> Clyde Hollinger wrote: > > I am swamped with work. How does one go about reducing a > > workload? > >From David Renaud, RPT Ottawa-kingston chapter, CanadaI've found myself in the same position,I tried responding to excess work by not calling back clients and letting them call me, but found this made the problem worse, not better. I found myself more scattered, taking whatever comes on a first come first serve basis, and often working on "grandmas recently donated piano" that had not been serviced since the ice age , just after having discouraging a client with a Steinway who had called that morning by telling her I could be there in 8 weeks. So how was I to control not only the volume, but also quality??. I call the clients we want, tell them we are becoming booked up, and ask if they would like to reserve a spot before Christmas, Easter, whatever, or would they prefer to wait. Most clients I've had for years know I'm busy and appreciate knowing they are getting a priority call. I always try to book these proactive appointments about 6-8 weeks ahead, even if I could do it sooner. I find this improves my workload in the following ways. 1) Having booked one client in area " x " 8 weeks in advance the chances of finding other clients to call from area "x", or getting a call from a new client in the area some time in the next 8 weeks is very high. I can control my driving patterns far better, once one client is booked use the database, and be proactive about targeting that area. refuse to take new clients that day unless they are in the immediate area. Even if there is a spot or two left, I am booked, and not available that day for anything not in the target area. > 2) Less panic. If I don't call, eventually they call me because now they "need" a tuning , yesterday, 8 weeks is "unexceptable"I feel obliged to fit them in at 7 am, or sometime when I will be tired and rushed. After all, I've done them for ten years, and I want to try. I found not calling clients back created more scatter, & stress for me. 3) More money---- I can tune five pianos(If I have to) in a well planed day, with min. travel, and regular pianos at pitch, or close to pitch, with the same or less stress then four, or sometimes even three new clients with old, and/or flat pianos. 4) More respect---New clients don't know me, it is a harder sell if other work is required & takes time to explain. I'm a sucker for taking 30 min to walk a client through various regulation, voicing procedures, like to spend time educating clients. Old clients trust your recommendations with much greater ease. I would rather loose two new clients then loose an old one. > 5) I feel better about refering a new client then an old one. I find I am giving out more referrals then I use to, this is good for my relationship with other technicians. > After so many years of building, building, the buisness, it is hard to break the habit of taking everything that comes. One person can onlygrow so much. For me it became a choice of loosing old clients, or loosing new clients. Being a bit of a workaholic that wants to please all the clients that call me, it is hard to break the very habit that helped build my business so well in the first place. 'tis the season to target the work. Some technicians I respect have increased their travel'n fee, as a way to discourage distance tuning, and offer small discount to clients extremely close to home base. Any thoughts on that?? David Renaud RPT Studio Renaud
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