Things customers say that I'm still not sure how to respond to.

[Cy Shuster]

----- Original Message -----
> On Feb 20, 2007, at 10:31 AM, David B. Stang wrote:
>>
>> Any advice about the best ways to actually respond?   ("Best", as  in, 
>> "Keep the customer"!)
>> Thanks,
>> Dave

>> "HOW BAD WAS IT?"

This is an important one, I think, because customers tend to think of pianos 
either being in tune, or not.  But people like to know how much of their 
brake pads are left as a percent, for example; and it builds credibility 
with new customers.

I measure the pitch of all the A's before tuning, and plot them on a little 
graph on my invoice (it was in the Journal recently).  It goes +/- 20 c, 
which I find typical for an annual tuning.  If the numbers are off the 
chart, that's good info for the customer.  I say that this tuning won't last 
as long as my next one (rather than "it will need tuning in three months"), 
because I added so much tension this time.  It's in tune now, but it was 
stable before; it will take a while to get stable again.  I don't like to 
say that a piano "needs" tuning, but I do set expectations about how long 
this tuning will last.

When I come the next time and the numbers are on the chart, it shows 
visually that the piano is becoming more stable, and helps set future tuning 
intervals.  It also sells Dampp-Chasers.

--Cy--