Hi Wim, Sounds like you're up against something unique in the local culture and customs. I doubt any advice from the mainland would apply. If I experience an unacceptable level of no-shows within a small minority immigrant community, I can afford adopt policies that cause me to lose all of that community's business, whereas you've got to find a way to get more of the Hawaiian community's business. Are there any local small business organizations you can tap into to find out how others deal with it? good luck Mike wimblees at aol.com wrote: > I am used to no-shows, but it seems I have more than usual than I did > on the mainland. > > Here is what's happening. I get a call from the man, who sets up an > appointment. But when I show up, his wife either doesn't know I'm > coming, and turns me away.Or she knew I was coming, but tells me she > is not interested in getting the work done, and turns me away. > > The last straw came today. The husband called me last week, and I > scheduled an appointment for Monday at 9. Since it was a Holiday, the > wife and 4 kids were home. She didn't know I was coming, but let me in > anyway. It was a Hamilton, with half the hammers unglued. She called > him, and he said OK for me to do the work, but that he couldn't pay me > until Friday. I said that's fine, because it would take me that long > to do the work. I show up Friday afternoon, action in hand. She > answers the door and she not only forgot I was coming, but couldn't > pay me, and that her husband was off island, and wouldn't be back > until Monday. She said she would call me. > > Obviously I took the action with me. So what do I do? I've got an > action in my shop on which I spent several hours, and they have a > piano that they can't use, (although they probably weren't using it > anyway. They got it for free). > > I'm thinking of charging an extra $50 for the inconvenience, and > making him pay up front before I even go to the house. On the other > hand, if I play "hardball", they might just forget about the whole > thing, and dump the piano, and I'll never get paid for my work. > > Suggestions? > > Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT > Piano Tuner/Technician > Mililani, Oahu, HI > 808-349-2943 > Author of: > The Business of Piano Tuning > available from Potter Press > www.pianotuning.com > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > *A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! > <http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1218822736x1201267884/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D668072%26hmpgID%3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62>* >
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