Lousey customers, was Samick bolts.

[David Ilvedson]

Richard,

The previous technician was/is a colleque and a good technician.  Apparently, just after tuning he had some sticking dampers and (why, I don't know)slammed the front of the keyboard to fix the problem...he was probably in a hurry...he obviously didn't take the time to diagnose the problem, you would think that the sticking dampers must have been happening during the tuning and he would have investigated?  But maybe the problem just started at the end of the tuning? Anyway this was what the customer remembered when the dampers starting sticking again.  "He slammed the front of the keys and broke something."  I did call the previous tech and suggested he consider paying for at least some of the service call as he was certainly capable of fixing it if he had taken the time, which he agreed to do.  Now that I think about it maybe he couldn't figure out how to get into the piano either!  I always ask potential customers how long it has been since the last tuning and if it was a short period of time I ask who was their technician.  As you say, you can quickly find out if this will be a problem customer.  Referrals are usually asked who the previous tuner was and why they are calling me.  If the technician is reputable I let them know it.  It is nice to be busy enough to not need the work!!!

David I.


*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 2/26/01 at 9:21 AM Richard Brekne wrote:

>David Ilvedson wrote:
>
>>  She had been called into to fix some sticking dampers that the
>> tech before her had screwed up(according to the owner).  I went
>> to the grand piano, which had just been moved (big clue that
>> didn't register right away) and for the life of me also
>> couldn't figure out how to pull the action.
>
>Nice Story David. I gotta say I have gotten to the point that
>upon hearing that kind of opening line from a customer I get real
>skeptical. Now I straight out ask such folks how they know it was
>the previous tuner that screwed up the job and if I get the kind
>of answer that tells me...."uh oh...." I simply tell the caller I
>dont work for people who start blaming the "help" without knowing
>the truth of the matter.
>
>I actually had a call from a person not long ago who out and out
>wanted me to aggree with her that another tech in town was a
>piece of #¤#"# and worthless as a tech. This because he had told
>her in response to the inevitable question about the quality of
>her piano that "it was not a Steinway or a Bosendorfer, but it
>was an ok little home piano"
>
>I told her in no long speech that I was aquainted with this tech
>and he was a fine technician with high profesional standards and
>had a reputation around town for being very polite and clever (he
>does really good work) and that she probably misunderstood the
>situation. She tried to insist that he was just plain incompetant
>and I had to basically hang up.
>
>I have little patience any more for such behaviour from
>customers. Most of you know how I feel about the lack of required
>education for piano techs,  Well I feel also that if we are to
>require proffesionalism from ourselfs then we have a right to
>require, at least expect, a certain degree of seriousness from
>our customers.
>
>Now I had better shut up before I get into trouble again...
>grin..
>
>
>--
>Richard Brekne
>RPT, N.P.T.F.
>Bergen, Norway
>mailto:Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no