Humorous dilemna ...

[Farrell]

I think a critical element here is whether you told him that the strings are not made at Steinway, but rather Steinway orders their strings from Mapes. If you did tell him that, then simply apply your normal markup to the Steinway price and give him the bill saying nothing but thank you. Next string you replace for him, advise him again. If you did not tell him that Steinway gets their strings from Mapes, then I would do the same, say nothing about it, but next time you replace a string for him, advise him that you have learned that Steinway gets their strings from Mapes.

Humorous indeed though.

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan R. Barnard" <mathstar@salemnet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2002 1:34 AM
Subject: Humorous dilemna ...


This is a real dilemma and kinda funny. What would you advise. Remember: The customer is always right ...

Customer has a 1910 Steinway "O" (very nice, he and the piano). He is conservatory trained and fussy so ... when I pointed out to him on my first visit that he was missing a bi-chord wound string and it was throwing off the hammer and damper, etc, so it needed to be replaced, he asked where I would get the string.

I told him that I order direct from Mapes, etc., etc. He said "No thank you, I really insist on a genuine Steinway string".

I said "okay," jumped through Steinway's hoops ("Just tell us what you want in an email and we'll invoice you.") and ordered a "genuine" Steinway string.

Of course it came from Mapes--shipped to me but invoiced to Steinway who had charged me about 3 times the direct Mapes price.

Dilemma: Do I share the joke with him and just charge him what Steinway charged me, plus the shipping, or do I keep my mouth shut, throw a markup on the string, and REALLY stick it to him for one pretty little copper-clad wire?

Alan Barnard
Missouri