President's Message

[David Ilvedson]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Mike, 
I rarely if ever do call backs.  When I'm at that piano during the serv=
ice call, I can assess what problems it has and explain what can be acc=
omplished in the particular service call. I don't need to come back to =
the piano to figure that out.  The $ per hour I'm charging drops consid=
erably if I drive back to the customer.  Are you going to tell me that =
most of the time in your callback experience the customer had a legitim=
ate complaint?  My policy is:  "I do the best I can in the given situat=
ion."  On occasion, a customer will call someone else.  So what?  I kno=
w I did the best I could and that's all they get.  How about that conce=
rt tuning you did last night and why should we have to tune it again fo=
r tonight's concert?  Isn't that a call back?   
I haven't read Kent's article but look forward to it if I ever get the =
Journal...;-[    

David I.


Original message
From: "Mike Kurta" 
To: Pianotech 
Received: 9/10/2005 8:13:26 AM
Subject: President's Message


    Dear Kent:
    In reference to your article in the latest PTG Journal, I have to t=
ake issue with your comments and please allow me to suggest a better sy=
stem.
    1.  When a customer complains, one should listen with a sympathetic=
 ear, not an  argumentative, defensive one.  A "dreaded callback" is in=
 reality  information that requires serious attention, not excuses or b=
laming.  Like doctors who listen to patients who know their own body, w=
e need to listen to customer's concerns about their piano.
    2.  The first step should be an immediate return to the job in ques=
tion.  A client expects the tuning to be right and has paid you for tha=
t expectation,  but how complaints are handled are the real mark of a p=
rofessional.  A suggestion of "guaranteed tuning" might be better repla=
ced by a desire to achieve customer satisfaction promptly.    
    3.  The desire that clients use  one technician for all their instr=
uments is a valid one but can only be achieved by techs performance and=
 trust earned, not automatically expected after the first meeting.   If=
 one expects to serve this client with "pianos all over the building," =
 it would make sense to try to please rather than pre-judge.  
 
    To assume the tuning was fine (which it probably was) and that the =
fault lies with the piano or  the person complaining, might be prematur=
e.   To devote the conversation to boasting about ones reputation and m=
ethods is a turnoff and counterproductive.  Allow the customer to find =
this out by your performance over time.  He/she perceives a problem and=
 our job is to respond in a kindly,helpful way putting other things asi=
de until it is resolved.  This would be my "better system."
    Mike Kurta       

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/26/f8/35/c7/attachment.htm

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