Overcharge?

[Susan Kline]

Dear Dick,

I think you have to determine for yourself whether your fees are reasonable
or not, depending on your area, your cost of living, the average fees that
others are charging in your area, and how many "incidentals" you include.

I, personally, do not insist upon another tuning in a month, though I'm sure
opinion varies. I tell people that they should call me in six months, or
whenever the piano starts to bother them, whichever is sooner. It is up to
them whether they call me or not ... it's their money and their ears, after
all. I tell them how much tuning I think it'll take to get their piano
stable, and that tunings will probably hold somewhat better after that, and
last longer. Of course, our climate is very kind to tunings, and people can
often coast successfully (within their pitch tolerances) for several years. 

As for the irate husband, I would write a very non-irate letter, including a
photocopy of the invoice with his wife's signature. (By the way, I've never
asked for anyone's signature as a guarantee, and no one has refused to pay
because they didn't sign.) In the letter I would say I was sorry if my fee
was more than he was expecting, but that it was my normal charge, and the
amount agreed to before I came out. I might find some little extras that I
had included, to at least attempt to justify it. Sometimes such people will
do okay if just given a way to save a little face, and mentioning "extras"
might do this for him. I would _certainly_ say that he should use one of the
tuners he called up if he feels they would give him a better deal. This rids
you of him, and calls his bluff if he was making up the "competitive fees"
out of thin air.

Of course, part of the irate aspect may be because he feels you took
advantage of his "gullible" wife, and he is fulfilling his role as
protector. Not an easy situation. Be sure that nothing you do seems to load
blame on his wife for the problem. 

If you still don't get the $30.00, write it off as a learning experience.
Life's too short to worry about such stuff. Your peace of mind and your
reputation is worth more than the $30.00. Just don't contact them again
about it, and make no threats whatsoever.

If this is the first time your fees have been criticized, you've been very
lucky. 

I'm not sure if this is the "wisdom" of anything, but it's how I would
approach it. Of course, I may not be at all typical.

Regards,

Susan Kline

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>Recently I was called to service a piano which was 1/2 step or more flat.
>
>When the lady originally called me she asked me what the cost would be and she
>mentioned that the piano had not been tuned in some time.   I told her a
>standard tuning fee was $60.00 and if the pitch had to be raised there would
>be an additional fee of $40.00.
>
>When I got to her home, explained that her piano was indeed way flat, showed
>her the numbers on my trust SAT and explained that although I recommended it,
>it was not absolutely imperative to have the piano brought to pitch.  She said
>go ahead.
>
>When I finished she said her husband had only given her $70.00 because that's
>what she thought it would be.  I told her fine.  Just give me the $70.00 and
>mail the rest to me ASAP.  I also told her that she would need anothe tuning
>in about a month and that would cost $60.00.  But if she had her piano tuned
>at least once a year after that she should not have any more problems like the
>above.
>
>Today her husband called me very irate and told me he had explained the
>situation to several other piano tuners in the area and they said the maximum
>for any pitch raise/tuning call would be $65.00  And furthermore if they had
>to come back in a month that call would cost $30.00.
>
>I know for a fact that the closest tuner to this client other than me is 25-35
>miles away.
>
>I have already written this guy off as a client, because in over 12 years of
>this kind of work, this was the first time my fees have been criticized.  As a
>matter of fact he is refusing to pay the addtional $30.00 that is still owed.
>I have the wifes signature on the invoice showing what was due and what was
>paid.  But I hesitate to take $30.00 to small claims court.
>
>NOW THE QUESTION???  Do these fees seem out of line?
>
>$60.00 standard tuning
>$40.00 for pitch change (any amount at all over +/- 15c,regarless of the
>number of passes)
>And then another tuning in one month.
>
>Thanks for the wisdom of the list.
>
>Dick Day
>Marshall MI  
>
>