tech or dealer?

[Gregor _]

Rob, Carlos, thanx for the input. My starting position is not so bad. I am 
selfemployed for 15 years and I did my apprenticeship in a shop who sold all 
the great brands (Fazioli, Bechstein...) beside of used or rebuild 
instruments. I am selfemployed as tech in field service, but sold 2 to 4 
pianos each year out of my flat. So, a little bit experience in selling is 
given.

The claim is to be a one man company, selling used instruments and 1 or 2 
brands new. It will always be a small shop with reduced opening times and I 
don´t think that I will get rich with that. But it´s nice to be my own boss 
and the starting position is a good one. I have about 1000 customers in my 
database, 300 of them probably nominal members. Furthermore, I get 15 month 
subvention from the governmental employment agency. I am not shure if it 
will work fine, but there is not much to loose and I will have no great 
investments to do. Moreover it´s a question of alternatives. I am making my 
PhD in psychology and don´t see a perspective to work in that profession on 
the long run. I don´t want to run after temporary contracts every year 
without knowing what comes next. So I think I will feel good with a little 
shop and field service.

Gregor


>From: "Carlos Ralon" <ceralon at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
>To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>Subject: Re: tech or dealer?
>Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 22:07:28 -0500
>
>Rob Goodale knows from what he speaks.  I had 3 retail full line stores for 
>over 30 years, while also being an RPT. As a  PTG and MAMM member I 
>sometimes could develop an ethics question when I sold a piano that was 
>below standard.  But I did try hard to get the client to buy the best they 
>could afford.  Over the years we sold many brands including Yamaha, Sohmer, 
>Walter, and Kimball.  I think one thing a PTG technician who is a dealer 
>must do, that a big store may not be able to do. That is to prep every 
>piano sold the best it can be befor it leaves your store.  This goes for 
>the low end pianos as well.   For this very reason you may find that the 
>small RPT/retailer may be less profitable than the big guys.
>I am no longer a retailer but I now wake up each morning with no stress, 
>worrying about sales, employees, or retail store expense.  And I will 
>celebrate this year my 50th year as a guild RPT.   But, if sales floats 
>your boat, do go for it.  I've got my boat. It's a Liberty Ship.
>Carlos K. Ralon, RPT
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Goodale" <rrg at unlv.nevada.edu>
>To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 1:03 PM
>Subject: Re: tech or dealer?
>
>
>

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