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(Had trouble with this message, if it posts more than once, just zap. =
Sorry)
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Had to happen sooner or later. Visit people who don't play much, tune
annual. He's nice. She was okay in past. She not home. Sit at piano. 20+
cents flat after period of high humidity around here. Tell him it needs
pitch correction. Work on piano for 2 1/2 hours. She's now home, comes =
in as
I'm trying to take a little Story & Clarke wine out of the unisons. =
Scowl.
"We have places to go today! How much longer is this going to take?" Oh,
says I, I'm just finishing up. "How much." Well it needed pitch =
correction,
you see, blah blah blah, so it's $140 today.=20
=20
[Insert sound of Banshee With Bellyache here]
=20
"Why, we haven't even moved that piano." (Me: chuff, hrgmff, choke ...)
=20
{Caution Serious Rant Zone Ahead}=20
=20
WHAT THE HELL IS IT WITH THIS 'MOVING THE PIANO CRAP'? EVERYONE KNOWS(!)
THATS WHAT MAKES PIANOS NEED TUNING (puff puff pant) DID THE GOVERNMENT =
USED
TO PRINT THAT FACTOID(???!!!) ON CEREAL BOXES OR WHAT? SEEMS MOST FOLKS
DON'T KNOW A $#*%&* THING ELSE ABOUT THEIR PIANO BUT IF YOU ROLL IT 3
INCHES, THAT'S WHEN YOU GOTTA CALL THE TUNER (OR IF A KEY IS =
'STICKING.')
OTHER THAN THAT, IT CAN EASILY GO ANOTHER 15 YEARS AND SOUNDS JUST =
BLOODY
GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
=20
"Last time you were here you only charged me $50." No, Ma'am. It was $65 =
a
couple of years ago. Now it's $80 plus you needed the pitch raise.=20
=20
Tried to explain. She wrote a check. I said, just pay me what you think =
it's
worth. She paid the full amount.
=20
She won't be using me next time. That's okay. She will undoubtedly tell
everyone in her church--and it's a small community here--and anyone else
who'll listen that I am a rotten crook and I charge $140 to tune a
piano--that hasn't even been moved! That's not okay. Damn.
=20
I never raised my voice.
=20
I've included the letter I've prepared to send her , below. Before I =
seal
it and send it, if any of you kind folks want to look it over and tell =
me
I'm right on, crazy, or both, I'd appreciate it. All comments welcome. =
Maybe
some ideas for people with similar customer relations disasters are =
here,
too ...
=20
Alan R. Barnard
Trying to Thicken My Skin Without Thickening My Skull in Salem, MO
(Man, that's just plain thick! Thorry.)
=20
Dear Friends:
=20
I am very upset about our discussion today. These are my thoughts and
feelings =85
=20
First and foremost: If I have offended you in any way, whatsoever, I do
truly apologize and ask your forgiveness. Friendship and integrity mean
everything in the world to me and business =85. is only business.
=20
Jeanne, you seemed upset with me from the moment I said hello and =
certainly
before the fee was discussed. I didn=92t understand that.
=20
I=92ve attached a copy of information about tuning, humidity, pitch =
raises,
etc., in the interest of understanding. Your piano was 21 percent flat
today, which I pointed out to Ron. He heard how much I was raising each
string just to get it near pitch. Anything more than about 6 or 7 =
percent
flat (or sharp, and less than 5 is better) is simply not tunable for =
good,
lasting results. If anything, with the high humidity of recent days, I
expected to find your piano a little sharp, or maybe a little flat (it =
has
been a whole year) but it was way off.
=20
Perhaps I should have clarified fees with Ron before starting, but you =
had
always handled our business in the past and you are the player. So I =
just
plunged in, doing what the piano needed.
=20
Most people tune every 6 months in our climate, but usually a year =
doesn=92t
throw a piano so much=97although it will not sound very good. But some =
pianos
are just more reactive to humidity swings than others. No one could have
done a straight tuning, today; the pitch correction was absolutely
essential. I wish you=92d been home when I arrived; maybe we=92d have =
saved some
grief.=20
=20
You were right in remembering that I charged less on previous occasions. =
My
records show $65 tuning payments on 9/11/02 and 4/27/04. Both were for
straight, near-pitch tunings, even though I had already raised my rates =
by
April of last year, I charged you the old amount=97don=92t remember why. =
My
standard tuning rate is now $80 but if gas prices remain so high, I will =
be
raising it a little or start charging for mileage and time on the road.
=20
That=92s the way Bottorf Appliance charges: $40 per hour (including =
driving
time to and from) and $100 a mile. I know because I routinely survey =
other
professional services to make sure that my fees are in line and fair. At
their rate, a visit equivalent to mine, today, would have run about the =
same
as what I charged. Equivalent time on auto repairs at Al West would have
cost nearly $200 just for the labor (and they won=92t come to your =
house).
=20
As I said, I=92m not the cheapest tuner in our area. In fact, if I =
heard that
another person was charging more than I, I would immediately raise my =
rates.
I am the only Guild technician between here, Springfield, Columbia,
Arkansas, and St. Louis. That alone doesn=92t guarantee you top-notch =
service,
but does demonstrate a person=92s desire to be professional, ethical, =
and to
provide excellent, knowledgeable service. Also it affords fantastic =
training
and mentoring opportunities which I take every advantage of.
=20
There are people out there who will take your money to fiddle with your
tuning pins. We call them =93tooners.=94 One such person, locally, uses =
a guitar
tuner and has no understanding, at all, about how pianos work or how to =
tune
them, doesn=92t understand tempered tuning, inharminicity, or what to do =
if a
key doesn=92t play right. When encountering pianos off-pitch like yours, =
this
person either tunes and tunes=97desperately trying to make it sound
right=97until they literally throw him out, or tells them their =
=93strings are
shot=94 and they need a new piano!
=20
There is a fellow from Marshfield who tunes locally and has a good
reputation. And there is one in Rolla whom I have never met, but have =
never
heard anything bad about. Second Street Music Academy in Dixon has a =
lady
who tunes, very well I=92m told. I=92m not sure she comes this far =
south,
though.
=20
On the other hand, I=92d like to remain friends and, just perhaps, your =
tuner,
too. I=92m trying to build a business, provide the best service I can, =
feed my
family, behave honorably, and make as many friends as I can. If I blew =
it,
somehow, I=92m sorry.
=20
Very truly yours,
--
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