15 seconds of Fame (flame?) Caution: blatant, self-serving post!

[Carol Beigel]

They say everybody is entitlted to 15 minutes of fame in their life, and I guess mine
came last week when a friend called and wanted to know if I was the Carol in Noah Adams
new book, Piano Lessons - Music, Love & True Adventures.  Of course, my enthusiastic
reply was, "Uhhhhh.....what did he say?"  The author is host of NPR's All Things
Considered, and wrote about his adventures about acquiring and learning to play the
piano at his age.  Between the lines, it is a book about how we spend our lives, and how
we make time to do the things that are really important to us.

I remember the day he writes about in this book, and to me, that is what makes it so
interesting.  We have two slightly different versions of the events he describes, but
that is attributed to point of view.  The entire book is his point of view; as a
customer purchasing a piano, as a new piano owner  responsible for the care of his
instrument, and as a frustrated student learning to play.  For any of us who ever
wondered what goes on in the minds of our clients, this is it - at least for this guy.
If I ever wondered how I looked to my clients, this was an eye-opener!  Not quite the
image I see in the mirror or in my mind!

I work for Jordan Kitts, the large Steinway dealer in the Washington, D.C. area, and
during the past 9 years I have been employed, I have had the privilege to meet many
interesting and sometimes famous and infamous people.  I never know who I am going to
meet, and often don't recognize where my clients fit into society until I read about
them in the Washington Post!  I suppose I could admit that one of the advantages of
working for a dealer is that of supervision - there is someone holding you accountable
for the way you appear to and treat your clients, as well as making sure your technical
skills are up to speed.  One of the big things my boss is always pushing is how
customers "perceive" you - how they hear what you say, and how they see what you do. It
doesn't matter that your words and deeds are technically correct if your customer thinks
you are a jerk!  At least, as far as Mr. Adams is concerned, I think I got the message
across to him about humidity control!