[pianotech] Door open, but customer not home - what would you do?

[James Grebe]

On the other hand, you can never make up the money lost from a missed 
appointment.  If it is a nice day you can nap or go to a book store to read, 
or maybe do some bookwork that you carry with you.
James
James Grebe
Piano Tuner-Technician
Creator of Custom Caster Cups
www.grebepiano.com
1526 Raspberry Lane
Arnold, MO 63010
(314) 608-4137
Become what you believe
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jon Page" <jonpage at comcast.net>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 8:24 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Door open, but customer not home - what would you 
do?


>I drove 45 minutes to a tuning (1st tuning) and there was no answer
> at the door, locked. I didn't walk around the house to find an open door;
> the appointment had been made only a few days previous. Stayed 15
> minutes (my max), knocking on the door and then left.
>
> Needless to say. "I was pissed!"
>
> Less than a week later I received a call from a mutual friend that the 
> fellow
> had fallen in his kitchen due to a stroke and it wasn't until the 
> following day
> that someone checked in on him. Had I been there before, I would have
> pressed the situation in regards to entry knowing/fearing the 
> possibilities.
> (Cape Cod is big retirement community). Some people give me keys,
> others tell me where they're hidden.
>
> That rare time, you can be the rescue.
>
> On the barking dog... no way... walk away. Case in point:  "Door left 
> unlocked".
> Arrived, door locked, dog barking.  Walked away, called the customer later 
> and
> the 'kids locked the door' but I didn't know that the dog was confined in 
> a cage.
>
> Got coffee and a much needed piece of chocolate cake. Life is good.
>
> A missed appointment is not lost time, it is valuable free time to linger.
>
> -- 
>
> Regards,
>
> Jon Page