business

[Kent Swafford]

Ralph M Martin wrote:

>I am hard-nosed about infrequent tunings. 

I too am hard-nosed about infrequent tunings, but in a rather different 
way.  All my customers are asked on the phone how long it has been since 
the last tuning, and told that the tuning fee will be adjusted in 
relation to the amount of work necessary and the time required to 
complete that work.  If a pitch correction is needed the piano gets it 
without further discussion and the fee is adjusted accordingly.  (I do 
pitch corrections with the aid of Reyburn CyberTuner and can keep the 
extra time required and, consequently, the fees for the pitch correction 
rather modest.)

No one seems to object to this practice, but if they did I would show 
them my written fee schedule which lists fees for the standard tuning, 
pitch corrections, broken strings, and "repairs necessary for the 
completion of the tuning."  The schedule stipulates all of these will be 
undertaken if necessary.  I also make it a practice to ask all customers 
to describe any problems with the piano before I begin, and if at all 
practical, I fix those problems and make appropriate adjustments to the 
bill without further discussion.  I see to it that my written schedule of 
fees is complete enough that the customer could theoretically figure the 
bill on his own from the schedule -- and I see to it that the fee I 
actually ask for is less than if the bill was strictly calculated from 
the schedule.

I avoid discussions of price when at all possible, because they 
invariably and needlessly trigger the customer's fears.

Kent Swafford