On 1/3/2011 10:55 AM, Tom Gorley wrote: > Not only unfair to my other customers but unfair to my family. "Ma'am, I charge a rate that allows me to barely make a living in an average house in an average part of town. If I discount by $20 for you, then it will be like taking it away from my own wife and children and giving to you instead." "What would you think of a person who would do that." > > I never actually said that. But I have said it to other tuners. Hi, Tom I'm glad you haven't said that. It comes off the page (since email provides no cues from tone of voice, etc.) as whining. It also gives the impression that you're barely making a living, which I don't think inspires a lot of confidence in customers. We're grown up people, we don't have to get bent all out of shape when someone suggests we charge too much (which asking for a discount does.) I don't often get asked for a discount, but I've been known to say something like, "I used to give some discounts when I was just beginning, but my discount days are over." If I find myself in a situation where I decide to do pro bono (really needy but well-intentioned customer, piano a basket case -- I get one like this three or four times a year) I ask for the normal tuning fee, but I do the tuning quickly and spend the time gained, plus some extra, fixing everything I can as fast as I can. The customer thinks that he/she (usually she) has paid the normal fee, which is far less condescending than letting her know she is the object of charity. Susan Kline -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20110103/4fab0b3c/attachment.htm>
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