Christmas "overtime" premium?

[Richard Brekne]

Dave.. I wholeheartedly agree. Personally I get the feeling that most really
good tuners sell themselves way to short, we all want to be nice guys and gals,
and have pity on that unknowing public who hasnt the foggiest idea of what a
piano really is. In the process of this "nice guyishness" we do ourselves and
the industry a bears service. We just feed the ignorance, and continue to let
this same public walk all over us, take us for granted, and in general look a
bit sideways at us when they realize some of us do this for a living.

I take every opportunity to impress upon customers (my own and others) that I am
a proffessional, with proffessional skills, and if they want my services they
must respect that and pay appropriately for them. I am always very polite in
this effort. I also make the point (again at every opportunity) that if they
want an cheapo tuner who will always come within 5 minutes (becuase they have
all that time on their hands.. hmmmm), then those may also be had.

Actually I take things a step further. Unless I know the people arranging a
given concert, and I know they have a damned good reason for not calling me in a
reasonable amount of time. I simply say I dont have time and that they should
remember to take this side of things more seriously next time. We are four
tuners out of a group of 12 in our town now that run this policy. After a few
years I can guarantee you that things start changing.

If you want respect, you got to be worth respect, and you have to demand it as
well. This may sound cold and hard to some of you, but I got sick and tired of
the crap years ago. So I dont take it anymore.

My view, my words, my mind.  grin...

Richard Brekne
I.C.P.T.G.  N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway

DGPEAKE@AOL.COM wrote:

> In a message dated 12/7/99 9:22:29 PM Pacific Standard Time,
> studiorenaud@qc.aibn.com writes:
>
> << Lets say your booked up too capacity and then some till Christmas.
>  What is the consensus about charging a premium for short notice
>  "emergency" tunings.
>
>  For example:     Last week someone requests four
>  concert tunings on 24 hrs notice. There are two grands to
>  tune together twice for 4 hands concerts.  They are coming
>  into town after sitting in a cold truck for a few days.
>  They want them both done on the Friday and Saturday.
>  Yes, they waited till Thursday to book a technician.
>  I already have over 12hrs work both days, but it is possible
>  and 5 min. from home. The usual people I call for help are busy.
>  The client was insistent that they should get a discount for the
>  second piano as usual, but I was insistent that I
>  should not be doing it, but if they must have me I would charge
>  my regular rate for each, no discounts.
>  They reluctantly paid, but not without some tension.
>  Worked out OK. Pianos were very nice. Easy tunings.
>
>  So.
>  In general is it wrong to charge extra for emergency overtime?
>  Would most people walk away, avoiding creating ill will with an extra
>  charge?
>  How do you deal with promoters that order tunings like ordering pizza.
>  I've heard of a technician charging $250 to go out on New Years Eve on a
>  couple hours notice.
>
>                                  All opinions welcome
>                                  Cheers
>                                  Dave Renaud
>                                  RPT
>                                  Canada
>
>   >>
> Your time is valuable, and if you are working extra long hours to sqeeze the
> extra tunings in, then charge overtime as well.  When your customer works
> overtime is it any different?  My schedule is booked until 2 days before
> Christmas.  Overtime after that.
>
> Dave Peake, RPT
> Portland Chapter
> Oregon City, OR