referall fees; last gasp

[phil frankenberg]

What I think I hear some saying is that it's OK to be a "middleman" and make
an extra "profit" (over and above service call charge etc.) from your
customer. However, it's not OK to do the same thing to another tech. With
other tech, you've got to be honest and aboveboard.

Being a "middleman" is not unethical and certainly not illegal. The problem,
for me, arises when the customer doesn't know your 're a salesperson. He
thinks you are a skilled craftsman, charging a fair price for work done. If
he finds out you were wearing two hats, he feels betrayed. Wouldn't you?

I have been a piano tech for 28 years and in that time I've had many
rewarding contacts. To many of my customers, I am almost part of their
family. They trust me and even give me perhaps a bit of reverence because
for them I help in no small way to bring beauty and harmony into their home.
This  gives me a really good feeling and I would never want to betray that
trust.

The bottom line for me is : If I  have to keep it secret from my customers
exactly what they are being charged for and why, I won't do it. Hidden
charges, to me, are like lying.

Phil Frankenberg
Chico Ca.