Ethical quandary

[Dave Sanderson]

On Sat, 15 Mar 1997 22:37:10 -0500 (EST) Jon Page <jpage@capecod.net>
writes:
> I could see $100-200
>for just giving out a name as a professional courtesy.

Well for some reason earning money this way never set well with me. I
never like being asked for the fee and I never want to be given a fee, so
at least I am consistent.  When I send a customer to a dealer to look for
a new piano, I call up the dealer and let them know I have referred them
this person.  The standing agreement is, don't try to steal this client
away from me (by badmouthing independent technicians) and let me do the
"free" tuning for you.  This keeps my relationship with the dealer in
high regard (some stories that  a dealer can tell you about referral fees
will really raise your ethical quandary) and if the customer does buy a
piano it enhances my relationship with the new owner as well.  All the
while I remain a piano technician doing my job, for both customer and
dealer, with a consistent focus of  working on pianos.
Perhaps the underlying assumptions about the taking of referral fees are
what get my goat. For what am I getting paid?  Do I think that my advice
is for sale?  If so then the wrong person is paying because I give my
advice to the buyer.  Or is it a service I am providing for the dealer
for which I am justified in charging?  These are some of the questions
with which I am unclear.

David Sanderson
Littleton, MA
Pianobiz@juno.com