nickels and dimes do add up, but...

[Richard Strang]

A very large percentage of new customers do not call me because their piano
is out of tune, even though  tuning is what they say they want. They call
because something went wrong with the piano and what ever it is is driving
them crazy. That bobbly hammer, or the bass damper that fell off, letting
the string ring forever.
  I include some minor repairwork in the piano tune. How long does it take
to adjust a couple of back checks? While I'm tuning, I might find other
small things and I'll just fix and or adjust as I'm on my merry way tuning.
I always inform my customer about what I found and what I did to correct it,
and everyone so far has seemed happy with my work. I have never had anyone
complain about getting a little something for nothing, and I feel good about
doing it too.
   Anything over the simplest repairs is another matter. A bunch of
adjustments calls for a complete regulation. Where do I draw the line? It's
a fuzzy one, but there is one there, and I charge by the hour. I make a
quote, and it is usually accepted. After all, what ever is wrong with the
piano is driving the owner crazy right? They will pay to fix it, so charge
'em.

Richard

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On
Behalf Of Steve Borgstrom
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2003 1:34 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: nickels and dimes do add up, but...


The below business plan thought is a great idea and I have not the
foggiest notion of how to do it, how to word it, etc.

Would anyone be willing to share a copy of their business plan,
deleting or censoring somehow anything they wouldn't want to share or
that would be personal?

How about a price list? I sometimes have a hard time knowing how much
to charge, since I'm just starting up...

Please go easy on me if I'm asking for the moon and stars here, I'm
just learning! <grin>

Thanks!
Steve Borgstrom
Brooklyn Park, MN


On Thursday, May 8, 2003, at 05:58  PM, Owen J. Greyling RPT wrote:

> Tom,
> Simple..In a service business, someone ALWAYS pays. If you are working
> on an
> instrument that doesn't belong to you, someone else should be paying
> for
> that service...not you. If you are not compensated for your work, all
> of it,
> YOU are paying for the privilege of working on someone else's piano.
> Been there, done that!
> This problem is easily and permanently solved by sitting down and
> writing
> out a "Business Plan". You will not likely make a conscious decision
> to give
> away your earning potential, before you've earned it.when you are
> wearing
> your 'business hat". I'm not as harsh as I sound, honestly..but I work
> to
> hard to be poor. Bet you do to!
> Regards,
> Owen
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Tvak@aol.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 3:31 PM
> Subject: nickels and dimes do add up, but...
>>
>> I have been wondering how some of you handle the little incidental
>> things
>> that sometimes need to be done on a tuning call.  I find it difficult
>> to
>> charge someone for something that takes very little time, and I like
>> to do
>> something a little extra if I can.  I think it makes the customer
>> feel like
>> he is being taken care of and not being taken advantage of.  But
>> then, where
>> do you draw the line?
>>
>> One place that I've drawn the line, is if the customer asks me to fix
>> something that is bothering him.  I am more inclined to charge him to
>> correct
>> a problem he is aware of and wants remedied.  Even then, if it takes
>> less
>> than 5 minutes, I can't seem to put it on the bill.
>>
>> And what about things that perhaps only you have noticed?  Here are
>> some
>> things that one comes across pretty regularly.  Would  anyone care
>> tocomment
>> on their policy regarding the following: (on a vertical piano)
>>         Tighten a loose hammer butt flange to correct a floppy hammer?
>>         Tighten 3 loose hammer butt flanges?  Five?
>>         Adjust a leaking damper?  Three dampers?  Five?
>>         Adjust the lost motion from a damper pedal?
>>         Ease a key?  Three keys?
>>         Adjust a backcheck to stop a double-striking hammer?  Three?
>> Five?
>>         Align a hammer to strike all three strings?
>>         CLP a sluggish hammer butt?
>>
>> Would you:  A) charge him for it?
>>             B) just leave it like it is?
>>             C) not charge him, but  let him know you took care of the
>> problemfor him?
>>
>> Just curious how some of you might approach this.
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Tom Sivak

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