Not what I signed up for

[Brad Smith, RPT]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Hi Dave, 
Were you called back because it was simply time to tune again, or were
they saying they weren't happy with your previous work?   
Was the Acrosonic compared to the Charles Walter in the process of their
reasoning? 

I hear two conversations.  
One is the Acrosonic, the other is machine use.  
How did you leave off the topic of the Acrosonic with client.  In
agreement/understanding, or did it dead end, somehow? 
We have to be sensitive to how they are processing what we say and do.
Be ready to inquire as to how they understand things, and prepare to
help them out of possibly misunderstanding things.  When he said that
"he understood that.... just wanted it to play at family gatherings..."

How would you translate what he was really saying?   Often, they use
this type of language to say in effect: "Yeah, I know...but I'm still
right!"
 
Help them clarify their own understanding.
Best thing to do is ask questions that help them clarify what they mean
and understand, making every possible effort to do it without adding
tension.  Endeavor to understand their understanding of things, and
you'll soon help them reveal their MIS-understanding of things to
themselves.
I heard somewhere..."Let a man who knows nothing keep talking long
enough, and soon he'll make a fool of himself". 
 
We have to be careful how we present the virtues of a machine to the
client.  
The idea must be 'positioned' so that you get them to understand the
machine's place in the world.   In this case, this CEO person must have
gotten the impression that he had a choice to make. The only time I
would allow someone to dictate my means of accomplishing something would
be on the PTG exam, or perhaps in some phases of rebuilding. ( Use of
certain parts, or some methods, etc.)  
 
You know more about a piano than any CEO.  
If you can get accustomed to being 'watched' as you tune, it can help
you build stronger relationships with clients. Often their expressions
and actions may seem confrontational or accusatory, when it's really
just curiosity. You must take more confidence in your own judgment and
experience.  Most 'in-home' customers are like children, and must be
loved and educated according to their ability to assimilate information.
Don't be distracted by their position in life. They are still babes in
the wood as far as pianos and music.  This is not to demean anyone, just
helps us understand them better.  
 
This topic has nothing to do with stretching octaves.   :-)   
It is a matter of listening to the client as much as listening to the
piano. 
I feel your pain, and none of us is immune to this type of situation. 
 
Best regards,
Brad Smith, RPT
 <http://www.smithpiano.com> www.smithpiano.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Piannaman@aol.com [mailto:Piannaman@aol.com] 
Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2005 3:53 AM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Not what I signed up for



Hi List,
 
Just a little vent...I got a call a few weeks back from a woman I'd
tuned an Acrosonic for about 5 months ago, saying the piano needed to be
retuned.  Okay, It was some 30 cents flat or so, o that makes sense.  
 
When I arrived on the scene, the bass sounded kind of crappy, and the
treble had gone fairly far flat.  And some of the aging rubber lifter
grommets were clicking in the forks.  NO big deal.  The lady of the
house who I had worked for before was not home.  Instead, a rather CEO
looking man came to the rather large door of the huge and well-appointed
house on the golf cours.  
 
We discussed the situation.  I explained that even with the best
possible tuning by the best tuner in the world, the Acro would never
sound as "in tune" as their son's Charles Walter studio that I also
tune.  He explained that he understood that, but that they just wanted
it to play at family gatherings.  Given their apparent financial
situation, I gently pointed out that they would get far more musical
satisfaction from a better quality instrument, and that they should
limit their expectations for this one.  Blah, blah, blah.  
 
Then he saw my pocket PC and asked about the Tunelab program.  I
explained a bit about it, at which point he told me that he wanted me to
tune to the computer.  I said okay, but as I tuned, it became apparent
to me that my ear did not agree with what I was seeing, especially in
the upper octaves.  This is precisely where he came in to watch me tune,
silent as a statue, for a good 30 minutes.  
 
What it boils down to is that I work for myself for many reasons, the
biggest one being that I don't have to be told what to do.  This
situation was aggravating.  It was evident that the man of the house was
used to telling people what to do and getting his way most of the time.
I'm used to using MY judgement, not that of a person without a musical
bone in his body.
 
The tuning was way too stretched in the treble, to the point of having
octaves that were strident, but I did it the way he had asked.   I hope
his wife is happy with it(and/or him...(-:).
 
Thanks for listening,
 
Dave Stahl


---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/b8/7f/c5/0f/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--