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

[Michael Magness]

On Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 7:27 AM, Leslie Bartlett
<l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

> Rural, where I grew up, no problem. Folks knew each other, never locked
> doors anyhow.  It's a sad different world now. Four burglaries to my house
> in 20 years - can't afford to move, seven Sheriff cars right in front of our
> house two days ago- no way I'd go into a house in Houston with no one home.
> Don't even like to be left alone while customer does some errands.
> But......... rural also has some disadvantages.......... Uh, I can't think
> of any, though.
> les b
>
>
> Tom Sivak wrote:
>
>   Gerald, where do you live?  Your attitude seems so out of place in an
> urban setting.  Are you out in the rural areas?
> I just read Les Bartlett's post and I thought, yeah, in Houston, you
> wouldn't go into someone's unlocked home in parts of Houston.  Same as
> Chicago.  Some areas, most areas, really, you wouldn't go into someone's
> home if the door was open.  And if you did, people generally would not be
> tickled pink about it.    Tom Sivak
> --- On *Thu, 7/16/09, Gerald Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net><tunerboy3 at comcast.net>
> * wrote:
>
>  *I walk into homes on a regular basis if nobody is home.  If it's open,
> I'll go in.  I always double check the magazines or something to make sure
> that I am at the right house before I begin tuning but, I have not as of
> yet, had anyone that was dissapointed or angry that I tuned the piano
> anyway.  Most often, they have either left the door open for me or they
> forgot I was coming but when they found me tuning, they were tickled pink
> that I let myself in.  I just tell them that I figured that's what happened
> and assumed they left the door open for me.  *
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> * *
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org<pianotech-bounces at ptg.org>]
> *On Behalf Of *Joseph Rosenberg
> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 15, 2009 12:27 PM
> *To:* pianotech at ptg.org
> *Subject:* [pianotech] Door open, but customer not home - what would you
> do?
>
>
>
> I made an appointment with a customer that was 90 miles / 2 hr. drive (one
> way) from me.
>
>
>
> I called before I left to confirm that someone would be there, and they
> said they would be there.
>
>
>
> When I got there, the gate opened up to let me in. There were two cars out
> front. The front door was open, the screen door was ajar, and there was a TV
> set on very loudly. A dog barked for a few minutes, and then was quiet.
>
>
>
> I rang the bell a number of times, knocked on the door, yelled inside,
> walked around the house to see if they were outside, called their phone but
> got a voice mail.
>
>
>
> After about 15 minutes, I walked around to a side door that was open. The
> piano was right there. I went in, kept yelling "Hello", and proceeded to
> tune the piano.
>
>
>
> As I was finishing the tuning, the customers came home. They didn't say
> anything about me being in the house alone, or who let me in.
>
>
>
> I'd like to know what other tuners would do in this situation.
>
>
>
> Thanks.
>
>
>
> Joe Rosenberg
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
Like Gerald I'm in the midwest, everyone is pretty laid back and easy going,
my largest town is LaCrosse, WI which is about 50,000, I'm in West Salem,
not quite 4000 so most people around here aren't afraid to leave their doors
unlocked. Our crime rate is fairly low.
I've been working in the area for 40 years and my reputation is known.
Dogs don't normally bother me, we raised show dogs when I was a kid and
always had a dozen or so around, went to dog shows and interacted with many
other dogs and breeds, so I have no fear of dogs. Having said that I also
can "read" a dog quite well and can tell when it's just barking versus going
into "attack" mode.
Mike

-- 
I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
Steven Wright


Michael Magness
Magness Piano Service
608-786-4404
www.IFixPianos.com
email mike at ifixpianos.com
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