When people call inquiring about tuning, Jean (the operations manager) quotes $215 for a 2-hour service appointment. This is what we recommend for pianos that have not been regularly or well maintained. For pianos that don't require as much additional work we charge $165. I post my rates on my website: http://www.pianova.net/pages/maintainance.html <http://www.pianova.net/pages/maintainance.html>Carl Lieberman gave us the idea of quoting the higher price first as that creates the expectation. Then if I end up charging less, they client is happy and surprised! Years ago I used to roll my eyes when experienced techs would claim the piano technicians don't charge enough or value their services enough. Now, into my 19th year I have to agree. As one of my mentors used to say "IBe expensive and worth it!". Oops! Now I'm late to my next appointment! How unprofessional of me!!! Gotta run....! Ry On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 1:19 PM, Gerald Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net> wrote: > Hi Paul, > > > > I’m in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I have a large clientele base which also > includes a local college with about 110 pianos. > > > > The average price for an RPT member here is $115-$125. I charge a base fee > of $140 in town $160 out. Experience and 36 years full time tuning must > count for something. J That price does not include pitch raises or > repairs. I multiplied it by 5 calls as each call averaged $160 per tuning. > > > > > Now, ask Ryan what he charges!.... J J > > > > > > > > *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On > Behalf Of *Paul T Williams > *Sent:* Tuesday, November 30, 2010 4:11 PM > > *To:* pianotech at ptg.org > *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] PTG Phone > > > > So you're charging $200 a tuning??? $800 divided by 4=$200. Where are > you? NYC or LA? Wow! My phone would never ring with that price! Of course, > I'm in the midwest. I give an elevated price as well, since I'm full time > at UNL. I don't like to tune outside work except for music faculty and > friends, so I keep it down to a local level. Outside calls, however, get a > huge price estimate, just so I don't have to do it. But, if they agree, then > so be it. It's not anywhere near 2 bills, though. > > I have never had any problems with the PTG dues. I love the people, I love > the service from home office, and the magazine is: priceless! :>) > > Just curious. > > Paul > > > From: > > "Gerald Groot" <tunerboy3 at comcast.net> > > To: > > <pianotech at ptg.org> > > Date: > > 11/30/2010 02:59 PM > > Subject: > > Re: [pianotech] PTG Phone > > > ------------------------------ > > > > > In the last 2 months alone, I have received approximately 4 or 5 phone > calls from people that have looked up my name on the PTG website for one > reason or another. That equaled out to a minimum of $800 worth of work plus > an estimate. The fact that they were able to look up information about me > on the PTG website well, that to me, is in and of itself, invaluable. > > I have found that the cost of being a member of the PTG and the cost of > paying the dues are quite acceptable for me. Two tunings very easily more > than pays for both my PTG and my chapter dues. > > Jer > > *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org<pianotech-bounces at ptg.org>] > *On Behalf Of *Ryan Sowers* > Sent:* Tuesday, November 30, 2010 11:57 AM* > To:* pianotech at ptg.org* > Subject:* Re: [pianotech] PTG Phone > > Dean, > > I agree that having a toll-free number makes one's business seem a little > more serious. I think a website is essential these days - at least for those > growing a business. (I can understand if you've been in business for 25 > years or more and have more business than you need, and don't advertise - > why bother?) > > One thing I notice about your website: There's no information other than a > phone number. It doesn't tell me anything about who you are or about your > business. The picture on the front page looks cool, but only a piano > technician is going to recognize what it is. The good news is nobody else > in your service area has a website either! So you have a great opportunity > here! <g> > > Instead of worrying about the "down economy" worry about how to develop > your skills and knowlege on a continuing basis - the best (and most > economical) way to do this is through PTG. You live in a college town: Go > take a 5 credit course at Indiana State and see what it will cost you. I > just looked it up: $1360 for a 5 credit class and $1705 for a 5 credit > graduate class. But, as the old saying goes, "if you think education is > expensive, try ignorance!". > > Even in economically distressed areas there are doctors, lawyers, teachers, > CPAs, administrators, successful business owners, etc. These create the most > stable client base. You should be pricing your services not on what your (or > the media's) perception of the overall economy is. Technicians live in a > nano-economy! We raised our rates $20 in 2009, and $10 more in 2010. I don't > care what a pizza costs! I know what my gas and grocery bills are, and with > a family of 5 to feed and transport I don't see my bills doing anything but > going up! > > Dispite our cost of service being relatively high, we still get our share > of working class clients. For these clients, because they work hard for > their money, they want the best value for their buck - and we work hard to > give it to them. Just tuning the piano doesn't cut it. Making their piano > play and sound better will. So does keeping it clean! So does treating them > like a friend or family member. Give them honest accurate information, and a > variety of options. Don't be a pushy salesman. > > I credit most of what I have learned to my esteemed colleagues in PTG: > Through them, I have continued to learn more about what being a professional > is (and I still got a long way to go!). I continue to be amazed by the > talented and passionate people I have had the pleasure of knowing in this > organization. And I hope they continue to rub off on me! > > Ryan Sowers, RPT > Puget Sound Chapter > Olympia, WA* > *www.pianova.net > On Tue, Nov 30, 2010 at 6:19 AM, Dean May <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com> > wrote: > It's true that toll free numbers don't save like they used to. But > customers still appreciate it. And having the vanity number, 888-DEAN-MAY, > makes it easy for them to remember. It also gives more instant credibility, > along with a vanity web address: www.deanmay.com. > > I wasn't advocating the home office get a toll free number. But I do think > as cheap as they are that it is a good service to provide our customers. > > Living in a smaller metro market ma family has had to radically trim our > budget this year. I couldn't justify spending close to $300 this year. If > the PTG wants to attract more members, raising rates in a down economy is > not the way to do it. We are living in deflationary times. When was the last > time you saw pizza companies offering $10 large pizzas with everything on > them, even specialty pizzas? > > *Dean* > > Dean W May (812) 235-5272 > > PianoRebuilders.com (888) DEAN-MAY > > Terre Haute IN 47802 > > > > > ------------------------------ > > > *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On > Behalf Of *David Stocker* > Sent:* Tuesday, November 30, 2010 3:26 AM > * > To:* pianotech at ptg.org* > Subject:* Re: [pianotech] PTG Phone > > Long distance charges for phones are an anachronism, rendering an 800 > number worth less than it used to be. I’ve had an 800 number for more than > 25 years because I cover a large area. If I were starting over today, I’m > not sure it would be worth the bother. Nearly all cell phone plans include > domestic long distance. I switched one of my land lines to a Cable line, and > the long distance is also included. If you are living in a non-urban > cell-tower-less wasteland, you have my sympathy, but you are in a small > minority. > > I can understand questioning the amount of the annual dues (which amount I > think is reasonable) but if you can’t spend a buck to call the home office, > brother, you need to raise your rates. > > > David Stocker, RPT > Tumwater, WA > > > > > > -- > -- Ryan Sowers, RPT Puget Sound Chapter Olympia, WA www.pianova.net -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20101130/f3ffd62d/attachment-0001.htm>
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