Close enough>??

[Farrell]

I disagree Joe. I love those once every 10 year folks! I drive there once and make between $100 and $200. With the every year or six months crowd, I'd have to drive there two or three times to make that!

A little Emerson (Aeolian) spinet gem this morning for example. Spent 15 minutes trying to talk the lady into junking the trashy little thing, but she explained to me that "it's only for a five-year-old". So I glued about 40 hammer felts back on, raised the pitch 100 cents in two pitch-raise-passes (just hoping the VERY RUSTY strings would not snap), and tuned the little rascal (I really want to use more colorful terms here, and tuned is not really the right work either). $210. Thank ya ma'am! She even commented that if other people worked a diligently as I, more consumers would be happy with the services they receive! How 'bout that!

The once-every-ten-years crowd? We're happy to work with ya!

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett@earthlink.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, January 24, 2003 7:03 PM
Subject: Close enough>??


> Hmm? What I have been reading, regarding this thread really disturbs me.
> Some techs. seem to be content to work Fast/Cheap. Now, I know that each
> area of this great country has different economic bases, but doing work for
> cheap doesn't make it, IMO. Basically, we are paid for the TIME we spend. If
> we have honed our skills to the degree of what many boast about, tuning in
> less than 1 1/2 hours, (actually most of the boasters say less than an
> hour!), then that seems to be the excuse that they will only charge for the
> time they are actually tuning the piano. Unless these "speed tuners" are
> charging a base labor rate of $150 per hour, then they are definately short
> changing themselves and their families for a liveable income.
> When it comes to Pitch Raises, let's look at it this way: Scenario #1:
> Client hasn't tuned the piano in 10 years; piano is 15cents flat and
> unstable. Tuner charges $90.00 for a base tuning rate and another $15.00 for
> a Pitch Raise. Total of $105.00. So....., for the period of 10 years, it
> only cost that client $10.50 per year, for the piano's maintainence. To me,
> this client wouldn't know an in tune instrument and could care less.
> Probably had pressure from someone else to get the derned thing tuned. <G>
> Scenario #2: Client gets piano tuned every 6 months and pays the technician
> a base tuning fee of that same $90.00....LESS an appropriate 10% "regular
> client discount, for a total of $81.00. Over a period of 10 years that
> client will have spent $1,620.00 for maintainence of their piano! Who's
> getting the best deal, (financially)?
> I say quit being so darned nice to the ones that don't take care of their
> piano, on a regular basis and start being a whole lot nicer to the ones that
> do!!!!! That is my philosophy and I give my regular clients all kinds of
> freebies and TLC. On the other hand, after attempting to educate the "once
> every 10 year people" and they do not respond, their "outta here"! Don't
> want them for a client and don't bother to keep them in my Database. (I do
> give them three chances)
> Just something to think about.
> I strongly advocate that we each establish an "Hourly Wage" concept and
> strive to be fair about it with our clients. After all, We do attempt to
> make our "living" this way and should be more business like in this respect.
> Of course, there are exceptions to be made and we should "Give back", from
> time to time, for those who will appreciate the courtesy.
> Yes, my flack jacket and flame suit are zipped up tight. <G>
> As for the "speed tuners", boasting, yada yada, I wouldn't want you to tune
> on my piano! Especially if I were #3, #4, etc!!
> Respectfully,
> Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
> 
> Been There, Didn't Like It, So I'm Here To Stay! [G}
> 
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