Learning regulation (renamed)

[DGPEAKE@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 2/17/99 2:16:21 PM Pacific Standard Time, drose@dlcwest.com
writes:

<<  I have not
 >been able to sell any of them. It seems that in this neck of the woods,
 >people only want to spend around $500 to buy a piano.
 >
 >I am frequently phoned for advice on pianos that people wish to purchase. No
 >one wants me to come and assess the piano which they want to purchase. In
 >the past I have been advising them of possible problems with these old
 >pianos. In some cases, the caller becomes irate when I suggest that there
 >could be anything wrong at all.
 Regards,
 Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T. >>


Selling pianos for what you think it is worth can be somewhat demanding. I
have 2 pianos in my shop that I advertised in a local shopper during the
Christmas rush.  Thinking that I had an advantage because I put more into both
pianos than most dealers would. I could sell for less than a dealer because I
do not have as much overhead.  Right?  Wrong!  Most people in this shopper are
looking for deals, less than what I advertised for. The only call I received
was because my business name was in the ad. My wife picked up the phone and
they asked my tuning rates.  "Expensive, but do you have holiday rates?"

Like most technicians, this is my busiest tuning time of the year.  Do I need
to lower my rates to get more work?

Food for thought,

Dave Peake, RPT
Oregon City, OR
Portland Chapter