> One of the many reasons we're all self employed, we're all free to
> set our own prices, and the customers can "call the experts" (who
> charge more), or search for the lowest bidder (and take their
> chances).
>
> Patrick
>