[pianotech] crazy customer

[tnrwim at aol.com]

Paul

You did the right thing by walking away. As Paul said, some customers think they know it all.

You can charge whatever you want, but here is what I say to customers when they call for a tuning. 

The Piano Technicians Guild has a definition of tuning a piano. Piano tuning is the aligning of the musical pitch of the carious notes of the piano, by adjusting the tension of the piano’s strings, in order to achieve a desired musical effect. Preferences in desired music effects and methods is achieving those preferences will vary. Piano “tuning” does not involve the functioning of a pianos’ key mechanism. (The “tune up: of an automobile engine may involve keeping machinery running smoothly, but piano “tuning” by it’s self does not). 
Because piano tuning is defined as such, there are two different fees: A basic tuning fee of $90, and a full service tuning fee of $120. 
If the piano has been tuned on a regular, (at least once a year) basis, and all the components of the piano are working properly, then all is needed is a basic tuning. 
But if it's been more than a year, and/or there are some minor problems, like keys sticking or not playing right, or the piano is far below pitch, then the piano will need a full service tuning. However, if, in my opinion, there are problems that are more than what would be consider minor, you will be notified before proceeding. 

I don't even talk to them about a pitch raise, because the full service fee includes a pitch raise and tuning.  I just say the piano is badly out of tune, and it needs a full service fee tuning. When I make this statement, it's amazing how many people not only volunteer that the piano needs the full service, but it seems they are almost proud to say it needs more. Then when I tell them it does need more, they are happy to pay it. 

In your case, however, when the checks is already made out, and the customer is not willing to pay you extra, walking away is the best policy.

Wim 




 



-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Mulik <paulmulik at yahoo.com>
To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Wed, May 9, 2012 6:13 pm
Subject: [pianotech] crazy customer



I had an unusual experience yesterday.  A new customer I'll call Mrs. A called a few days ago to say she'd just bought a used piano, and we scheduled a tuning.  I told her, as I tell everyone, that my usual rate is $88, but if the piano is badly out of tune it will cost at least 50% more.  (That's not the unusual part - I'll get to that in a bit).


So I get to her residence, which turns out to be a motel room, but that's not so unusual here in Joplin (you'll remember we had a very bad tornado last year, and many thousands of people, including my family, lost their houses).  She introduced herself and her husband, and both seemed to be nice folks.  I sat down at the piano, a Hobart M. Cable console, and played a few arpeggios, and it was instantly obviously that the piano had not been tuned in decades.  Before I even opened the lid, I told them the cost would be double my usual rate, possibly even more.


Here's where it gets interesting.  Mr. A says, "No, I already wrote out the check for $88. I'm not paying any more than that."  I tried to explain that the piano hadn't been tuned in a very long time, and that it would need at least two pitch raises before I could tune it.



Then he said, "You already tuned this piano this year."  I said no, I had never been to their home before, and I had never once tuned this piano at any time.  Then he said "We found your business card in the bench."  Sure enough, he produced one of my old business cards.  At this point I remembered that I had gone to look at this piano 3 or 4 years ago when it first came up for sale, but I did not tune it at that time, I just evaluated it for the seller (Mrs. B) and suggested a selling price. (Mrs. B insisted it was worth thousands more than the price I suggested -- but I digress.)  Apparently she finally lowered her asking price, and when the As bought it, Mrs. B lied to him and told him that I'd just tuned the piano. 



Then Mr. A said, "It can't be out of tune. We haven't even played it yet."  I tried to explain that playing is not what makes pianos go out of tune, and that a piano which never gets played will go out of tune, but I couldn't convince him. At this, he again said, "Your business card was in the bench the whole time," as if somehow that entitled him to free service or something.  I tried one last time to tell him what it would cost to have it tuned, then he said "But it's been sitting right there ever since we bought it."  This nonsense went on for another minute or two, and it was obvious he wasn't listening to a word I said, so I said goodbye and went on my way.  What a nut.



Paul Mulik
Joplin, MO


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