[pianotech] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)(OT)

[Paul T Williams]

Hey Ryan,

I might have a problem coming up with $450/year for dues.  I'm, as you 
know, a CAUT, and due to all the university cuts in this and that, my 
salary has not gone up for 2 years, and wasn't huge to begin with.  My 
fault I guess for getting into the university setting.  When I began, I 
was in love with this job, as I could finally just do all the things I 
have learned over the years without selling anything.  My clientele was, 
on average, not interested in anything but basic service. Now, I rebuild, 
restring, etc with only my budget to argue with.  And...it's a very nice 
budget...just got bumped up, too!  a lot!, but my salary only just got 
raised 2%. Amazing, though, considering the state of the U. I guess they 
like me and know they're getting a great bargain for my services. The 2% 
doesn't even begin to catch up with what I started with.  It was my 
gamble, and I lost.

However, my salary has not gone up by very much since I started here 5 
years ago. With all the everything else that has gone up, it's pretty much 
swallowed up in life, so a $450 dues charge would be quite a tough hit on 
my family...especially right after the holiday season.

I have no way to raise my rates to compensate.  It is a great thing we 
have in PTG, but I would hate for a lot of folks to drop out just because 
they can't afford it. That would create a bad scene.

Best,

Paul




From:
Ryan Sowers <tunerryan at gmail.com>
To:
pianotech at ptg.org
Date:
07/01/2011 01:44 PM
Subject:
Re: [pianotech] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on 
PTG-L)(OT)



Like our piano service businesses, when you raise your rates, you mostly 
lose the lowest level of your clientele and keep the bottom feeders out of 
range. I think most technicians underestimate what they can charge. I 
don't think we should underestimate members willingness to pay for a top 
notch organization. 

If you are a full time technician $450 a year is a drop in the bucket in 
your yearly expenses. 

Ryan Sowers



On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 10:05 AM, Coleman, Jim <jcolem21 at utk.edu> wrote:
Alan & All,
About 3 years ago my report to Council stated that for PTG to be a dues 
based operation the dues would have to be around $350.  Since then the 
cost of doing everything has gone up.  In today’s dollars they would 
probably need to be $400-$450.
Personally I think that is where we should be (and it  would still be a 
bargin) but as Dale Probst has stated, we do not know what the fall-out 
would be in terms of losing members.
 
See you in KC!
 
Jim Coleman, Jr   RPT
  Staff Piano Technician
     University of Tennessee
     Knoxville, TN
 (865) 748-0998
(602) 989-0005
 



-- 
Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
Olympia, WA
www.pianova.net


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