[pianotech] What do you say?

[Paul McCloud]

	I use an online appointment service linked to my website.  It sends an
email a day or so before the appointment.  I have a "No Show Policy" on the
web calendar which states as follows:

	"Service Fee will be assessed for missed appointment. 
	However, I do accept excuses on individual basis."

	I don't call the night before, and rarely have no-shows.  The software
generates the reminders automatically.  
	
	Paul McCloud
	San Diego
	www.AccutonePianoService.com




> [Original Message]
> From: Tom Gorley <tomgorley88 at sonic.net>
> To: <sytekdavies at btc-bci.com>; <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Date: 01/31/2011 8:27:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] What do you say?
>
> Years ago I thought that I would start giving reminder calls in order to
prevent no-shows.  The first few customers saw that as an opportunity  to
cancel or postpone. (apparently they would not have been no-shows had I not
called).  So I trashed that idea.
>
>             --- Tom Gorley 
>
>
> On Jan 31, 2011, at 7:49 PM, sytekdavies at btc-bci.com wrote:
>
> > Email reminders would be nice, but many of my clients are older and
either not online or they aren't proficient with the online world...for
those folks my reminder card appears their easiest option;  but the email
route has promise...something to think on....
> > 
> > Rick Davies (RPD at Forums) www.actionpianoservice.com
> > Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with Nextel Direct Connect
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
> > Sender: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
> > Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:36:16 
> > To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
> > Reply-To: pianotech at ptg.org
> > Subject: Re: [pianotech] What do you say?
> > 
> > I’m slowly getting to a complete email reminder system (almost there). 
I
> > find it gets a much higher level of response.  It think there’s a
couple of
> > reasons for that.  First, the postcard doesn’t get thrown in the trash
or
> > piled underneath debris on the kitchen counter.  People tend to keep
emails
> > that they might act on in their inbox where they get a constant reminder
> > every time they log on.  They can throw out a response easily and in a
> > detached way that is some less threatening than to have to come up with
a
> > date or an answer right there on the phone where they might feel unduly
> > pressured.  People can throw out some possible dates, the
communications can
> > go back and forth easily until something is decided.  While I’ve not
kept
> > official stats I noticed through the first several months that my
percentage
> > of immediate responses increased quite a bit.  The only downside is
that you
> > don’t know for sure whether you’ve been filtered into the junk mail or
spam
> > arrest filter.  When I set up the accounts with them and take the
initial
> > data I take their email addresses and let them know that I send email
> > reminders every 6 months or as often as they prefer.  I ask them to be
sure
> > that my email is allowed access or if they prefer not to get emails to
let
> > me know and I’ll happily send them reminders in the fashion they choose.
> > Worth considering.  It’s a hell of a lot easier once it’s set up and
cheaper
> > too—no postage, no postcards.  Email is rapidly becoming the modern
standard
> > for communications, if it isn’t already.  I don’t like calling people
mainly
> > because I don’t like getting called myself about things like that.  An
email
> > is much more innocuous and, so far, more effective.  
> > 
> > David Love
> > www.davidlovepianos.com
> > 
> >  
> > Those are the people who aggravate me the most. I send them a reminder.
> > Should I call them on top of that, too?  Isn't that a little over kill?
> >  
> > Wim
> > 
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >