"Visiting" Tuners - cont'd

[Robert Moffatt]

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Bill,

For what it is worth, in my opinion, you're absolutely correct!!

Bob Moffatt MPT (Former RPT)
Calgary, Alberta=20
Canada





----- Original Message -----=20
From: <Billbrpt@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2000 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: "Visiting" Tuners - cont'd


> In a message dated 9/19/00 8:02:57 PM Central Daylight Time,=20
> ronli@newnorth.net (Ron Lindquist) writes:
>=20
> << Mr. Bremmer,  I am not threatened by  fair competition  Just people =
not
>  paying what is required by State law, or the old boy network where =
one is
>  not competing on work.
>  appreciate your  thoughts. >>
>=20
> Ron,
>=20
> You have to be realistic about this business as you would any other.  =
You=20
> couldn't make much money selling air conditioners in Fairbanks.  I =
realize=20
> that Northern Wisconsin is your home and you like it there but there =
just=20
> aren't that many pianos up there, at least within a small area.  There =
are=20
> lots if you consider the whole northern part of the state to be your=20
> territory.  I love Louisiana's Cajun Country, the Cajun French =
language, the=20
> food, the culture, the warm winters and most of all, the music, but I =
also=20
> know that pianos are few and far between there.
>=20
> I once considered relocating to Lafayette, LA, which is about the same =
size=20
> city as Madison, with a growing population and vibrant community but =
with=20
> relatively few pianos compared to Madison.  Here, there are 20 names =
in the=20
> phone book and down there, there are just a few.  Most of them live in =

> Lafayette and say that business is not too good.  So, I remain where I =
am=20
> because I like it here and there are lots of pianos to tune.
>=20
> I wrote and called the two leading piano techs in Lafayette and told =
them=20
> that I would be coming only on certain occasions and would seek =
business in=20
> far off, little towns rather than in Lafayette itself.  I have =
however,=20
> managed to get some clients in Lafayette just because they wanted some =

> alternative to what they were getting.  Once they have heard and =
played a=20
> piano that I serviced, they want to know when the next time I will be =
in town=20
> will be and they tell their friends.
>=20
> The point is, first of all, you must have a high quality service to =
offer if=20
> you want to compete.  Your pianos must sound and play better than you=20
> competition's, it's as simple as that.  You need to accomplish your =
service=20
> in a reasonable amount of time, not take hours on end.  Once you get =
to where=20
> you can handle most pianos in about an hour, and others that need to =
be=20
> cleaned out, action tightened and adjusted, etc., in about another =
hour, for=20
> which you get a much higher fee, customers will sense that you know =
what you=20
> are doing, are worth your price and they voluntarily tell other people =
about=20
> you.  This takes dedication, time and lots of practice and experience =
to=20
> accomplish.
>=20
> None of the many fine tuners in Madison want to go up where you are to =
tune a=20
> piano.  I gave you that one referral a while back and there is a lady =
in=20
> Minoqua who has a new Estonia grand.  I also gave her your name but I =
sensed=20
> that she was reluctant to call you, probably because she did not trust =
the=20
> skills of a small town tuner.  There is another customer near her who =
wants=20
> the piano tuned in 1/5 comma meantone and will wait until she can find =

> someone who will do it, even if it takes years, rather than have what =
is=20
> typically offered by anyone she can find up that way.
>=20
> Personal visits to schools and churches that you find in the many =
small towns=20
> up that way, where you introduce yourself, give your card and state =
your=20
> interest may help.  Don't be afraid to offer to do a free tuning, =
especially=20
> to a church or a school as a demonstration of your skills.  Make that =
one be=20
> better than any one that you might get paid for, like the guy who =
tuned for=20
> tomatoes.  They will probably pay you anyway.
>=20
> This business is like none other in how it is obtained.  Forget about =
ads, go=20
> in person.  Be well groomed, in a good mood and be sincere.  Look for =
ways to=20
> make the biggest improvements with the least amount of effort and the =
least=20
> time spent.  Forget about what all of the "I only do grands and =
anything but=20
> a Steinway is a PSO" types say.  There are hundreds upon hundreds of =
spinets,=20
> consoles, studio, uprights and even some grands up that way.  Most are =
very=20
> common instruments but are also badly in need of the most basic =
services. =20
> You can make a living doing that work if you can find the pianos get =
the=20
> people to hire you.  You can also make money in comissions by =
referring=20
> people to piano dealers either for new pianos or for rebuilding.
>=20
> Why don't you be the "visitor" to places where you know other tuners =
don't=20
> want to go?  During that very harsh, cold winter you have there, why =
not go=20
> someplace south for a while, do some of your own itinerant tuning?  =
You=20
> should be able to get at least $60.00 for a basic tuning and more for =
extra=20
> work.  Madison rates are higher than that but pale in comparison to =
what they=20
> get on the East and West coasts.  The $40.00 range that you speak of =
is in=20
> the wholesale rate range, what you would do for a dealer for example, =
doing=20
> multiple pianos.  I don't think it is very realistic to expect to have =
a=20
> business tuning pianos all at such low rates.
>=20
> Bill Bremmer RPT
> Madison, Wisconsin
>=20

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