Cost of Fear(was prices)

[Dale Probst]

Scott & List,

Okay, not trying to persecute you here but your argument seems to me to
a more powerful reason to charge a substantial fee. If we are only
called in emergencies (the proverbial sticking key) we should charge
accordingly. While we don't do it in our business, some do discount
their fee for regular customers. For very regular customers where we
have extra time because the tuning goes quickly, we include additional
services for the regular fee up to the point in time we booked for the
tuning/service call.

When someone calls us, they have been referred by another customer. We
tell them our basic fee for tuning is $XX for a piano that has been
maintained regularly, close to pitch (within 10 cents +/-)and not
needing cleaning, repair, regulation or voicing. Additional service
require additional fees as with any other profit based business.  In
other words, you get what you pay for. If you only call every ten years
or when a key sticks we are happy to oblige if we can schedule it but
never expect to pay the same price that our regular customers pay. It
would not be fair to our regular customers or to ourselves to do it any
differently. If the caller doesn't _need_ quality piano service we have
served him well by giving him the precise economic reason to decline our
offer of that service and saved ourselves the misery of working for
someone who really didn't want to hire us.

The signs of under pricing are the ones Ed Foote mentioned: few
complaints about your prices, more work than you can do working a
regular 40 hour week, always rushing to finish something quickly so you
can make a small profit instead of spending the time it takes to do the
best work you can at the fairest price you can obtain. I know this
because I have been in that position and stayed there for 10 years. I
was concerned about harming the relationships I had built with
customers. When I began on the long road to fair pricing (I don't
consider that I am there yet) I learned that the old truth, a workman is
worthy of his hire still applies today. 

Best,
Dale
Dale Probst, RPT
Ward & Probst, Inc.
email: wardprobst@cst.net
(940)691-3682 voice
(940) 691-6843 fax



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Scott Jackson
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2001 9:22 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Re: Cost of Fear(was prices)

Hi Ed,
	I recently had a window pane replaced. Cost of glass: about 20
Australian dollars. Labour: A$77 plus 10% tax. Again 
probably a 20 minute job, making the rate around A$150 per hour for what
i would think is a relatively low skill job.
	How much a workman can charge has more to do with how essential
the service is perceived by the customer. You 
NEED your refrigerator to work; I NEEDED a window (it is winter over
here!); People NEED plumbing to work. Most people see 
(hear) no NEED to have their piano tuned: it works OK....... 
	How many calls do you get because of a sticky key, or sqeaky
pedal, or maybe a rattle or funny noise! People call when 
they perceive something isn't working correctly. Most people have very
little perception of tuning problems. Only a very bad unison 
will get their attention. I often here people say a piano is "out of
tune" when really what's bothering them is voicing or weak tone. 
What we are up against is ignorance on the part of the piano owners.
	The interesting thing about our job is that it is easier for us
to work on a $25,000 grand than an old clapper. Therefore 
should it be worth more to us to work on the old clapper than the new
grand?

Just my thoughts....
SWJ

Scott Jackson
Jurjens Pianos
Wollongong Australia