Are you SURE it had a laminated board? As far as I know they did not use any at least up to 1969. James James Grebe Est. 1962 Piano Tuner-Technician Creator of Custom Caster Cups Creator of fine Writing Instruments www.grebepiano.com 1526 Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010 (314) 608-4137 Become what you believe ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gerald Groot" <tunerboy3 at comcast.net> To: <pianotech at ptg.org> Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 7:46 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Running a Business as a business. > 31. Took you guys took long. Spend time with your customers. Don't just > tune the piano and walk out. I spent 3 hours in one home yesterday. This > person had acquired a used Cable Nelson console a few months ago. The > piano > was built by the Everett Piano Factory with a laminated sounding board in > South Haven built about 1972. A pretty decent piano actually. She was > FILLED with questions and retained my answers quite well. I spent 2 hours > of my time, for free, explaining the wee split in the pin block, how and > what causes it, why the piano was 1/2- 1 full tone flat, why the piano > needs > work, why it doesn't repeat when her 8 year plays. He isn't allowing the > keys to come all the way back up again before he tries to repeat the song > so > the jack is still forward. > > > > I gave her options to either tune and do some action work, retuning it in > a > few months due to the major pitch raise or, trade it in on a new piano > which > she could afford. She/we decided to have me do a pitch raise and see what > happened and how it would sound so, did that. I checked the RH and temp > which was 68 degree's 42 %. Perfect. The piano is in the basement. When > I > was finished raising pitch, the split hadn't worsened, the overall sound > of > the piano improved considerably, more so than what I thought it might and > we > scheduled an appointment in June to re-tune the piano and do some other > work > on it such as carding, regulation, leveling the keys etc. > > > > All in all, while I spent a lot of my time for nothing (it was my last > appointment of the day yesterday) I acquired a customer for life. She was > impressed that I had an answer for every single question, didn't fumble > around for the answers that she was able to ask and believe me, she had > more > questions than most people do. She was most impressed that I gave her > options. She said YOU ARE THE MAN! I like your straight forwardness and > honesty. Put me on your call back schedule for life. > > > > You see, it pays to go the extra mile once in a while. > > > > 32. For newbie's: The first question you should answer when you are > thinking of going into business is "Am I the type?" You will be your most > important employee. It is more important that you rate yourself > objectively > than how you rate any prospective employee. Appraise your strengths and > your weaknesses. As a prospective operator of your own business, > acknowledge that you are weak in certain areas and cover the deficiency by > either retraining yourself or hiring someone with the necessary skill. > > > > 33 anyone? > > > > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On > Behalf > Of Gerald Groot > Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 11:09 PM > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Running a Business as a business. > > > > 25. Plan in advance. By that I refer to my other email regarding action > work. As I said in that email, I begin planning action jobs for the next > summer beginning in the fall already. I leave and send a lot of estimates > but I also follow up on many of them (not all) depending on the client and > the piano. As should be expected, my most important clients such as my > college get their action jobs set up first. My churches, schools and > other > organizations 2nd, homes 3rd. Crappy pianos, last. That is, if I choose > to > work on them at all or have any time left to do so. Which leads me into > 23. > You see, I go from the most reliable and dependable to the least. > > > > 26. Sub contract what you cannot or do not want to do. It will get done > that way one way or the other. There is always someone out there slower > than you might be and will appreciate the work that you give them > regardless > of what it might be. This will help the new people that are struggling to > make ends meet. You will be liked and respected by them for it. But, > only > recommend those that are honest, reliable and good. Follow up after them > if > necessary. > > > > 27. Always remember that whoever it might be that you recommended, your > reputation is still on the line. > > > > 28. I know I said this before but I believe it is important and it really > does work. Make the first contact to your customers. Don't wait for them > to call you. You will have a lot less last minute or emergency calls > cramming your holiday season this way and can plan much more