In a message dated 11/23/98 5:38:34 PM Central Standard Time, cedel@redrose.net writes: << Barrie Heaton wrote: > If you double your prices and lose half of your clients, you will have > half the work load for the same income. Unfortunately, you will only > lose a third. You mean just like that? All at one time? Sounds very drastic. Have you or anyone else on the list tried this? Results? Clyde Hollinger >> I believe your instincts are right, Clyde and that is why I suggested 25%. Even 15 or 20% can make a real difference to you and can eliminate a few customers for whom a low price is the most important thing. Sometimes you have to take some of these off the cuff remarks such as, "double your rates" with a deep discount of your own. They mean well, I'm sure but any time a price doubles, particularly in times of low inflation, it shocks people. However, if there really is a customer and/or piano you feel you can do without, go for it! Just ask yourself if, at double the fee, it would now be worth your while. If the answer is, "Yes", and the customer accepts the drastic increase, you will indeed be a successful capitalist on top of being a successful piano technician. When that call comes from the client whose piano you dread, just say, "I'm glad you called and I'd be happy to tune your piano. I do have to tell you though that due to steady increases in my operating costs, I've had to raise my rates quite a bit." (Never tell them that you have *doubled* them!) If the customer deduces that you have doubled them, then a polite apology that gently insists that those are your terms will end the conversation with you being the benefactor either way. I hope you make a killing. Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC