price-shoppers!

[Farrell]

Regardless of how long the first-time caller says it has been since the last tuning, I have made it my policy to ask them to play a note over the phone. For me at least, it seems to make the "it might need a pitch raise" speech go much easier and better understood (or at least less misunderstood). I then explain that a pitch raise is a separate procedure that incurs a separate fee. 

I also ask if they know what I mean by standard pitch.

No doubt I loose some of these first-time callers when they hear that it might be $120 for a pitch raise and tuning. A lady called yesterday and played middle C over the phone - clearly it was more than a half-step flat. I told her it would likely need TWO pitch raises and then a tuning to get it up to standard pitch and have in good tune. She said she needed to talk to her husband and would get back with me. 

Oh well. 

But I would much rather cover that territory over the phone rather than sitting at the piano and hearing "but you quoted $XXX! for the tuning"......

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
To: "Z! Reinhardt" <diskladame@provide.net>; "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 7:38 AM
Subject: Re: price-shoppers!


> Z,
> 
> That works out well if you really need the double appointment, but if not, then
> one appointment that could have been spent earning money from someone else is
> lost.
> 
> I do generally allow some extra time for first-time calls, but not usually a
> double appointment.  If the piano needs more work than I have time to do, I
> schedule a second appointment for the extra work.  For me this appears to be a
> more efficient use of time.
> 
> I think people often underestimate how long it's been since the last tuning.
> Two days ago I installed a Dampp-Chaser system in a middle-aged studio piano
> that hadn't been tuned "for several years, well, maybe seven or so."
> Considering how dirty it was inside, plus the fact that most of the piano was
> 100c or more flat, I suspect it's been at least two decades, and probably not
> tuned to standard pitch even then.
> 
> Regards,
> Clyde
> 
> "Z! Reinhardt" wrote:
> 
> > I should hope the price you quote is for a double appointment.  The pianos
> > involved are almost invariably long-neglected "family heirlooms" or "if you
> > can move it you can have it" specials.  They will need plenty of work to
> > make them at all playable in addition to tuning.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives