Parts Markup, was: $450.00 Bass strings

[Erwinpiano]

Terry
  Excellent response I'll intersperse my 2 cents worth below

----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2001 7:30 PM
Subject: Re: Parts Markup, was: $450.00 Bass strings

      I asked this question ealier when speaking with my Friend Tom Cole as
an aside about the bass string thing.



> "....why do we need to mark up parts at all...."

       And Terry wrote
>
> 1.  Expertise in selecting proper part. The client is relying on you to
not
> order a Young Chang hammer for the Steinway. Or if the owner really want
the
> bass to be smooth and free of any goofy sounds - you won't order copies
from
> Schaff, you will go to  GC or Sanderson.

   And that expertise for me seems to come at an enormous expenditure of
time and energy from dealing with defective parts or incorrect geometry of
parts.  Also learning whose parts really work in a given case.


> 2.  If the part is not the perfect one, we need to return it, or sand it,
or
> polish it, or bend it, or beef it up, or whatever. That takes time and our
> expertise - and it wasn't in the budget otherwise.
>
> 3.  Some parts we keep in stock. I cost money to stock parts, so we charge
> money for that service.

    This a big one for our shop. Because of the volumne of projects it is
essential to stock a large vareity and quantity of parts. For example I may
have 10 sets of tuning pins on hand all the time just to meet a vareity of
stringing scenarios. Its a huge waste of time to have to shut down on a job
to wait for another set of pins to show up.
   Or sound board panels at $400.00  a PoP ka ching ka ching.  It takes many
weeks to order them so you must stock up.  All those parts have a holding
cost. Its money thats spent its not invested in the stock market or a spec.
piano.  The time spent ordering parts is also quite significant..

    I'm sure you're gettin the idea.
    How much to mark up is an individual decision and I'm to tired to go on.

   Good night Terry
   Dale Ewrin

> Maybe others will add more reasons. I'm too tired. Good night
>
> Terry Farrell
> Piano Tuning & Service
> Tampa, Florida
> mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Yardarm103669107@AOL.COM>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 05, 2001 8:45 PM
> Subject: Re: Parts Markup, was: $450.00 Bass strings
>
>
> > Terry:
> > Here's a thought for you and any others who want chime in. I believe
that
> we
> > have lost the art of valuing ourselves and translating that value into
the
> > costs we transfer to others for the services we perform for them. If we
> > really think hard about what we are worth as a function of what we need
to
> > live happily in the world, then why do we need to mark up parts at all,
> other
> > than carrying costs?
> > Paul R-J
> >
>