$120 seems over priced. Are you going to price your self out of a job? Too much price fluctuation confuses clients. James James Grebe Since 1962 Piano Tuning & Repair Creator of Handsome Hardwood Products( 314) 608-4137 1526 Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010 Researcher of St. Louis Theatre History BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE! www.grebepiano.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Magness" <IFixPianos at yahoo.com> To: <pianotech at ptg.org> Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 6:44 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] slow paying customers revisited > On Thu, Mar 5, 2009 at 8:53 AM, Shawn Brock <shawnbrock at fuse.net> wrote: > >> Thanks to everyone who responded to my ramblings. I am combining your >> thoughts for my solution. I have decided that I will stop giving the >> multiple piano discount to each of these churches. I was charging $110 >> for >> the first tuning and $100 for each tuning after that. I know $10 don't >> seem >> like much of a discount, but sense they each have 5 pianos I was taking >> $40 >> off the bill and to me that's a decent discount... So that's the first >> thing I'm going to do. My next solution is to charge $120 per tuning if >> I'm >> not going to be paid on the date that services are rendered. I >> understand >> that some large churches do have to jump through hoops to get a check out >> to >> a contractor but these people are just taking advantage of me. In each >> of >> the 2 churches the music director makes the appointment and he also has >> the >> ability to sign a check. In addition to this fact keep in mind each time >> I >> have turned in my invoice to the music director. I always get the same >> words from each of these guys, "I'll have this in the mail to you in a >> day >> or two." The day or two always turns into more than thirty days. Some >> times it has been 2 months! To me that's just B-S and making more on the >> job or not performing the work is the only way it can be handled. >> >> Thanks again, >> Shawn Brock RPT >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> *From:* wimblees at aol.com >> *To:* pianotech at ptg.org >> *Sent:* Wednesday, March 04, 2009 1:09 PM >> *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] slow paying customers revisited >> >> Shawn. >> >> With a big church, it usually not just one or two people who are involved >> in getting bills paid. Bills have to be approved the appropriate person, >> (choir director), then sent to the finance committee, which meets once a >> month, then the accountant, who approves the disbursement, and then >> finally >> to the person who actually writes the check. Once the check has been >> printed, it needs to be signed by the accountant, or treasurer, and maybe >> even counter signed. All that takes time, and, as you indicated, if any >> one >> of those people are sick or out of town, it further delays the process. >> >> Two suggestions. One, talk to the choir director, or music chairman, tell >> him/her your concern, and ask for his/her recommendation on how to get >> paid >> faster. >> Two, Put on the bill that if it is paid within 14/30 day, they will get a >> 10% discount. Or the other way around, say that interest at 18% will be >> added to bill if it is paid after 30 days. If they don't pay the extra, >> add >> it to the next bill. You can either itemize the bill, and put on it, >> "balance carried forward", or if you give them a discount for multiple >> pianos, don't give them the discount the next time you tune for them. >> >> As far as last minute tunings, add 25% to the tuning bill for "emergency >> service." They will either remember to call you sooner, or you'll get >> paid >> extra for going out of your way. >> >> 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 >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Shawn Brock <shawnbrock at fuse.net> >> To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> >> Sent: Wed, 4 Mar 2009 4:28 am >> Subject: [pianotech] slow paying customers revisited >> >> List, >> >> I know we had a thread going not long ago on slow paying customers and >> last >> year I had complained a little about some of the churches I serve. I >> have >> some >> questions that I would like to gather some answers for and some >> statements >> that may or may not be out of line (you tell me.) First: how long do you >> give >> commercial/institutional/church customers to pay the balance for your >> services? For most of these types of account I have been giving 14 days >> from the >> date of service to the date of payment due. That seems more than >> reasonable to me, after all the phone company and other utilities don't >> give >> you that >> much time from when you receive the bill to the due date. Perhaps I'm >> being unreasonable though? I have 2 churches that are my slowest paying >> customers, >> and they are maybe the richest churches I work for. Each has 5 pianos >> that >> get regular service and both are slow paying. Its funny... It seems >> that >> the people with the least amount of money are the first to pay, I find >> that >> those folks are the ones who have a check waiting on the date of the >> appointment... >> So back to the topic at hand. I had cut the slow payers back to a 10 >> day >> due date or a "payment due on date of service" instead of the 14 days I >> had >> been giving them. That hasn't seemed >> to help! Each time I work for them it never fails that I have to make >> numerous phone calls to get my money. They both have a long list of >> excuses >> that >> they run through (the accountant is on vacation, the accountant is sick, >> we >> misplaced the invoice, we thought we had 30 days, a check should have >> been >> in the mail to you, I will have to check with someone and get back with >> you) and so on. I could have understood this once or even more, but this >> is >> every time I deal with these people and I'm sick of it! These 2 churches >> were served in a 2 day period and now they are both past due by more than >> a >> week. I wouldn't be as quick to complain but we are talking over $1000 >> that >> is due to me and I could use it. Last I checked I still have bills to >> pay. >> So what's the answer? Maybe I should charge more and give them a >> discount >> if they pay on time? Or is that to complicated? Maybe I should just >> stop >> working for them? Damn! I'm sorry but when it takes people more than 30 >> days to pay that seems a little excessive to me. Its not like these >> people >> even have to pay taxes... One thing that fuels my fire is these are the >> same people who will call you and want you to come out to tune for a >> concert >> the same day, or the next day. They new about the concert months ago but >> didn't have the foresight to schedule the tuning. And then... They show >> you gratitude by paying in a month and a half! "We need you now and we >> will >> pay you when ever we want." Well, that's how it seems any how. Come on >> people and share your wisdom with me. I could use it... After all we >> are >> not just talking about $1000 which is in my opinion still a substantial >> amount of money. We are talking about 2 days worth of work and we are >> also >> talking about principles. If they couldn't afford to pay it would be >> different but at a glance you know that you are just getting kicked >> around. >> All comments and ideas are appreciated. >> >> Regards, >> Shawn Brock, RPT >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> *A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy >> steps!<http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219957551x1201325337/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID%3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62> >> * >> > > > I solved this years ago, I thought by printing on my invoices that 1&1/2% > interest begins after 30 days and continues monthly until paid. > Last year I collected on a 3 tuning job along with a year's interest!! I > guess I didn't solve it after all. > Schools just ignore it entirely and pay when they get around to it. Most > others are reasonably timely and I've grown more patient over the years, > deciding to consider checks that finally arrive in my mailbox as "found" > money! (grin) > > 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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