Courtesy Call / Building Business

[John Ross]

I now just have a poster in the window of a music store, with my toll free number. The store does not sell pianos.
The people call me, and I tell them I will call them the night before with a time I will be there. The odd time I make an appointment say a week or two away, I find I forget or the customer forgets. The night before call works for me. The odd time someone will say could I call them 2 nights ahead.
Initially when starting out, I was associated with a store that sold pianos, I did their warranty tunings and gave them a discount on their work, I then had that customer and they referred all callers about piano tunings to me. That worked fine until they bought their delivery guy, a SAT, and then for some unknown reason, people who called the store didn't want me, just their guy.
Music teacher referrals are a good source of business, as is a letter sent to all the churches in your local area.
 I had a contract with a University for 19 years, that gave me a lot of referrals too. Last October I indicated to the University, that I didn't want the contract for the coming year.
I have tried the Yellow pages, newspaper advertisements etc. The BEST advertising is word of mouth. 
Do good work at a fair price, and you should have no trouble building a successful business. Always bearing in mind your customers needs. Everyone does not need their piano brought to a concert standard.
John Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tom Servinsky 
  To: Pianotech List 
  Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2008 1:08 PM
  Subject: Re: Courtesy Call


  None of us likes the idea of rejection and making reminder calls puts us in that uncomfortable position. Additionally none of us likes telemarketers nagging us.  But reminder calls are a necessary evil for our type of business. Developing a friendly, folksy, non-pushing type reminder call is both necessary for good repeat business ,and most of all,be welcomed our clientele.
  I make it clear to the customer that it's part of my business practice to expect a friendly reminder by either an email ,post card reminder, or a follow up phone call. I usually let them dictate which they would prefer. 
  Tom Servinsky 
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Greg Newell 
    To: 'Pianotech List' 
    Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2008 10:22 AM
    Subject: RE: Courtesy Call


    If this is in response to my post, not necessarily. Keeping things positive just may change their attitude on a different day. They might just be having a bad day when you call but remember your positive attitude and call you later. Otherwise, yeah. C-ya! But still, a positive approach gives them less of a reason to complain about you to others if they were even thinking about it.

     

    Greg Newell

    Greg's Piano Forté

    www.gregspianoforte.com

    216-226-3791 (office)

    216-470-8634 (mobile)

     

    From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Floridapianosvc at aol.com
    Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2008 10:07 AM
    To: pianotech at ptg.org
    Subject: Re: Courtesy Call

     

    In other words, "so long". = : (






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