[pianotech] Discounted rate for piano stores?

[Paul T Williams]

I did when I started in private business to do the tunings for whatever 
they were willing to pay me.  It built up some start up business. 
Referrals from them built up some more, but after a time, I slowly raised 
my store rates until I was probably more than they wanted to spend, so 
gave the new biz to the younger and hungrier tech trying to build 
his/hers.  After a while, I was only called to work on the best sales they 
made, like high end grands, etc.  I liked that a lot as I got lots of nice 
pianos to work on:>) Then onward, I only charged my normal fees to do 
warranty tunings, so they ended up stopping except for the very best 
stuff. Also a good plan if you want really nice pianos to service, and 
referrals who usually had nice pianos as well.  There's always a few 
junker pianos referred, but you service them once or twice, and if you can 
afford to let them go, then do. As we all know, some "rich" people have 
junker pianos.  One instance makes me think of a top of the hill Microsoft 
Exec. who had a vacation "home" on Whidbey Island. ...(a 7,500 square foot 
home with attached indoor olympic sized pool "for the kids").  In a corner 
of the house was a green painted spinet of no name which was a POS.  I 
smile, give them my usual bill, and move on.......never did hear from them 
again, as their home town tuner in Bellevue was a great tech from Seattle. 
 That piano has probably not been tuned since, I fear! :>) *

As far as home rate vs. shop rate, I charged the same (which was probably 
too low in the Seattle area), but it all seemed to average itself out.  I 
raised my hourly mostly to aim for an average.   The problem was with the 
home job, there's always that one "thing" one needs for only a shop thing 
"needs" to complete the job correctly, but I charged accordingly for the 
trip charge, or moving the action/piano to the shop.

I say, for bookkeeping, keep the hourly charge steady, but adjust for 
extra trips, cartage, etc.

Best of luck
Paul

*BTW; Do you think to yourself to charge these kinds of people up the Butt 
because they're so over the top wealthy?  I was always tempted, but never 
did.  Many of them would say, "Is this all you charge?"  I always hated 
hearing this!  Even when standard "wealthy" people said this, I, later, 
would analyze this and perhaps raise my rates a bit....careful not to 
screw out the bread and butter customers.







From:
"David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
To:
<pianotech at ptg.org>
Date:
06/29/2010 01:22 PM
Subject:
Re: [pianotech] Discounted rate for piano stores?



I extend a 10% industry discount to stores and other technicians.  That’s 
it.  I don’t do half-off tunings. 
 
David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
 
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On 
Behalf Of kurt baxter
Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 10:43 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: [pianotech] Discounted rate for piano stores?
 
Is it common practice to give a piano store a discount for tuning and 
repair work done on pianos on their showroom floor?
If so, why? 

What about when you go out and do one of the "free" tunings the customer 
gets after buying a piano? Do you work for less becuase of the value added 
by the possibility of getting a new client?

(No need to disclose dollar amounts, just a percentage of your normal 
rate.)



-kurt


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