Tuning discounts

[David Love]

I don't have a policy.  I prefer not to "discount" as such.  Discounts have
a way of getting around as your normal fee and I don't like explaining to
someone that I discounted for someone else but will not for them.  Makes
them feel sort of unspecial.  For somebody who gives me a lot of referrals,
I might spend a bit more time voicing the piano within the normal service
call fee, or touching up the regulation.  I will be more generous about
stopping by for a quick 5 minute visit to fix a squeak in the pedal, but I
don't offer to tune the piano for a discounted fee and don't express my
generosity in terms of a discount.  How generous I am is related to how
many referrals I'm getting.  

I volunteer to tune the pianos for my kids' school for free (that's my
volunteer work).  I also donate a portion of my fee to the school when I
tune for families who attend the school (my fundraising work).  I donate my
services to the temple where we are members.  If I had any relatives living
close I would probably tune for free for them.  Very close friends I'll
barter with on something: take me to lunch or dinner.  I don't give senior
or student discounts.  I don't discount for regular concert services
(tunings may be more frequent, but demands are higher).  I don't have
co-workers, but if I did I wouldn't discount.  Nor would I discount for my
wife's co-workers.

I do offer a slight discount for multiple pianos in the same location tuned
at the same appointment.  Universities and colleges that you are under
contract with get a discount because they won't hire you if they don't get
one, because you are often doing multiple pianos on single visits, because
the pianos are often getting tuned 3-4 times per year, and some pianos
(practice rooms) can be tuned, well let's just say more quickly.

I think that about covers it.    

  

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Phil Ryan <pryan2@the-beach.net>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 5/10/2003 4:46:11 PM
> Subject: Tuning discounts
>
> I know that there are some techs that say, give no one a discount on
tuning
> fees, but this doesn't sit well with me.  Does anyone have a policy on
> giving tuning discounts to relatives, friends, associates etc? For
example,
> do you charge your mother or sister(brother) for tuning?  If so, how much
> (%)?  How about your lifelong best friend or co-worker(non-tuner)?  How
> about a customer or teacher who sends you oodles of referrals?  Sometimes
I
> wish my friends and family would not call me for tunings.  What do you do?
>
> How about pro-bono work- churches (your own), hospitals, old folks homes?
> Does anyone do this and/or have a policy for it?
>
> Phil Ryan
>
>
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