[pianotech] price-negotiating customers

[David Love]

The best thing to say is: "I'm sorry I don't discount my fee.  In fact,
since I haven't ever seen the piano and don't know it's condition in all
honesty I can't even promise that there might not be additional charges if
there are things to be done that are beyond the scope of my basic tuning fee
such as regulation, pitch correction, replacing missing strings, cleaning,
for example.  Also, it would hardly be fair to my regular and long term
customers to offer a discount to you when they gladly pay my full rate,
don't you think?"    

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Nereson
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2011 9:35 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] price-negotiating customers

    What words, phrases, does one use to counter prospective 
customers who try to talk you down in price?  I had a lady who 
asked how much I charge to tune, then asked if I couldn't do it 
for $xx less, since that's what her last tuner charged.  Like a 
fool, and not to get a reputation as a "gouger," I agreed.  Now, 
of course, when I get there, it'll need a pitch raise, lost 
motion regulating, a string replaced, vacuuming, etc.
    David Nereson, RPT