What would you do? Ethical questions.

[Farrell]

I agree. If I miss an appointment - it does happen about once per year (I take notes in shop and don't get it onto the schedule on my computer) for me - or if I have to reschedule because of a conflict that develops, I bend over backwards to accommodate their schedule, rather than discount my services. It may mean a drive across town for one tuning, but I figure it was my fault.

And yes, it sounds like she did not get proper information regarding the tuning schedule for a new piano. I tell people with new pianos that most will need 2 to 4 tunings the first year - every piano is different - some may even need more. This also sounds like it could be a climate situation also - the owner needs to be educated on the effects on climate changes and remedies.

Terry Farrell
  ----- Original Message ----- 

      I'm a little confused.  You missed the first appointment, the one that was "on the house", right?   Now she wants another tuning 2 months later.  Why would she be upset about that?  That already happened, and it's in the past. The thing she's upset about is that it's out of tune so soon, and it's going to cost her more money now.  I'm guessing that she wasn't made aware from the beginning about the possibility of needing a follow-up tuning sometime in the next 6 months or so.  I'd just chalk it up as a learning experience.  I don't think you were wrong to quote your full price, assuming you did your best job the last time you tuned it.  If she had called a week later, I might have stopped by to see what was the matter.  I don't think you have to "eat" the cost of a tuning, or even offer to do it for less.  Sometimes doing that makes the customer even more disrespectful, because it indicates y! ou may have some regret about charging "full pop".  They may think you feel guilty about your prices.  Just let it go.
      JMHO.
      Paul McCloud
      San Diego


    ----- Original Message ----- 
    Yesterday I got a call from a lady whose piano I tuned 2 months ago.  That appointment was the store-paid-for tuning on a nice new small upright piano.  Prior to that appointment, I'd misplaced her on my schedule and was a no-show...embarassing, something I never do, and we all hate it when it happens to us.

    She said that the piano was already out of tune after two months--not surprising given the recent weather changes and the fact that it's a new piano that was 10c # at the first appointment.  We set up an appointment, then she asked if this was paid for by the dealer.  I said no, tunings are not a warranty problem, pianos go out of tune, yada, yada, yada.  She asked how much.  I quoted her my normal price.

    She didn't exactly blow, but she was not a happy camper.  I explained to her that I am an independent tech, and that I couldn't be responsible for factors beyond my control, such as the newness of the piano and the change of weather (from cold and wet to warm and dry).  In the end she said, "I'll find someone else!"  End of conversation.

    I thought about it, and tried to see it from her perspective.  I called her back and offered her a discounted rate--trying to placate her and smooth things over.  NO go.  She still intended to call someone else.  End of conversation.

    So I'm tuning along on the morning's piano when the fact that I'd missed our first appointment slapped me in the face.  While not responsible for the aforementioned factors, I WAS responsible for wasting a couple of hours of her day on a prior occasion.    I called back and left her a message to the effect that I would be happy to come and make up the time that I'd cost her that day.  

    I don't expect a call back from her--ever.  The bridge is burned, whatever trust there was is gone.  

    What would you have done when faced with a phone call like the first one?  Stuck to your guns for the full price, offered a discount, or come back for free?

    IN the end, I'm somewhere between feeling better because I did everything I could to remedy things, and feeling like I caved in a big way.


    Thanks in advance for any input

    Dave Stahl


    Dave Stahl Piano Service
    650-224-3560
    dstahlpiano at sbcglobal.net
    http://dstahlpiano.net/


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