New Year's rant; my 2 cents

[pianolover 88]

Here's a common scenario for me. Grand piano has not been cleaned in maybe 
20 years. Dust/debris rust, you name it. Action blanketed with dust. A good 
Hour or more to to a "proper" cleaning. Client agrees to "technical 
cleaning" fee and sees and appreciates the benifits. Afterwards, a string 
cover is recommended to keep it that way. A DC might also be suggested. This 
scenario is similar for the verticals as well, although, unless a spinet, 
the cleaning will usually not take as long. This is a business, and although 
I love what I do, time IS money, and I make no apologies for charging for my 
time. I am also a salesman, as ALL successful entrepreneurs are. I start 
selling my services from the first call from a potential client. I believe 
in my talents and abilities and that translates to the client who in turn 
hires me on the basis that I will deliver outstanding service for his/her 
money. Yes, if it's just a matter fixing a couple sticky keys or something 
that may only take 5 minutes,  I will NOT charge extra.
Terry Peterson



----Original Message Follows----
From: Susan Kline <skline@peak.org>
Reply-To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
Subject: RE: New Year's rant; my 2 cents
Date: Sun, 01 Jan 2006 22:01:30 -0800

At 09:39 PM 1/1/2006 -0800, you wrote:
>Semantics. "Offense"? Pleeeze. I respect your methods. If that works for 
>you, great! Charge or don't charge. Can't we all just "get along"...Island 
>Ice tea!
>
>Terry Peterson

Okay, Happy New Year. I do charge; I just organize my charges differently. I 
don't itemize. I define a "tuning" as including whatever I think is most 
urgent, so long as it fits into my basic time (and effort) slot, which is 
set generously enough that most common details (clean the keys, adjust the 
pedals, voice that stinking tenor note, get that knob back on, etc.) can be 
covered. If it's going to take more time and effort than the basic fee 
includes, we talk about how much to do, and when, and the cost effectiveness 
of doing or not doing this or that.

Just don't keep saying that I "work for free". I don't. It's also very 
insulting.

Susan

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