At 18:29 5/10/2004 -0700, you wrote: >Should read, I don't like to charge those who live farther "more"... > >David Love >davidlovepianos@earthlink.net I have no problem charging a mileage surcharge.... after a point. Living in a rural area people are used to, and expect to, cover the distance factor for service and repairs. Major cities are 60-70 (or more) miles away from here and you know darn well Sears, et al, won't come out here for free. I have a local service area (~25 miles/40km radius), beyond that I charge a mileage rate. I also will forgo mileage if customers in a remote town can get me 3 or more the same day. My customers know this and have no problem with it. - Forsooth! Last week, I went to one distant town and it turned out that the third tuning fell through. The second customer (who had lined them up) insisted that she pay extra because of that cancellation. >As other persons keep crabbing at me, this is a piano tech list. So I'll >state my question again, since when do pianos use gas ? > >-- >Duaine Hechler Since I can't walk or take public transportation to all my tunings, and damned few customers bring their pianos to me for service, I must use some sort of transport which will get me, my tools, and my supplies to their homes, This conveyance uses petrol. That fuel usually has to be paid for in the coin of the realm. That coin has to come from somewhere. That somewhere is the person who has you work on their instrument. In most instances that instrument is a piano, though it could be pipe organ, reed organ, harpsichord, etc. Do you see any connection now? Unfortunately, things like tools (and I consider vehicles as tools) don't look like pianos, but they sure are necessary in the business. Is a discussion of hand or power tools, navigation aids or communication devices used in the performance of our duties also to be considered verboten and given the dreaded "OT" label? I think not. The only time pianos might directly use gasoline would be the pint you use in conjunction with a lighted match to start a piano-que. Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT, MPT, CCT, PFP, ACS, CRS. Decorah, IA - Certified Calibration Technician for Bio-powered Digitally Activated Lever Action Tone Generation Systems. - Pianotech Flamesuit Purveyor - American Curmudgeon Society - Apprentice Member and Founder
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