When conversation, kids, TV, dishwasher, etc. are making too much noise, IMHO, the best thing to do is a straight-forward assertive request: "Would you mind turning the TV off or the volume way down because it is very difficult to hear the things I need to hear to tune your piano." Most folks are very accommodating I find. Then as they are turning the TV off/down I tell them "the quality of tuning that I can do to your piano is directly proportional to the amount of quiet I get." They usually signal with an understanding smile. But I have found that when there is not a stay-at-home adult in the home, and someone has to take a day off work, they tend to schedule the plumber, the carpenter, the lawn crew, the roofer, and the piano tuner all on the same day. That's a tough one. Best I think to simply advise them about next time. I don't run into many parrots in the Tampa area - thank goodness! One time I did have a little girl who, regardless of how many times I asked her not to, with every new note I tried to tune, would pick up her violin and "try" to mimic that note. Mom was nowhere to be found..... Gosh, that was a rough one! Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- Does anyone have a simple handout, maybe comical or whimsical, that you use to give new customers upon entering their home -- something that points out you can do a better job for tuning for them if lawnmovers, dishwashers, parrots, kids, TVs, washers, sweepers, other workersw, whatevers, are kept to a dull roar? I sometimes tell noisy customers this but I confess to feeling a bit priggish when I do. But as you all know, you do a better job for them when it's QUIET. I was thinking a simple, comical, colorful handout at the beginning of an appointment might do the trick. Anyone do this? Share? Dave Smith SW FL, home of the 10,000 parrots in cages near the pianos. Bong, Squakk< Bong, Squakk. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20060913/eebe38b4/attachment.html
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