[pianotech] price-negotiating customers

[Gerald Groot]

And that is what usually happens too David.  Most of these kinds of people
have a lot more problems than they let on, and they have had a lot less
frequent tunings than they are leading us to believe.  We wind up being the
recipient of something that we do not want to become a part of.  A problem
piano for little money.  Hagglers are people I refuse to deal with, period.


Some people may not agree with my straight forwardness but, I tell it like
it is and it does work.  This is what I say to these people:  

"I refuse to compromise my price and my ethics.  What you are basically
asking me to do, is to compromise my quality in order to lower my price to
match a particular competitor. This competitor is usually the lowest priced
tuner on the market who charges a lot less than I do, for very obvious
reasons that you, as a shopper should be able to figure out without being
told.  (A little harsh but, if they have the guts to try and talk me down, I
have the guts to put it in plain and simple English back to them too) I
simply refuse to do this."  

"If all you are shopping for is price, then you've come to the wrong place.
Now, if, on the other hand, you are interested in ethics, quality, integrity
and honesty, and that is the most important aspect of hiring anyone in any
business then you have just called the right place and yes, you will pay
more for that.  But, that decision of course, is yours to make.  I do not
give these standards away. Oh, and by the way, I already know my
competitions prices. I am after all, in this business.  Please remember this
as you shop around...  You are shopping for a person's quality now.  We are
a service industry.  You are NOT shopping for a product like a microwave
oven that you can pick up at Best Buy, Sam's Club or anywhere else.  So,
either you are going to shop for quality or, you are going to shop for
price."  I leave it at that with total silence.  Silence is golden.  At that
point then, they will either thank me for my straightforwardness and honesty
about it or, they will say, well, I will talk with my spouse about it and
get back to you which means, it went in one ear and out the other and I
probably didn't want to service that piano anyway.  

Thanks my take on it.  

Jer




-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Nereson
Sent: Monday, January 03, 2011 12:35 AM
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