What to tell clients

[PAULREVENKOJONES]

Shawn:

When I have to condemn a piano, I tell the customer about the lives of pianos, and how this piano has lived it's useful life, but has reached its end (barring sentimental restoration). I have found in 30+ years that I have never once charged a client for this information. I just can't do it. I know it's probably un-business-like, but I can't tell someone that their piano is dead in one breath and in the next ask for money, even though it's professional information. 

Paul

"If you want to know the truth, stop having opinions" (Chinese fortune cookie)


In a message dated 08/10/07 22:17:52 Central Daylight Time, shawn_brock at comcast.net writes:
Hmm,
never stated that I wanted to.  Don't know how you jumped to that conclusion.  Perhaps you might want to read the post again...  If you have never had to tell someone that they have a piano that's not tunable you should probably have never responded to this post.  Its good to know that you care how ever.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Matthew Todd 
To: Pianotech List 
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2007 5:53 PM
Subject: Re: What to tell clients


And why would we want to tune pianos that are not tunable?

Matthew

Shawn Brock <shawn_brock at comcast.net> wrote:
Chris: I get that question a lot. My standard answer is almost always the 
same. Well(insert 2 seconds of silence here) it did need a tuning. This 
lets me out of the question and is an honest answer with out getting into 
all the details. The worse thing ever is when you go to tune a piano that's 
no longer tunable. I wish I could find an answer for that problem that 
would not leave the customer unhappy. Luckily I have not found myself in 
that situation except for one time. After that one time I learned to ask 
all questions possible and some times listen to the piano over the phone. 
Man what a bad day that was! So if you come up with a statement that is 
good for untunable pianos please let me know!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris R." 
To: 
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 3:11 PM
Subject: What to tell clients


>
>
> Lately, after completing a tuning, clients are asking me "How bad 
> was it?" This seems like a simple question, but how do I tell them that 
> it sounded disgusting, without implying they had a bad instrument? And on 
> the other hand if it sounded fairly good, how do I tell them that I hardly 
> had to move it, without implying my tuning wasn't really needed. This is 
> what goes through my mind as I fumble to answer. What are your thoughts?
>
> Respectfully,
> Chris Rawson,CPT,RPT
> www.key-leveling.com
>
>
> 







MATTHEW TODD
Minister of Music and Worship
First Baptist Church
1935 25th Street
Florence, OR  97439
541-997-7660


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