Two hats, only one head

[Wimblees@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 98-10-01 10:38:08 EDT, you write:

<< They don't pay me a lot for the print music gig, and I expect to get paid
better for working 
 on pianos on the floor, but I don't really know how that goes.  Should I try
to work it on a contract basis or 
 as an employee?  What is "normal" if anything, for floor tunings and service?
 
 All advice will be gratefully accepted. 
 
 Regards
 
 Tim Keenan >>


It sounds like you  might have an edge over the dealer on this one. He decided
to sell pianos now that he's got a tuner to take care of them. The question
is, how much is that worth to him? I would suggest you have a talk with him
before the pianos arrive, and work out the details. It is best to have
everything laid out ahead of time, before resentment, and disappointment sours
the relationship. 

 I own a store, and I have an employee who is my piano rebuilder, but also
goes out and tunes pianos for me. When he works in the store, he gets paid by
the hour, regardless of what he does, whether he tunes on the floor, rebuilds
in the shop, or takes out the trash. But when he goes out to do a tuning on
behalf of my business, he gets 60% of the money he brings in. (He is an RPT.
When he was still an Associate, he got 50%). This man also has his own tuning
business that he works on his own time. Once in a while, if the schedule
allows it, he will ask to change his hours so that he can do his own tuning. 

So what do you do? My suggestion is that if your dealer wants to keep you as
an employee to work his sheet music department, and also keep his pianos in
tune, that he pays you more than what you would be making as a sheet music
man, but perhaps a little less than if you were a piano technician. In other
words, when you are working for him in his store, you would work by the hour. 

However, there are four other aspect you need to discuss, and settle on.
First, will store pay you to go out and tune? I would suggest that when a
customer calls the store for a tuning, that you go out, representing the
store, with the customer making the check out to the store, but that you get a
percentage of the check. (He can see that he can make money from you, which is
always appreciated by a store owner). Second, ask that you get paid a set fee
for the first tuning. This first tuning should be very low, the same he pays
you if the customer had paid for the tuning. (does Yamaha still have that
program where they pay for the first couple of tunings?). But in exchange for
the low first tuning fee, that you get to keep the piano customers for your
own file. Third, ask if you can have flexibility with your hours, so that you
can work your own clients. 

And last ask him about the commisions. You might be the best source of
customers he has, and you should be rewarded for this. Since you will
undoubtedly bring in some clients, how much of a commission is he willing to
pay you?  I would suggest a percentage of the selling price. (2% - 5%  is
fair)  

Just my thoughts

Willem Blees
St. louis