[CAUT] mileage fees.

[Willem Blees]

Quoting Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>:

> I would like some help with travel fees.  The entire southern side
> of
> Houston is virtually without tuners. I'm called somewhat regularly to
> go
> that direction.  I know some people charge mileage outside certain
> boundaries.   I'd like to know how folks have figured that and
> managed to
> make it work.
> Thanks
> les bartlett
> HYPERLINK www.bartlettpianoservice.com www.bartlettpianoservice.com
> 
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Leslie

If you're going to do more an more tunings in that area,, which also 
mean you're going to do less in "your" area, I would do as Andrew 
suggested, but instead of just those on the south side, increase your 
fee for all your tuning. That way, customers won't feel "punished" for 
living in an area where there are no tuner, while at the same time, 
you're making up for the driving to that area, even when you don't 
have to go there. This will also make it a lot easier to quote a 
tuning fee over the phone without first asking where they 
live. 

For customers who live outside both areas, I charge $1.50 per mile 
from my house to the customer, one way. In other words, if a customer 
lives 60 milea away, charge $90 plus the service call. Now, one way to 
have the customers save some money, and make more money for you, 
divide that fee between two or three customers, and if there are 4 or 
more, don't charge the mileage fee.

Willem Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
School of Music
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL USA