Hi Jim. You indicated that if the client is the dealer, the tech should report any troubles with the piano to the dealer and not to the piano owner. I agree. In the case where the customer is your client - you don't even know who the dealer is - and you find something that you feel would be a warranty issue (you are aware that the piano is only a couple years old). Would you first go to the dealer, or would you discuss the situation with the piano owner? I guess I should have mentioned my relationship with the client in my original post. I never really even think of dealer work, as I do none. I was called by the piano owner to tune his piano and I was not aware of who the dealer even was........that is until he told me that he bought it at a local university sale! Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- From: <JIMRPT@AOL.COM> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2001 11:11 PM Subject: Re: Killer Octave - Warranty Issue? > Good discussion here huh? > > Copula things we need to keep in mind when decicing to "tell the customer" or > not............. > First thing we have to do is determine who the customer is. Is it the dealer > or the consumer? > If 'your' customer is the dealer than any comments to the 'consumer' other > than what is needed, for you to do what you were hired to do, are probably > out of line. This does not mean that you ignore any possible "warranty > problems" what it does mean is that you make the 'dealer' aware of them in > full and as soon as practicable after their discovery by you. > To do otherwise puts you, the technician, in an untenable position both from > a practical economic standpoint and possibly from an ethical standpoint. This > point can be twisted and turned any way you want to with all the "coulda", > "shoulda", "woulda" and "poor customer" sentiments that anyone would care to > use.....but the fact will remain that it ain't your job 'yet'. > > I am not saying to ignore any real problems with any customers'/consumers' > instrument....... what I am saying is that you owe some loyalty to 'your' > customer and the way to show that loyalty in these cases is to report any and > all 'real' or 'potential' warranty issues 'fully' to the dealer first and > give them and opportunity to rectify the situation.......to do other wise is > unprofessional.....period. Warranty issues are between > consumer/dealer/manufacturer and while we as techs have a role to play, > telling the consumer what a lousy piano they have without first > discussing/urging the dealer about it is 'not' that role. > > There are two types of issues involved when your customer is the 'dealer'. > One is when the "problem/issue' is raised by the consumer...the other is when > you have discovered a potential warranty issue. > In the first case we should try to discern whether the consumer complaint is > valid and if so what the cause of it may be. If it is a problem that can't be > fixed by -on the spot- education of the consumer...such as "No Sir, no piano > has dampers past that point and there were none left out of your > piano"..........then you need to relay that information to the dealer and let > the consumer know that you are going to do so...............this puts the > ball in the dealers court, where it should be, as well as provides the dealer > with all the information you have...........this will allow the most amenable > conditions for resolution of any 'real' "warranty problems". > > If the consumer is your "customer".....the only thing that changes is that > your loyalty should rest there..............any possible "warranty" problems > is still between the consumer/dealer/manufacturer and the only role you play > is of consultant/representative of the consumer rather than the dealer. Under > no condition should you 'bad mouth' the dealer, the piano, the manufacturer > or the salesperson....I know, I know, there are times that such is deserved, > and possibly well earned :-), but doing so will decrease your value to your > customer. > > I suppose what I am saying is don't take a knife to a gun fight, don't take > a horse to a car race and don't run off at the mouth when you don't know > squat about any 'possible' agreements between consumer /dealer! > Be tactful, be professional and provide the best service/advice you can to > your real customers FIRST..be they dealer or consumer. > My view. > Jim Bryant (FL)
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC