[pianotech] PR follow up

[James Grebe]

I certainly dis agree .  I have been scheduling 2 weeks return tunings on 
anything over 25c low for almost my entire career..  In almost all cases 
they really need it to get them solid.
James
James Grebe Est. 1962
Piano Tuner-Technician
Creator of Custom Caster Cups
Creator of fine Writing Instruments
www.grebepiano.com
1526 Raspberry Lane
Arnold, MO 63010
(314) 608-4137
Become what you believe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <wimblees at aol.com>
To: <Pianotech at PTG.org>
Sent: Friday, August 28, 2009 2:33 PM
Subject: [pianotech] PR follow up


>
> I just received a private post from a non-member who agrees with me that a 
> pitch raise and fine tuning can be done in one sitting, followed with a 
> return visit 6 months, or even a year later. He thinks that scheduling a 
> follow up visit 2 weeks later is not necessary, and borders on being 
> unethical. While I don't necessarily think it is unethical, I do agree 
> that there is no need to come back in 2 weeks, if the pr and fine tuning 
> were done right.?To be sure, if this piano is being used for a concert, 
> and it was indeed 10 or 15 cents low, then?the?return visit is necessary, 
> but only because a return visit for a concert is?SOP in?the first place. 
> But other than that, it is not necessary. ?And here's why.
>
>
>
> Pitch raise situations generally fall into two categories. One is where 
> the piano was bought by someone, and they want to get it tuned. In this 
> case, the previous owner had neglected the piano, and the new customer 
> wants to start fresh. Selling her/him a pitch?raise is easy, and the 
> customer will be very open to having the piano tuned again in 6 
> months.?The other situation is where the customer hasn't had the piano 
> tuned for 5 or 10 years,?and?was either told by someone the piano is badly 
> out of tune, or she/he has a party coming up, and wants the piano to sound 
> good.
>
>
>
> When I was still in St. Louis, I only sent out reminder cards which?asked 
> customers to call me to schedule an appointment.?I would say only about 
> 25% of the pitch raise?customers, including those who promised to call me 
> in 6 months,?did so. Some might call after a year. But a majority would 
> never call me, or maybe 4 or 5 years later.?For those who just bought the 
> piano, maybe they called someone else, or decided the piano was a bad 
> investment, and sold it again. But for those who had the piano tuned for 
> the party, will probably not have it done again until just before their 
> next party, 10 years later. They just don't hear it, and it's not 
> important to them to?have the piano tuned that often.
>
>
>
> Now that I pre-scheduled appointments, half of those?I pre-schedule 6 
> months later will call me to cancel the appointment.?The others will have 
> me come, but question whether or not it needs it.
>
>
> Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
> Piano Tuner/Technician
> Mililani, Oahu, HI
> 808-349-2943
> Author of:
> The Business of Piano Tuning
> available from Potter Press
> www.pianotuning.com
>