Valuing ourselves

[Dean May]

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of John Formsma
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 10:00 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: Valuing ourselves

 

>>I wish I was, and I'm moving up steadily.  As of right now, my fee is $85
and $40 for a pitch correction.   And, most of the guys in our chapter
(Memphis) are around that figure.  I have been raising my rates steadily.
But keep in mind that cost of living is much lower than in Cali.  

 

 

You might bump your price to $89. It is an easy hike to make and the little
extra really does make a difference. Then go to a two tier price- $95 for
out of county. The out of county people really do understand about paying
more. I've never had any out of county complain about paying a higher price
and I've been doing it for years. And that little extra really will make a
difference. 

 

You should also consider bumping your pitch raise price. People who haven't
had their piano tuned for years are expecting a big bill. I do a sliding
scale- $1 extra for every cent above 10 that they are out- up to a maximum.
For you I'd recommend a maximum of $175. So if someone asks how much you
charge, give them your standard rates, then say, "unless they are really
bad. If it has been several years since being done it might be up to $175."
Communicate that if they are outside a certain range in "in tuneness" that
the fee will be somewhere in there depending on how bad it is. 

 

You need to consider more than just time spent in doing a pitch raise. They
can be very draining and it is a lot more wear on your ears, especially
those boogers that are 100+ cents out. 

 

>>The numbers don't lie.   But I seriously doubt I would get enough work at
that price.  It's a balancing act, and I'm never quite sure what my market
will bear.  I admit very readily that while I love what I do, but I'm the
world's worst businessman.

 

Are you maintaining your customers in some sort of computer database? Can
you do a direct mail piece to them using mail merge? Can you get a monthly
report of who is due to be tuned? Getting a new customer can be expensive.
Once you get them you must maintain contact with them.

 

>>I do charge $60/hour if I'm doing non-tuning stuff.  I'm choosing not to
work full time, though.  

 

If you do quality work you should bump that to $100/hour. You should make at
least as much as you make tuning. You are taking away time that you could be
spending tuning someone else's piano. 

 

>>I'm widowed, and have two boys (6 and 41/2.) it takes a ton out of me to
do piano service and then come home to do my "other job" as a father and
housekeeper.  It is rewarding, but I don't make any $$ doing it yet.  <g>
But ... since I will be totally debt free in a few months, I'm slowing down
this year to home-school my boys while I work more selectively (hopefully).
We're starting this in March, so right now it's all on paper and not in
practice.  

 

Nah. You started when they were born. They speak English? How did they
learn? It's because you home schooled them and didn't even know that is what
you were doing. If you maintain that perspective when you start schooling
them "for real" you'll be successful. It ain't about forcing them through
some curriculum and completing workbooks. It's about maintaining a loving
relationship with your boys, having them hang out with you as you go through
life, and capitalizing on the natural curiosity God gave them to explore
their world. 

 

You're doing some good stuff there, John. God bless.

 

 

 

Dean

Father of 11 of the brightest home schooled you ever saw- and fun to hang to
hang out with too!

 

Dean May             cell 812.239.3359 

PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 

Terre Haute IN  47802

 

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