wear and tear on da nerves

[Sarah Fox]

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Hi David,

>Bad idea.  I would say that most of the time my tuning fee exceeds my =
hourly rate.  =20

Hmmmm...

Then you may be charging too much for your tunings or too little for =
your other work?

Or if you think your fees are about right, mix flat fees with hourly =
fees.  For instance, charge a flat rate to come to the house, plus an =
hourly fee on top of that.  If you feel the tuning work demands more =
money even so, charge a higher hourly rate for the tuning work, =
explaining to the customer that it's more intensive work, requires more =
expertise, or however you want to justify it.

Or perhaps have a flat rate  to come out, a flat base rate to start =
tuning, and your typical hourly rate on top of that.  Structure your =
flat rates and hourly rates so that you come out where you want to be, =
on average.  Justify the base rate however you wish.

Or perhaps charge your normal tuning fee as a flat rate, but allot a =
certain amount of time for the tuning and charge a steep (double) hourly =
rate for any time you have to go over.

However you do it, it's your option how you respond to the vacuum.  If =
you're running behind schedule and have several other clients waiting on =
you, you can just suffer through, without as good an outcome.  If you're =
ahead of schedule, take a paid break while you wait for the noise to =
subside.  Your choice.

Of if all that complicates life too much for you and/or your customers, =
and you would still rather charge a flat rate for tunings, don't =
complain when the job gets longer because of doodads atop the piano, =
vacuum cleaners, etc -- or difficult pianos, for that matter.  That's =
the cost of simplicity.  But guaranteed, if you charge by the hour, =
you'll either walk into houses with pianos stripped of doodads, or you =
won't mind spending the time ($$$) carefully moving them out of your =
way.  And the vacuum cleaner probably won't be fired up, but if it is, =
consider it a paid coffee break.

Anyway, it's all a tradeoff:  complexity of fee structure vs. =
aggrivation on the job.  ;-)

Peace,
Sarah

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