according to > everyone's needs including yours. If you want to stay busy and keep the > client, you will bite the bullet and call them. Rather than say as I have > so often heard before, "I am as busy as I want to be or, I have all of the > work I can handle" - which to me, is a cop out for not really having > enough > work in many instances, pick up the phone or hire someone to do it for > you. > You will be surprised at how many people thank you for calling them and > you > will stay a lot more busy and will book much further ahead. > > > > How far ahead to you want to be booked? For me, the further, the more > peace > of mind I have. > > > > 29. Advertise. Online and elsewhere. The biggest companies advertise. > > > > 30. Have you ever taken a walk and seen a piano in a home? Write down > the > address and send them your business card. They will notice that you live > in > their area and might just call you. Or, knock on the door and introduce > yourself. That works too. > > > > 31? > > > > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On > Behalf > Of Michael Magness > Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 5:46 PM > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Running a Business as a business. > > > > > > On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 8:35 AM, Gerald Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net> > wrote: > > 12. Treat your customers as you would have them treat you - with kindness > and respect. > > 13. Take time to explain why a piano changes tuning. You've done it a > million times before. Make it a millon and one. > > 14. Take time to answer any and all questions they might have and some > have > a lot of them. You will gain more respect from them. > > 15. If they want to watch you tune, by all means, allow it. > > 16. Cut vacuum cleaner chords in half with a knife for silence. Just > kidding, checking to see if you're actually reading this or not. > > 17. Don't be afraid to ask questions of other technicians. Especially if > you're not sure what to do about the problem or if it is out of your > league > of expertise. Don't just guess and screw it up. > > 18. Don't be afraid to get a 2nd opinion on something. Doctor's do it > all > the time. > > 19. Customers are your lifeline. Treat them as such. Retaining them is > the most important and most difficult part of getting repeat business. > One > unhappy customer will spread that unhappiness like a wild fire. > > 20. Dress properly. Casual is fine but, no holes in your clothing and > bathe. > > 21. ? > > > > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On > Behalf > Of erwinspiano at aol.com > Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2010 8:45 PM > To: pianotech at ptg.org > > > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Running a Business as a business. > > > > Jer...David > > All good stuff > > > > I'll add afew > > > > 6. Be the guy/gal that can fix,voice,or rewhatever anything with > excellence in your geographic area > > > > 7. Become an Rpt and learn to network with others for continuing > education > > > > 8. Have an informative Web site. A must these days > > > > 9. Always tell the truth even if you lose. Always in fahionable and in > season > > > > 10. Learn to delegate. Yes, its hard at first > > > > 11. Be Generous, however you define it. > > > > regards > > Dale Erwin > > WWW.Erwinspiano.com <http://www.erwinspiano.com/> > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Gerald Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net> > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Sent: Sat, Jan 16, 2010 8:35 am > Subject: Re: [pianotech] Running a Business as a business. > > There you go again, changing the point being made. " But if one wants to > do > a favor and help someone out with a pencil, why not?" So, do it then. I > don't care. > > "Let's not blow it out of proportion as the reason their business isn't > successful." Did I really say or mean that their business would fail due > to that one trivial matter, the pencil? > > Ok, let's change the topic then as I did in the subject line. > > 1. Become highly skilled in whatever area of this business you choose to > be > in. > 2. Learn how to run and operate a businesses. One will be more successful > long term. > 3. Have clear are precise written rules for yourself and your customers to > charge more fairly and honestly. > 4. Have clear and precise written prices so neither yourself nor your > customer gets screwed. > 5. Do a lot of reading and learn how to interact with clients properly. > This doesn't just entail reading about pianos and repairs. > > It's easy so far, care to add to it? > > > > Jer > > -----Original Message----- > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org > <mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org?