People -- Best Part of the Business

[Dave Davis]

Hi All,
I'm a newbie who took the Randy Potter course about a
year ago (no, I haven't received feedback or a
diploma, either).  

One of the early customers I gave a beginning tuning
for commented that the last guy had only been there
for about 45 minutes. I remember thinking to myself
"gee, you're really gonna like me because I'll be at
least 2 hours!". I'm pretty sure my tuning wasn't as
good, but I fixed the damper pedal that didn't work
and enjoyed visiting with them. They were satisfied
and have referred others to me.

I agree with Allen that meeting the customers and
making the piano play and sound better is a wonderful
part of the business.  I include 10-15 minutes in my
appointment just in case the customer is chatty.  If
there is no chatting, I use the time to make the piano
a better instrument.

Dave Davis
Assoc. PTG
Renton, WA

 
--- tune4u@earthlink.net wrote:
> Delivered a set of re-covered keys today after
> they'd been "in the shop" for four days.
> 
> Youngest child, age 5, sees me getting out of the
> ol' Tunemobile, comes out into the yard and yells at
> me. "It's about time you showed up! Why did you take
> our piano keys?"
> 
> Hmmm...
> 
> Installed keys, handed the boy's mom the bill. She
> says, "Is that all? They look so beautiful and you
> did so much work on my piano ... etc. ... I'm going
> to pay you thus and such ..."
> 
> I've been given house tours, cookies, complete
> meals, occasionally an extra $5 or $10 because they
> feel guilty about living so far out, or something,
> and was once offered a cat. But this was a pleasant
> first: a $50 bonus, tip, whatever...
> 
> Ain't life grand.
> 
> I've been in PTG meetings where people, usually the
> more introvert types, discuss "how to get the
> customer to shut up and leave you alone so you can
> tune." Well, sometimes you just have to ask. But I
> think I build a lot of loyalty--and I know I get
> referrals--because I do take time to listen to
> lonely old people, or people with family stories to
> tell, etc.
> 
> For the first time I know of, I lost a client to
> another tuner this week. I had only tuned for her
> once and her comment to the new tuner was that I
> took too long. Okay, misread that one. But showing
> real interest in people and taking time to build
> relationships with them is the only way I, for me, 
> (and I do stress "for me") to be in this business.
> 
> You can keep the cat, but I do like cookies.
> 
> Alan Barnard
> Salem, MO


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