[pianotech] age-old question of what to charge for almost nothing

[David Love]

We were done with this however, some technician's like myself???  I took all
your points and I don't happen to agree with what appeared to be a hard line
stance that you took.  My responses to you were really addressed to those
reading the thread who may be debating the points for themselves as to their
conduct under such circumstances.  My message was that it depends.  I think
the position you promote is too rigid and misses the point, your own point
in fact about what is necessary for success in business.  If you go back to
my response to the question as it was posed originally you will see that
generally I thought this person should be charged.  Whether that was going
to be a full minimum charge or not was something that the technician needs
to decide.  I didn't say you should make the trip for free in hopes of
getting a new client.  Neither would I likely make a trip to a new unknown
customer for free.  But I might to a regular customer under some
circumstances.  And I might end up doing it for free even if that wasn't my
intention to begin with.  I've never had that decision come back to bite me,
quite the contrary.

If technician's can't make a living I doubt it's that freebie pencil
retrieval that put them under water.  Businesses throw in complimentary
things all the time for the sake of promotion and customer relations.  One
can argue that by being a hard line, charge for every breath you take, no
exceptions type  of business person that you do yourself more harm than
good.  If your profit line is so slim that you need to be sure to charge
something substantial for that operation then you probably won't make it
anyway.  My own business has enough built in added value for the work that I
do that I can afford to do someone a favor once in awhile and I so I do.  It
has come back to me in spades, I believe is the expression. 

Here's my story (you've had yours).  I went to tune a piano, first time
customer who had received a "free" piano (except for the moving of
course--$350).  The piano was garbage.  I ended up in a 45 minute discussion
with the person about why they should cut their losses and just go out and
buy something else, how they might do that, other options.  I suggested they
think about it before paying me for a major pitch raise and several repairs
to even get the piano just below the level of non functional.  They offered
to pay me for the time I spent talking with them but I decided not to and
just let it go.  They insisted on giving me a nice bottle of wine (which I
accepted), and I gave them my card, told them to call me if they had any
further questions about what to do or how to go about it.  There would have
been no charge for that phone call either, btw.  To make a long story short,
they ended up asking me to help them buy an old Steinway shell on which I
did a complete restoration to the tune of over $30,000.  Why?  They said
later that they felt they could trust me because I clearly wasn't just
trying to collect my fee and go merrily on my way but rather was interested
in helping them to make the best and most informed decision that addressed
their needs and best interests.  Since then they've sent me two other
customers for similar projects one of whose piano is currently in my shop.
Would they have done the same if I'd charged them for my time?  Maybe.  But
there's no doubt that the relationship that developed in that 45 minute
conversation was much more important than any message I might have sent
about the value of my time.

Fair, honest and ethical are certainly important qualities in being
successful in a business.  But it's not enough.  Your ability to establish
and maintain relationships with people is no less important and when
opportunities to do that arise you will be best served by making sure that
the customer believes you are focusing more on their needs than your own.  



David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Gerald Groot
Sent: Friday, January 15, 2010 7:17 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] age-old question of what to charge for almost
nothing

Oh come on David.  I thought we were done with this?  You do not appear to
be getting it.  Of course I explained that to them.  I omitted that from
this conversation for the sake of keeping the email shorter as it was
already too long.  To them, it didn't matter and here's why. 

I had done a repair on a good customer's piano that I had been servicing for
many years.  This person was a music teacher who gave me a lot of referrals
so I did the work as sort of thank you for about half the price of what I
charged the new client.  The new client's repair was very similar to the
music teachers repair.  The music teacher had told them in advance what I
had charged her.  Even though I had already told the teacher that I was
doing it for about half, the new client expected the same price but did not
receive it.  Regardless of any explanations I gave to the new client, she
didn't think it was fair.  

That's where I'm coming from on the freebee issue.  Giving away free
services to one client and not to another is walking on pretty iffy
territory in my opinion. What you are doing is no different from what I did
with my client.  

  
Now, take note that this took place well over 30 some years ago and is why I
no longer do it. Since then everyone receives the same hourly rate and the
same service call charge.  

  
David, what I see happening continually in this business and sometimes in
this forum bothers me and is wrong.    

1. Some technicians like yourself continue defending yourself to the point
of picking my email apart with little to no regard for my points made that
this is a business and should be run as such. Shall I return the favor to
you?  

2.  I see and hear many technicians constantly complaining that they can't
make a living.  Why not!?  If you're new that's different. If you live in an
area where there are not a lot pianos that's your choice.  But, if they are
well established like I am and still complaining which many of them are,
then they need to be taking a very serious look at what it is they are
either doing right or doing wrong.  There is no excuse for us not to be able
to make a very decent living in this business if we are fair, honest and
ethical. 

Making a trip out to someone's home to retrieve a pencil for less or for
nothing for the sake of possibly getting a new client?  No thanks.  If I am
going to get the client I will get them from having a good reputation.  

Jer