Humorous dilemna ...

[Kdivad@AOL.COM]

In a message dated Sun, 21 Jul 2002 12:34:28 AM Eastern Standard Time, mathstar@salemnet.com writes:

> 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

Alan, share the joke with him, I run across the same thing occasionally and find it humerous. I also don't want to perpetuate "Steinway myths" as he will undoubtedly relay the story that he demanded a "genuine Steinway" string to his cronies.

David Koelzer
Vintage Pianos
DFW