Hi All, I'm a newbie who took the Randy Potter course about a year ago (no, I haven't received feedback or a diploma, either). One of the early customers I gave a beginning tuning for commented that the last guy had only been there for about 45 minutes. I remember thinking to myself "gee, you're really gonna like me because I'll be at least 2 hours!". I'm pretty sure my tuning wasn't as good, but I fixed the damper pedal that didn't work and enjoyed visiting with them. They were satisfied and have referred others to me. I agree with Allen that meeting the customers and making the piano play and sound better is a wonderful part of the business. I include 10-15 minutes in my appointment just in case the customer is chatty. If there is no chatting, I use the time to make the piano a better instrument. Dave Davis Assoc. PTG Renton, WA --- tune4u@earthlink.net wrote: > Delivered a set of re-covered keys today after > they'd been "in the shop" for four days. > > Youngest child, age 5, sees me getting out of the > ol' Tunemobile, comes out into the yard and yells at > me. "It's about time you showed up! Why did you take > our piano keys?" > > Hmmm... > > Installed keys, handed the boy's mom the bill. She > says, "Is that all? They look so beautiful and you > did so much work on my piano ... etc. ... I'm going > to pay you thus and such ..." > > I've been given house tours, cookies, complete > meals, occasionally an extra $5 or $10 because they > feel guilty about living so far out, or something, > and was once offered a cat. But this was a pleasant > first: a $50 bonus, tip, whatever... > > Ain't life grand. > > I've been in PTG meetings where people, usually the > more introvert types, discuss "how to get the > customer to shut up and leave you alone so you can > tune." Well, sometimes you just have to ask. But I > think I build a lot of loyalty--and I know I get > referrals--because I do take time to listen to > lonely old people, or people with family stories to > tell, etc. > > For the first time I know of, I lost a client to > another tuner this week. I had only tuned for her > once and her comment to the new tuner was that I > took too long. Okay, misread that one. But showing > real interest in people and taking time to build > relationships with them is the only way I, for me, > (and I do stress "for me") to be in this business. > > You can keep the cat, but I do like cookies. > > Alan Barnard > Salem, MO __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
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