referall fees

[Clyde Hollinger]

Jim,

I think honesty should always prevail, although not everything has to be spoken.
I do not know what mark-up margin the local grocery store has on its merchandise,
and I don't need to.  The same applies to us when we sub-contract work to someone
else.

Buying rebuilding services wholesale, so to speak, and selling them to the client
at a markup doesn't bother me.  BUT.....  Was that primary tech unethical with
you?  You say "possibly, not really," but I would say, "Absolutely yes!"
Assuming I am not misunderstanding something here, he lied to you outright if he
told you the quote was $8,400, and I'm with you -- I wouldn't work with that tech
again, either, unless something is rectified.

Regards,
Clyde

JIMRPT@AOL.COM wrote:

>  Our own experience does indeed color our opinions and attitudes for
> example...........severrrrral years ago I undertook the rewhatever of an S&S
> with the *stated* price of *8,400* with 20% going to the primary tech. After
> the job was done, and several months later, the customer called me to tune
> the piano since the primary tech was out of town. While I was there she
> mentioned how pleased she was with her piano and that she thought the price
> of *14,200* was really well spent. The customer did not know that I had done
> the work. I asked her who had done the work and she told me....yada
> so&so..........................and pulled her copy of the contract out of the
> bench along with her other records of the piano. The price quoted was indeed
> 14,200, it was 'my' quote printed on the other techs letterhead.
> Unethical?...... Between the customer and primary tech? No absolutely
> not....Unethical between the primary tech and myself?...........'possibly'
> not really...... except that I had been told the quote was for 8,400 and I
> agreed to work with those figures. Will I 'ever' work with that tech again?
> Absolutely not. Did the primary tech do anything wrong? Not really, but they
> can now do that "nothing wrong" with someone else.
>
>  The question of "ethics" never entered my mind but the question of 'trust'
> certainly did. Subcontracting and/or cross referrral is a great thing for
> everyone involved. As long as the playing field is honest, open and
> trustworthy......... This includes the 'add-on' contracts you describe.
>
>  So we really agree Tom..huh?
> Jim Bryant (FL)
>
>