Paul, I have hired an apprentice who handles the tunings I don't want to do (spinets and uprights) or really have time for. He receives a portion of the fee and is learning at the same time. He also does the very easy repetitive shop jobs. Removing key bushings, let off buttons, hammers, cleaning keys etc. etc. This helps me keep my delivery times realistic. However, in my contract for work it says this: All starting and completion dates are approximate, and subject to change. When a project is authorized, we will give our best estimate for the time frame for restoring, repairing or servicing your piano in the context of our other work commitments at that time. I also like Williams suggestion of promising three weeks and delivering in two. It sounds like your doing well and that is a good thing today. Hope this helps Steven Hopp PianoWorks Studio Midland, TX To: pianotech at ptg.org Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:21:16 -0500 From: wimblees at aol.com Subject: Re: [pianotech] Turnaround Times Having promised a lot of work to customers, I’m now falling a little behind in delivery. While I maintain good communication with my customers, I’m feeling stressed lately and wondering if I’m attempting to turn around or complete things like action work in too short a time frame. Just wondering what kinds of expectations others set up with their customers, especially for action reconditioning/rebuilding. Do you try to do this as “extra” work in addition to a full or almost full regular tuning and repair load, or do you block out large blocks of time in which to complete the action job so that it is turned around in a shorter time frame? Do you promise return of the action in one week, two weeks, six weeks? Paul Milesi, RPT Paul When I had a full rebuilding shop in St. Louis, I scheduled two days one week and three days the next week as shop days. That allowed me time to get all the work done. Try to be realistic with the amount of time it will take to get the work done. It's better to promise an action back in three weeks, and calling the customer in two, than to promise the work in two weeks, and not bringing in back in 4 weeks. If you're backed up for more than a month, you might want to consider hiring some one to help you, or subcontracting it out to some one who needs the work. Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT Piano Tuner/Technician 94-505 Kealakaa Str. Mililani, Oahu, HI 96789 808-349-2943 www.Bleespiano.com Author of: The Business of Piano Tuning available from Potter Press www.pianotuning.com -----Original Message----- From: Paul Milesi <paul at pmpiano.com> To: PTG Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> Sent: Wed, Jan 27, 2010 6:12 am Subject: [pianotech] Turnaround Times Having promised a lot of work to customers, I’m now falling a little behind in delivery. While I maintain good communication with my customers, I’m feeling stressed lately and wondering if I’m attempting to turn around or complete things like action work in too short a time frame. Just wondering what kinds of expectations others set up with their customers, especially for action reconditioning/rebuilding. Do you try to do this as “extra” work in addition to a full or almost full regular tuning and repair load, or do you block out large blocks of time in which to complete the action job so that it is turned around in a shorter time frame? Do you promise return of the action in one week, two weeks, six weeks? Paul Milesi, RPT Washington, DC (202) 667-3136 E-mail: paul at pmpiano.com Website: http://www.pmpiano.com _________________________________________________________________ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/196390709/direct/01/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20100127/6c4cf5cc/attachment.htm>
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