What would YOU do?

[Ron Nossaman]

Hi Clyde, here's my two bits.

I have this creeping feeling that the reason the piano wasn't tuned for so
long might involve a sign on the front door of this guy's last residence
saying "Keep door closed. High risk of elopement." I believe I'd pass, in
fact I turned down a rebuild a couple of years ago when, as the negotiations
proceeded, it started looking more and more like I'd need an exorcist to
scrape the guy off afterward. Life is short, eat desert first.

Ron  


>Friends:
>
>Last Saturday a man called me.  He just moved into the area from a large
>city and is looking for an RPT to service his Kawai console, which was
>purchased new 10-15 years ago and hasn't seen a tuner or technician
>since.  He's going down the phonebook listings, I gather.  He sounds
>like a most exacting person.  From his descriptions I suggested the
>piano may need less than $200 of work, including pitchraise, tuning,
>thorough cleaning and a few minor things.
>
>I am used to the normal questions from first-time clients, but this
>gentleman suggested he may want to meet me first and perhaps come and
>see my shop (I don't have any; I work out of my car).  I could
>understand that if I were attempting to sell him a major rebuilding job
>for megabucks.  He already told me he won't call one other person back
>because the RPT made him feel uncomfortable.
>
>I expect him to call again.  Would you take this job?  Is this type of
>scrutiny common in some areas?  In my 18 years of business I never saw
>anything like it.  I have visions of him watching my every move and
>checking every cranny of the piano's interior with a white cloth to see
>if I was thorough enough.
>
>I will appreciate being enlightened.  I know not every place in the
>world is as trusting as Lancaster County, and I am careful never to
>betray that trust.  Thank you.
>
>Clyde Hollinger, RPT
>Lititz, PA, USA
>
>
 Ron