Tuning price

[David Love]

Finding a good scale structure can be tricky.  You want to maximize your
profits, relieve scheduling stress, minimize travel time, attract
quality clientele, encourage people to do work over and above just
tuning (how there pianos sound and play can reflect on you) and yet you
sometimes need to be able to accommodate those customers who are "tune
onlys".  And if you are building your business, you may need to think
about being competitive.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where the cost of living is higher
than high, so my actual dollar amounts may be inappropriate for other
regions.  It's the relative amounts that are important.  My structure
continues to evolve but at present, it looks something like this.  I
give customers the option depending on the type of service they want.  I
prefer to develop a group of customers who want a little more out of
their pianos and are willing to look beyond simple tuning.  At the same
time, I don't turn down customers who are "tune only".  Some of my best
customers started out as "tune onlys".  So, my standard service call
appointment is 90 minutes and costs $175.  It takes me about 45 -60
minutes to do a normal tuning, 10 minutes more if it's a pitch raise, 20
minutes more if it's a serious pitch raise.  If it's a regularly
serviced piano, that leaves me a good 30 minutes plus(generally) to do
other things depending on what the piano needs.  That might be cleaning,
voicing, lubrication, regulating, it depends on the need.  If they want
"tune only" the fee is $135, tune only with normal pitch correction,
$155, after that were at the 90 minute mark.  BTW a 90 minute
appointment might only be enough to tune a severely out of tune piano to
pitch.  I can't imagine a tuning taking more than 90 minutes unless I
just pulled it out of the pond.  However, I generally advise that first
time appointments are likely to be 90 minutes and charged
accordingly--unless they are just switching tuners and the piano has
been serviced regularly.  Even on a regularly serviced piano, 90 minutes
gives me the opportunity to go over the piano and see just what it needs
as well as deal with a few additional items so I encourage it.  Time
after 90 minutes is billed hourly at $95.  That's a slightly lower rate
than the hourly figured for a tune only or a 90 minute appointment, but
part of the initial fee is getting there.  Once I'm there I don't mind
charging a little less per hour.  The longer they want me there, the
better off I am when you factor in driving.    

The goal is to limit my travel on a daily basis and to develop a
clientele that wants higher quality service.  By scheduling a maximum 90
minute appointment (unless it's a special case: major know-in-advance
regulation, voicing, whatever) I relieve the stress of scheduling things
too close or too far apart.  If I find something more needs doing, I
schedule another appointment.  You make more money when you drive less.
The longer the appointments and the fewer appointments per day, the more
you make on a per day hourly basis.  In reality, I try and schedule only
2-3 appointments in a day and reserve the rest for shop time as I seem
to be spending more and more time there, but you get the idea.  

To set this up, I inquire what type of service they want when they call
for the appointment.  If they don't know me, I explain it.  If they are
not sure I ask a lot of questions and advise them.  If they want tune
only, I do tune only and I schedule one hour.  In reality, I'm not black
or white on these rules (bad way to be).  I will adjust or lubricate a
pedal, sugar coat a few hard hammers in the tune only mode.  But if it
gets involved, I charge.  I'm always fair to the customer but not at any
real expense to myself.  I tend to round down rather than up.  I don't
want to lose someone over a nickel.   

David Love
davidlovepianos@comcast.net 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
Behalf Of David Andersen
Sent: Monday, June 20, 2005 11:35 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: Tuning price

So I thought I was gonna just let this one go, shock everybody with my
high
LA prices, and leave it at that, but I can't.  Thank you, Brad Smith,
for
saying eloquently what I'm going to say a little more forcefully.

Most of us have an unbelievably varied and custom skillset; we are
honest,
and careful, and do the best job we can; why the HELL do some of us
persist
in thinking we're not as worthy as the plumber or the cable guy of
getting
paid what we're worth?  Fifty bucks for 60-90 minutes of focused,
difficult,
custom professional work? That's pathetic, in Minot, ND, or anywhere
else.
$91.00 in London or Amsterdam is pathetic. Can I vent?

We have spent our entire history as piano artisans, by and large,
undervaluing our skills and work; I see it all over; if I hear another
pianotech tell me they can't charge any more because people don't really
give a s**t, or can't hear the difference, or whatever excuse they come
up
with, I think I'll throw up. I work my a** off to do the highest quality
work, provide my customers with beauty and enjoyment, educate them, and
allow them to relax and trust that they will be taken care of.  How much
is
that worth?

I heard a guy teaching a class at a national convention say that a pair
of
pliers that cost maybe $60 was the most expensive tool he ever bought,
and
that he just can't see spending money on tools for "just pianos."
What can I say? What if your doctor felt that way?  Or your accountant?
Or your gardener, for God's sake?  Wake up, ladies and gentlemen.
You need to take care of your families and get paid what you're worth.

You caught me in a cranky, preachy mood....rrrrrrrr.

David Andersen


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