> ] On Behalf > Of David Love > Sent: Saturday, January 16, 2010 11:19 AM > > > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Re: [pianotech] age-old question of what to charge for almost > nothing and running a business as a business > > > > Nobody would argue with your first point. The nuances and individual > situations that determine just how that's done are what we are talking > about. The example you give of the $28000 a year person has less to do > with > > the discussion than it does with general competence. We haven't even > mentioned the importance of being skilled. The person who is meticulous > in > their business practices, never misses an opportunity to charge for every > service and mile driven, still won't have any business if the service they > provide stinks. Similarly if one (notice I'm avoiding saying "you" to > avoid > > any misunderstanding) is rude to people then they are not likely to get > very > > far no matter how skilled and meticulous they are in their business > practices. The example of what owners allow their employees to do is not > relevant since we are the owners and owners do choose at times to bend the > rules. They just don't want their employees to do that. Neither would I. > > In summary, of course one shouldn't be afraid to charge for their time, > expense and expertise. At the same time one should be flexible enough to > assess each situation on its own merits and make a decision without > fearing > the consequences of a single act. Price structures are helpful (I have > them > > outlined and itemized for rebuilding and servicing as well as a set hourly > rate which is published). That can take the guess work out of making > estimates which can be tricky for the inexperienced and create situations > of > > price commitments that are unrealistic and may establish a history that > one > may not wish to be held to. But if one wants to do a favor and help > someone > > out with a pencil, why not? Let's not blow it out of proportion as the > reason their business isn't successful. > > > > David Love > www.davidlovepianos.com <http://www.davidlovepianos.com/> > > > > > ...snipped > > The only thing that I AM VERY HARD LINED ON is that more piano technicians > need to run this business like a business or learn how. Yet, many do not > run it as such. These same people do not know how to run it as a business > or in my opinion, do not take it very seriously that it is a business. > They > > need to stick to the principal of charging when appropriate, which is, > most > of the time. They should not be afraid to charge and especially, should > not > > apologize for doing so. As another poster mentioned, the owners of other > businesses will not allow their employee's to show up for free or to > charge > less for obvious reasons. > > > Here is a prime example of what I mean. I have someone in town here that > is > > constantly complaining about not being able to make a living. This person > runs their business more as a charity, treats their customers rudely, > gives > discounts to everyone and is making less than $28,000 a year tuning full > time. His work load is now half of what it was last year and he wonders > why? Yet, I find out from this person that their prices have dropped or > have been the same for 7 or 8 years running, he doesn't even charge for a > service call, doesn't charge extra for driving 150 miles round trip, > charges > > only for his time, he's doing services for free in an attempt gain more > work > > which is not working, he's gaining more free clientele instead yet, he > still > > doesn't get it and will not listen to reason. > > > > Jer > > > > > > _____ > > > avast! Antivirus <http://www.avast.com <http://www.avast.com/> > : > Outbound > message clean. > > > Virus Database (VPS): 100116-0, 01/16/2010 > Tested on: 1/16/2010 11:35:42 AM > avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2010 ALWIL Software. > > > > > > > > _____ > > avast! <http://www.avast.com/> Antivirus: Outbound message clean. > > Virus Database (VPS): 100118-0, 01/18/2010 > > Tested on: 1/18/2010 9:35:16 AM > > > avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2010 ALWIL Software. > > > > > > > 21. Never lose your sense of humor! > > 22. If you don't know the answer to a question, say so! Then tell them > you'll find the answer and do so, ASAP! > > 23. Always be willing to answer another technician's questions. > > 24. Keep an open mind > > > > -- > I intend to live forever. So far, so good. > Steven Wright > > > Michael Magness > Magness Piano Service > 608-786-4404 > www.IFixPianos.com > email mike at ifixpianos.com > > > > > _____ > > avast! Antivirus <http://www.avast.com> : Outbound message clean. > > Virus Database (VPS): 100118-1, 01/18/2010 > Tested on: 1/18/2010 11:09:01 PM > avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2010 ALWIL Software. > > > > > > _____ > > avast! Antivirus <http://www.avast.com> : Outbound message clean. > > > Virus Database (VPS): 100121-0, 01/21/2010 > Tested on: 1/21/2010 8:46:50 AM > avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2010 ALWIL Software. > > >
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