Paid for Pitch Raises?

[David Andersen]

comments interspersed, with all due respect and collegiality:

On Feb 12, 2007, at 6:06 PM, Norma Neufeld wrote:
> David,  Avery,
>
> With all due respect, I think it's a little different for those of  
> us who have been in the business only a few years.
You mean you should get less respect, and do work for a client for  
free, just because you've been in business 5 or 6 years instead of 20  
or 25?

> We're trying to build clientele and gain experience.  I have done  
> many pitch raises and other work for less money than I should have  
> received, but in return I gain clients,
Sorry, but when you train clients to underpay you and to expect  
things for free, they just don't respect you in the same way they  
would if you valued your time as a professional in any other field  
would....do you underpay or get freebies from the other service  
people you deal with, including lawyers, doctors, accountants,  
mechanics, based on how long they've been in business?


> knowledge and the opportunity to polish my skills.
True. But you pay a bigger price than I think you have to.

>   I will never let myself be taken advantage of
Good. I like the sound of that.


> but being demanding as a rookie, either with dealers or clients  
> will get you no where.
Depends on what you mean by demanding.  Strength, clarity in  
communicating, and confidence in valuing yourself are pretty  
attractive qualities...perhaps a weasel would see that as demanding,  
if it meant they'd have to pay you more money, but not a good person.
>
> Doing the odd thing for free is really not so bad when you look at  
> it in this light,
I respectfully disagree.
>   and not all dealers are pond scum.....they're just people too.
Absolutely. I have many good friends, people that I love, respect,  
and trust, that are piano dealers.  I'm a piano dealer.
Come on.  I didn't say all dealers are scum; just some. And they are.


> "It's a give and take world"......"You reap what you  
> sow"....Clichés perhaps, but true none the less.  I just happen to  
> be in the giving and sewing mode at the moment,  the taking and  
> reaping will come later.
The trick, my dear, is to do both at the same time.
>
> Best regards,
> Norma Neufeld
> Saskatoon, SK

hope this helps....DAVID ANDERSEN
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Avery
> To: Pianotech List
> Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 3:06 PM
> Subject: Re: Paid for Pitch Raises?
>
> David,
>
> I totally agree!
>
> Avery Todd
>
> At 12:12 PM 2/12/2007, you wrote:
>> Daniel---please don't take this personally, brother, but you've  
>> triggered off a rant.
>> What the HELL are you people doing----working without getting  
>> paid? That's insane.
>> You really need to check your approach to life, IMO, if you submit  
>> to this kind of bullshit.
>> Raising the pitch on a piano takes WORK---intense work, between 20  
>> and 40 minutes, if done right. To not get paid for that, or to  
>> work for people who don't intend to pay you for that, is  
>> dysfunctional. Period. What are you thinking about? Would you ever  
>> ask any other kind of service tech to come to your house or  
>> business and work for 20-40 minutes FOR FREE?
>> Never. NEVER.
>>
>> Wake up. WAKE UP. You need to start valuing your time, your life,  
>> and your skills.
>> Stand up for yourself, and tell that a**h**le who owns that  store  
>> to sell you a piano for his cost.
>> See what he says. Wake up.
>>
>> Until we demand respect and acknowledgement for our immense  
>> knowledge and skillset we'll be treated like field hands, or  
>> dismissable underlings, or naive idiots, or pathetic losers.
>>
>> There. I feel better now.
>>
>> David Andersen
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>

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