What's a fair price to charge for tuning a piano

[pianolady50@peoplepc.com]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Okay, my thoughts on this!   Most people do not want to wait more than a =
few weeks for an appointment.  Part of customer service is just that - =
service.  You need to please the customer by being able to make an =
appointment within a reasonable length of time.  As a tech you can only =
service X number of pianos per day/week.  As a customer, waiting longer =
than three weeks is too long (my opinion).  So, once you get too booked, =
how do you control it?  Price.  You tune fewer pianos, have more time =
for your customers and yourself and earn the same amount of money (or =
more).

Debbie
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: pianotune05@comcast.net=20
  To: Pianotech List=20
  Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 5:07 PM
  Subject: Re: What's a fair price to charge for tuning a piano


  I'm curious,
  Why would it be a bad thing to be booked well in advance.  I know a =
guy who 's booked 6 weeks or so in advance.  I think that would be a =
good thing, and knowing my financial situation, I sure wish I was booked =
solid.
  Marshall

    -------------- Original message --------------=20
    From: A440A@aol.com=20

    > Joseph writes:=20
    >=20
    > << Whe I facture that sales tax, car=20
    >=20
    > expenses (tolls, gas, etc.) and travel time are=20
    >=20
    > deducted from the gross fee, I do not see how I can=20
    >=20
    > charge less than $100 for a basic tuning. >>=20
    >=20
    > In the beginning, you will have to charge little enough to simply =
attract the=20
    > customers that are price shopping. You will want to move out of =
this category=20
    > as fast as you can. You will do this by impressing enough =
customers so that=20
    > word of mouth, (is there anywhere else words come from?, uh, I =
know a couple=20
    > of people that talk out their a. ahhhh, well, I'll just let that =
be), begins=20
    > to fill your schedule.=20
    > As soon as you realize that you are missing customers b! ecause =
you don't=20
    > have time to get to them, you will realize that you are not =
charging enough.=20
    > You will then raise your price until you have more time than =
customers, oops,=20
    > charging too much? You will know if your calls begin to drop off. =
(or maybe=20
    > you let your quality slip).=20
    > Return customers are the lifeblood of a service business, unless =
you=20
    > advertise so heavily that you don't need them, (hard to do). Do =
what you can to=20
    > make your customers feel like they got their money's worth. =
Customers usually=20
    > don't think in terms of dollars, but rather, what value they think =
they are=20
    > receiving. Also remember that 90% of communication is non-verbal, =
so if you are=20
    > confident that your price and the quality of your service are =
equal, your=20
    > body language, tone of voice, and general bearing will put the =
customer at ease.=20
    > A long term tech, with a large body of work and customers behind =
th! em,=20
    > will comfortably charge more than the beginner. In Nashville, the =
price of a=20
    > tuning varies from $60 to $130, depending on who is doing it. I =
have customers=20
    > that feel much better paying me twice as much as the last tuner =
they employed.=20
    >=20
    > If you are booked two months in advance, you are not charging =
enough.=20
    > If your phone is not ringing, you may be pricing yourself too =
high. The only=20
    > way to find your comfort zone is to get in the business and learn. =

    > good luck,=20
    >=20
    >=20
    > Ed Foote RPT=20
    > http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html=20
    > www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html=20
    >=20
    > _______________________________________________=20
    > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives 
---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/11/19/d5/3f/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--