[pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?

[Ken & Pat Gerler]

No, you don't do it "overnight".  Duaine, you have only been in the business 
a few years.  It takes time to get to where Jer and I and other techs that 
have all the business we want and need.  You can ask any tech that started 
out.  In the beginning years it was "slim pickings" unless they were working 
for another tech doing shop work because they had more work than they could 
do.  In St. Louis, you can ask how many techs got their start working with 
Julius Konopka in his shop.

The "sloppy" techs are the ones still advertising heavy for work as they 
don't get the referrals.  Competent and conscientious techs are the ones 
that have all the work they need!

Ken Gerler, RPT (since 1976)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Duaine Hechler" <dahechler at att.net>
To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 7:29 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?


> On 09/01/2011 05:53 PM, Gerald Groot wrote:
>>
>> That isn’t true at all Matthew. That, my friend, is a frame of mind – a 
>> mindset that you and many other tuners have made for yourself that sets 
>> your prices low and keeps them low. What you think, is not necessarily 
>> the actual way things work in business. In any business. Prices must be 
>> raised from time to time in order to keep up with the cost of living and 
>> in order to make a living. I’ve heard many tuners say that “my customer 
>> won’t pay that!” That’s wrong. I have a friend here who lives in Grand 
>> Rapids 12 minutes from where I live that says the same thing. Yet, I have 
>> the same exact customer types as he does. Mine pay it. His might not 
>> though but, that is only because of his negative attitude.
>>
>> Case in point. As an example only… My base fee for tuning here, is $150. 
>> That is JUST for tuning only! Major pitch raises are extra. Removing the 
>> action is extra. Repairs are extra. Sure, I toss little things in here 
>> and there, we all do that. But, that is besides the point. I average well 
>> above that price for most tunings. I tune at least 3 or 4 a day and am 
>> always booked ahead all year long. I used to tune 6-9 a day but at age 
>> 55, I’m intentionally slowing myself down, trying to go for 3 tunings a 
>> day but, I’m far too busy to do that so, I keep tuning more and more. 
>> JFor this next month, I will be tuning no less than 5 a day, 6 days a 
>> week. I am booked solid through September. I have most of October booked 
>> out. I have all of November booked out. I have all of December booked 
>> out. I have all of January booked out. I have all of March booked out. By 
>> booked out, I mean NO openings at all. I have 4 or 5 action jobs already 
>> scheduled for next summer. So, if what you said were true about raising 
>> prices, I would have gone out of business long ago.
>>
>> That did not come by me “naturally.” I worked my tail off for years to 
>> build up my business and my reputation so that I could be that busy. The 
>> fact is, our business is built up on our own reputations. On our honesty, 
>> our integrity, our quality of workmanship, on our dependability and much 
>> more not to mention how we treat our customers. It’s no wonder so many 
>> tuners are complaining about a lack of work with how they treat the RPT’s 
>> in here. If they treat their clients the same way, I would never call 
>> them and being an RPT that knows these people, I would NEVER recommend 
>> them nor would I sub contract anything to them. That becomes their loss. 
>> Attitude is everything.
>>
>> Jer
>>
> Jer,
>
> That's great if you can get 5 or 6 tunings a day - really it is.
>
> BUT - again, it called demographics - if the business ain't there - it 
> ain't there. You just can't go around drumming up business out of thin 
> air. If nobody has pianos anymore then where are you going to find them - 
> in hideouts, in speakeasy's - do you get my point ?
>
> And, No, I can't move where the pianos - a r e - because I have family 
> obligations here.
>
> So - now that you know and understand the facts - where do I get this 
> business to get 5 or 6 tunings a day ?
>
> I hope you are - not - going to tell me that obtaining RPT status is going 
> to drum up the pianos that ain't there ?
>
> Duaine
>
> -- 
> Duaine Hechler
> Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ
> Tuning, Servicing&  Rebuilding
> Reed Organ Society Member
> Florissant, MO 63034
> (314) 838-5587
> dahechler at att.net
> www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
> --
> Home&  Business user of Linux - 11 years
>