Full Service Appointments

[David Love]

My approach is very similar.  Unfortunately, leaving the piano in a less
than adequate state ends up reflecting more on the technician than the
customer's willingness to pay.  It can be quite bad advertising.  And I
agree that simple voicing and minor adjustments to pedals and action need
to be part of a normal service call.  If the piano needs more extensive
work, then I schedule another appointment.    

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Carol Beigel <crbrpt@bellatlantic.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 11/6/2003 7:09:26 PM
> Subject: Full Service Appointments
>
> My typical "service call" (note:  not "tuning") includes tuning the piano
to
> A440, touch-up voicing, cleaning the keytops, and making sure the piano is
> playing properly.  This would include minor action adjustments or repairs.
> I have a set fee for this service.  For first-time clients, I quote my
usual
> fee, but explain that for first-time service, there is an extra $25 charge
> because there is always extra work to be done.
>
> I get very little grief about this.  Most callers are expecting  a higher
> charge because they have let their pianos go unserviced longer than they
> should have.  The beauty of this system is that I don't have to explain to
> strangers about pitch raises on the phone!  I also tell them that if their
> pianos are very much out of tune, they will probably need another service
> call at full price within 4-6 months.  They don't argue about that either!
>
> I, too, have picked up an enormous amount of business because the guy I
> followed never cleaned the keys, or voiced or adjusted anything; not even
> the pedals!  I contend that what people really want is for their pianos to
> be serviced and they don't have to do anything but play them and schedule
> the next service call.  They also expect from time to time to have to pay
> extra for some mechanical maintenance or replacement of worn parts.
>
> Besides a piano that is only tuned, without the tone regulating being
> maintained, sounds awful.  Sometimes I spend more effort on voicing than
> tuning for those "xylophones on steroids" (thanks, Ron!).  Sometimes the
> voicing is so bad, you can't tune until you fix it.  Anyway, this system
> works very well for me, and people think twice before paying my fee to
tune
> some old, broken down spinet they saved from the dump!
>
> Carol Beigel, RPT
>
>
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