Rounding off - Was: A question about treble strings

[Farrell]

Do you not charge a normal retail markup on your parts? What about your expertise used to choose that part? What about your investment of stocking the part so that it is available when the customer needs it? How about the time it took to order the supplies? And then you round the cost down? Of course your clients don't object to that policy. Perhaps you would consider ordering some parts for me? 

Sorry Clyde, not trying to give you too much of a hard time, but this is a fairly significant concept. What are your feelings on this?

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 05, 2002 8:45 PM
Subject: Rounding off - Was: A question about treble strings


> I have never restrung a piano.  I've replaced some individual strings from the
> 1/3 lb. reels I keep.  I could probably give all the plain strings away and it
> wouldn't make $20 difference in my annual income.  I charge $1 per string.  The
> wound strings are considerably higher, of course, sometimes much higher,
> depending on my cost.
> 
> I remember about fifteen years ago seeing a sign in a piano retailer's showroom
> which stated the minimum parts charge was $8.  My minimum parts charge is $1,
> and if it's just a bridle strap, hammer shank or a couple paper punchings I
> usually charge nothing at all.
> 
> For what it's worth, except for the minimum parts charge I round everything down
> to whole dollars and have been doing so for years, both labor and parts charges
> (not taxes, though).  If the parts cost $8.70 the client pays eight bucks.  No
> one objects to this policy.  Messing around with pennies and dimes is too much
> trouble.  It just isn't worth it, in my book.
> 
> Regards,
> Clyde Hollinger, RPT
> Lititz, PA, USA
> 
> Philip Newman wrote:
> 
> > I've always had difficulty in judging the cost of treble wire used in
> > re-stringing a piano....   Does anyone know where these specs. could be found?
> 
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