Customer ethics--no more extras!

[James Grebe]

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I had tuned for "Six Flags Over America" here in Allenton, MO, just =
outside of St. Louis for 2 summers a number of years ago.  At the end of =
the 2nd season I tuned all 3 of their pianos at no cost and told them =
how I appreciated their  business.  I had been tuning these pianos every =
couple of weeks early on Sunday mornings.  After doing the work and =
giving them the short thank you letter I was never called back again.  =
Go figure.
James Grebe
Piano-Forte Tuning & Repair
Artisan of Wood
WWW.JamesGrebe.com
1526 Raspberry Lane
Arnold, MO 63010
BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE!
pianoman@accessus.net
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: D.L. Bullock=20
  To: PTG ; Piannaman@aol.com=20
  Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 8:42 PM
  Subject: RE: Customer ethics--no more extras!


  Why would any competent tuner GIVE away a tuning unless you just did a =
complete restoration?  I have tried giving extra work to customers many =
times in the last thirty years.  One out of 20 appreciates it and sends =
more work my way.  The other 19 just ignore my good work, forget me, and =
usually go somewhere else for their next tuning.  My customers who are =
major musicians always send me customers, so my work must not be too =
shabby.  Customers do not appreciate being given anything.  Sales of =
pianos is another thing, do anything to get the sale.  But normally in =
the service sector they don't appreciate free or cut rate work.  They =
will cut your throat every time you give them something free and then =
ask for more.  The world's worst about this are institutions and some =
friends.  Churches are especially bad about this.  They seem to respect =
you much more if you charge them a market price.  Some appreciate it =
more if your price is slightly higher than average.

  D.L. Bullock    St. Louis
  www.thepianoworld.com=20

  Put the worlds greatest healer to work for WHATEVER health problem you =
may have----YOUR OWN IMMUNE SYSTEM.  Your body is capable of healing =
EVERY disease if you give it the right fuel.  Visit =
http://www.mannapages.com/dlbullock to learn how to get the right fuel.  =
Also www.glycoscience.org
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Piannaman@aol.com [mailto:Piannaman@aol.com]
    Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 9:45 AM
    To: pianotech@ptg.org
    Subject: Customer ethics--no more extras!


    List,=20

    I've been self-employed nigh on 4 years now.  I have reached a point =
where I have enough customers where I could get by without doing free =
tunings for the couple of stores I still contract for, but I like to =
keep an influx of new customers and new pianos.  =20

    One thing I've learned in doing these free tunings is that no matter =
how much "extra" stuff I do, there is absolutely no guarantee that the =
customer won't find a "tuner that his friend recommends," or "teacher =
that tunes on the side," or other form of tooner whose work I often =
eventually follow-up.  =20

    And no matter how much we as technicians feel that new pianos should =
be prepped at the store, they usually are not.  In trying to be ethical =
and make the piano right for the customer, I have often given extra =
service--i.e. key easing, lubrication of knuckles and keypins, some =
regulation--in addition to tuning the thing for the first time.=20

    Yesterday I called a customer whose piano had had numerous sticky =
note problems back in January, at which time I made a special call just =
to ease keys, lube, and regulate.  I got paid by the store, but I put in =
far more work than I was actually paid for in the hopes that the =
customer would recognize this and keep me as his tuner.  =20

    I went back a couple of months later to give him his "free" tuning, =
but nobody was home.  The Mrs. called me a couple of weeks later, =
apologized for missing the appointment, and begged me to come and tune =
the piano, which I eventually did--though I got nothing for the missed =
appointment--once again hoping that the extra service would create a =
client/tuner bond.  =20

    Obviously, I had too much faith in first-time client loyalty.  =
Yesterday I was told that this customer had found another tuner =
recommended by a friend.  It was a bit of a slap in the face, but =
rejection is part of the game.  And that rejection drove home a valuable =
lesson: DON'T GIVE AWAY ANYTHING on these first appointments.  =20

    My vow:  from now on when I do "free tunings," I will give only the =
requested service, and I will charge for it accordingly.  =20

    End of Whine,=20

    Dave Stahl 
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