Psychology

[Richard Brekne]

Grin... but Kristinn... this is the oldest trick in the book... I wouldnt
feel bad unless you begin to use such tricks to earn money you probably
shouldnt be earning, if you get my meaning. As long as you are giving the
customer their money's worth, plus a bit perhaps... then use whatever
tricks you know to help you along the way. Just stay honest and you will be
fine..

my take anyways..

Kristinn Leifsson wrote:
> 
> I don´t know whether I should tell you this...
> 
> ahem...
> 
> here goes...
> 
> I´m very aware that the customer needs to feel at ease and trust the tuner.
>  That´s why I´m always very polite in any way, (not like that stupid auto
> mechanic I saw this morning).  This includes having impeccable phone
> manners and using a well chosen section of my vocabulary and also
> remembering to ask; "Is it alright that I lay this here?", when holding a
> lid of some sorts.
> Well, I also feel that the customer needs to feel he´s paying for something.
> When I tune a piano that needs more than one tuning and I have to come back
> and finish the job, perhaps the day after, I sometimes leave the unisons in
> the middle with a little "whang, meow, or what you will" in them...
> DELIBERATELY...I´m so sorry.
> Please, I have no flame suit.
> 
> Sometimes the rough tunings can get pretty good and I just want to be sure
> that the possibly tone deaf customer definitely hears a difference between
> the fine and the rough tuning.
> 
> Am I evil? I don´t know!  Please help me.
> 
> Kristinn the Cruel,
> Conqueror of Reykjavík, Iceland
> 
> At 09:03 18.5.2000 -0400, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >> I think this is true, but if it is possible to do the same level of work in
> >> half the time, then that means mo money (and mo free time).  :-)
> >>
> >John, it is my suggestion to you that you be careful with this line of
> >thinking..it is my opinion that you do not want the customer to ever feel
> >short-changed in any way..even if it takes you 35 minutes to tune the piano,
> >spend some time with the regulation - clean the keys - touch-up a spot
> here and
> >there..NO, I am NOT advocating giving away the farm - I am offering
> suggestions
> >to help with the perception that it takes xx amount of time to
> 'tune'..those that
> >see you, as a technician, caring for their instrument more than they do(in
> many
> >cases) will be the first people who will call you back to service their
> piano or
> >will be the first to ok your suggestion to them that it is time to
> service their
> >piano again or will be the first people to refer your services to their
> friends.
> >
> >Many times I will spend 3-5 minutes playing on my work - I do this for 2
> reasons:
> >1) I still like to play! and 2) The customer likes to hear what it sounds
> like
> >after you're done..yes, it is part of my persona as a piano technician
> that I can
> >play what I work on..not very well!, but in most cases, better than the
> customer
> >can play - If I know the customer is a player, I offer the bench to them
> to 'test
> >drive' my work..again, part of my overall persona.
> >
> >This has been my experiences to date...yes - time is money - charge
> >accordingly..it has taken me a while to figure this out for myself.
> >
> >Rook
> >
> >
> >

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