big city rates

[Bob Hull]

Exactly, Ed.  Our price cannot be raised at the house
with the benz in the drive and housekeepers scurrying
about.  However, when we want to give a discount to
someone in a difficult situation I think that is fine.

 I don't think Sid's goal is to be dishonest at all. 
Maybe some technicians don't have their prices worked
out on a firm enough schedule and are left to decide
what to charge as they face each job. That could
result in making less money than you should.  Each one
should decide if they are charging by an hourly rate
or a set rate per job type and be consistent.  Somehow
we need to be careful with discounting for that needy
customer in the event that the discounted rate becomes
known to someone else it doesn't sound like we were
just charging the thicker carpet people a higher rate.
 


--- Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> We have a local guy who says he charges according to
> the "thickness of the
> carpet"................    I sort of like to keep
> that in mind as I consider
> what I will charge, because usually I really cheat
> myself, especially if it
> is some little old lady on fixed income.   If the
> carpet is really thick,
> then I will actually charge for a 20-cent pitch
> raise, when I often don't,
> since I use an ETD and generally go through all
> pianos twice anyhow.  I was
> in a home this week where the lady teaches in a
> private school and doesn't
> make enough to get her learning disabled kid in, so
> I extra work for which I
> didn't charge. I don't up my fees in the wealthy
> homes, but I do give myself
> permission to charge extra for neglected pianos, and
> will charge for some
> repairs I would just sort of gloss over in homes
> where people are rather
> strapped.  The guy who charges by "thickness of
> carpet" is actually highly
> scrupulous and his business ethics actually are
> totally above reproach.  I
> just remind myself at times that I do deserve to
> earn a living wage, which I
> so often forget untill I have to pay a "living bill"
> for something like auto
> or aircondditioning............
> les bartlett
> www.bartlettpianoservice.com 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
> [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
> Of A440A at aol.com
> Sent: Monday, July 03, 2006 1:34 PM
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Subject: big city rates
> 
> Sid writes: 
> << > In my rural area, I am on the verge of charging
> these people with 
> 
> > their second homes and second
> 
> > decorator Steinways big city rates.  Likely triple
> my norm.
> 
> > >>
> 
> Greetings,
>   This appears to be a classic case of opportunism. 
> If "these people" come
> to find out that you are charging them more than
> your norm because they are
> wealthy, (and it will happen), you can kiss your
> reputation and future
> income from them good-bye.  Also, if you charge more
> because the customer is
> rich, you cannot say your price and your quality are
> linked.  There is
> nothing but trouble ahead for this business
> approach.  
>     Your integrity will be measured by how closely
> your word and your deed
> match one another.  Will you honestly tell customers
> that your price depends
> on how much money they have?  
> Regards,  
>  
> Ed Foote RPT
> http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
> www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
>  
> 
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