Thoughtful and well written! I think likewise. Thank you David. Diane >From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos@hotmail.com> >Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org >To: pianotech@ptg.org >Subject: Re: Brand New topic/Referral Fees >Date: Thu, 08 Feb 2001 05:03:14 -0000 > >There are several issues here. First, the agent. I'd tell him to go tune >it himself. > >Referral fees are a more complicated area. I commonly offer discounts to >the trade. If another technician approaches me to do a job such as an >action rebuild, or restringing, for a customer of theirs I will extend a >discount of 10-15% for the work being performed. Often the other >technician >will still have a hand in the job: they may deal directly with the >customer, pick up and deliver the action, do the final fitting or voicing, >the follow up tunings, etc.. I always approach these type of situations >with a great deal of respect for their relationship with their customer and >try to maintain a professional distance so that their relationship is not >compromised. Such a situation benefits both parties, I get more work, the >other technician gets a discount to accomodate their time and energy, and >the customer does not pay more than they would have had they come to me >directly (assuming a basic parity in prices). I do think it is important >that the customer does not pay a higher price because the job is being >subcontracted, otherwise the original technician may be put in a >potentially >compromising position. The other technicians I work with trust that I >won't >try and "steal" their customers and are more inclined to subcontract me for >work that they either can't handle or don't have time for. > >As far as straight referrals go, i.e. somebody calls me and I can't handle >the job for some reason, geographical, time, etc., and I refer them to >another technician, I don't ask for and don't expect a fee. I have >referred >calls I have gotten on many occasions to other techs for various reasons, >never once have I asked for a fee. I refer them to techs whose work and >professional ethics I trust and I figure what goes around comes around. I >have benefitted many times from these types of referrals and others have >benefitted from mine. I consider it part of a level of professional >courtesy that it behooves us all to extend and maintain. > >David Love > > >>From: Wimblees@AOL.COM >>Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org >>To: pianotech@ptg.org >>Subject: Re: Referral Fees >>Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 22:05:00 EST >> >>In a message dated 2/7/01 6:06:47 PM Central Standard Time, >>mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: >> >> >> > I would think a referral fee would entice those non-shop oriented techs >>into >> > pursuing these types of arrangements. Does anyone have any experience >>with >> > this type of thing. I just did a bridge repair for another tech and >>gave >>him >> > 10% of the job fee. Any thoughts? >> > >> > Terry Farrell >> > >> >>This is kind of interesting. We are willing to give another tech 10% of >>our >>bill for referring a customer to us, but we find giving 20% to an agent >>for >>referring work to us appalling. Now I would agree that 20% is high. But in >>either case, I would think both of these are considered "kick backs." >> >>If you do work for other techs, charge what you normally would. It is up >>to >>the other tech to charge the customer. If the other tech wants to charge >>the >>same as I am charging, that is his/her problem. If he/she wants to charge >>the >>customer more, that is his/her prerogative. If an another tech refers a >>customer to me, I don't feel obligated to give a "commission." Why should >>I? >>I do rebuilding work, the other tech doesn't. If the other tech wants to >>make >>more money, let him/her learn rebuilding. >> >>Willem >> >> > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC