price-shoppers!

[Keith McGavern]

At 7:19 PM -0700 6/16/03, pianolover 88 wrote:
>Just wanted to get some feedback on how everyone ELSE handles 
>first-time customer calls that begin: "HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?" ...

Terry,

Normally, I tell them how much *after* a few simple questions, such as:

1) Do you know when the last time it was tuned?
2) Do all the notes work?
3) Do the pedals work?
4) Do they live in town or out of town?

 From these questions I can usually gather enough information to quote 
a minimum price that will give the caller an idea whether they want 
to proceed or not.

Sometimes: 1) I just quote a tuning price that I know will see me 
through a first visit, 2) I let them know that any repairs and/or 
adjustments are additional, and 3) that I charge X amount for mileage 
when going to any other community than the one I live in.

It doesn't take long using either approach to establish in most 
callers' minds, and my own, what it is they want to do. I might even 
ask more specific questions depending on the feedback from the 
caller, even to the point of asking if they would like to set a time 
for me to come out.

That's about it for the moment.

Keith McGavern