How would you handle..

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Bondi" <tito@philbondi.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: August 02, 2002 6:35 AM
Subject: How would you handle..


> a recently widowed of almost 70 years of marriage gentleman, who admits
he's
> losing his hearing, and has now called me back for a 2nd return to
"""fix"""
> the top end of his 'ended it usefulness many years ago' Gulbransen Console
> Piano?
>
> I am a pretty tolerant person when it comes to showing sympathy in this
kind
> of situation..however, my patience is wearing thin, and my lips are about
to
> spew something that I might soon regret.

Simply spew it in a way you won't regret. Do it with kindness and with
compassion. Explain that there is nothing 'wrong' with his Gulbransen that a
new hearing aid won't fix. We humans often lose our hearing at the high
frequencies--I'll bet he had trouble hearing his wife during the past few
years also. You can't fix the problem with his hearing regardless of what
you do for his piano.

Suggest a visit to a local hearing specialist and explain that you will come
back after he has gotten used to his new hearing aids. If that solution is
not acceptable to him it is time to cut loose and go on to other customers.
>From experience I can tell you that there are going to be some who will not
accept the reality of their own hearing loss and will continue to blame you
for 'ruining their piano.' Not much you can do with those folks. Leave them
to others. Any others, that is, who will have them. Check around, your
gentleman may already have a reputation....

Del