[pianotech] Conventions ( was Pianotech? )

[tnrwim at aol.com]

Duaine

Excuses, excuses. That's all I ever hear from you. No wonder you don't have enough business. Have you considered asking Bill Trefts or Bill Reichert to look at your work to see if it could use improving? Have you considered going to chapter meetings and asking the members what business techniques you can use to get more business? Of course not. And I'm sure you'll come with an excuse. 

Basically, Duaine, as Tom said, you need to re-evaluate your line of work. Obviously player work isn't doing it for you. For the sake of your family, perhaps it's time to find a real lob, one where you can make some money, and do the player work as a hobby. And I'm sure you'll come up with an excuse why this won't work. 

Wim

 



-----Original Message-----
From: Duaine Hechler <dahechler at att.net>
To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Tue, Jul 17, 2012 7:51 pm
Subject: [pianotech] Conventions ( was Pianotech? )


Mainly to Wim,
Your Perennial is GREAT.
BUT, you keep forgetting many multiple factors.
1) Is money - I don't have $3000 on a convention - any convention - not even 
1000. At least 95% of my profit goes back 
ut in supplies. Leather and felt punchings, bellows cloth, etc. ain't cheap. 
long with glue and other misc supplies. 
lus, this economy is NOT helping any. And don't think about telling me to raise 
y rates - as it is - people gasp when 
 tell them how much a player rebuild will be (it is mostly labor).
2) I am currently doing a piano roll recut program where people order a piano 
oll from my private collection, send it 
n to have it scanned and recut as a new roll. Now, the recutting process 
equires a minimum run of 5 rolls. So right 
ff the bat, I have to pay for 5 of the same roll to sell even one. So 1 from 5 
s 4 - that I have to find a way to sell 
 currently listing them on eBay - and that costs is monthly advertising fees.
3) You say that I could hone my skills. Hone my skills on WHAT ? That would be 
reat of 99% of my clientele were GRANDS 
 which it AIN'T. I get 99% of old beaters, studios, consoles, spinets, players, 
tc which once every 5 to NEVER years 
ets tuned. Just about the only repeat customers I have, for tunings, are player 
iano customers because they - USE - 
heir pianos. I've had several churches, but somehow they die on me - closed, 
oved, abandoned, no funds, etc.
4) My main stay is rebuilding players and reed organs with an occasional 
elodeon thrown in the mix. For players, by the 
ime the customer pays for the player rebuild, there is not much left over for 
icety addons like a new soundboard, etc. 
ts basically - fix - everything that is absolutely needed - like cracks in the 
oundboard, bridle straps and new 
ammers - just maybe new dampers. And of course, the necessity of piano - and - 
layer regulation.
5) As you can probably remember, there are many techs competing for clientele in 
he St. Louis Metro area. And most of 
hem have been around a LONG time to get the - REPEAT - clientele.
6) Finally, as I have said my times before, the organization is geared towards 
rands - and - clients with lots of money 
o spend.
7) Furthermore, It has been 3 months since my last tuning !!!!!
So, if, and when, I can ever get my head above water, I will go to the next 
onvention,
uaine
On 07/17/2012 01:53 PM, tnrwim at aol.com wrote:

     Well, Wim, Not everyone can make it to the convention ;-)

     So there .............




 Duaine
 There are piano tuners who say they can't afford to attend the convention. 
here are piano tuners who say they don't 
 have the time. And there are piano tuners who think the convention is not 
orth attending. But then there are piano 
 tuners for whom the PTG Annual Convention is THE most important event of the 
ear, and they will do anything to 
 attend. What so ironic is that they keep showing up year after year, because 
hey've somehow found the time and the 
 money to attend. Maybe there's something to that.
 Attached is an article I wrote after the convention in 1995, which I've 
pdated for this year. But the sentiment is 
 the same.  It probably won't change your mind about not wanting to come to 
hicago next year, but it's at least a 
 different perspective of why my wife and I go every year.
 Wim

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Duaine Hechler <dahechler at att.net>
 To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
 Sent: Tue, Jul 17, 2012 7:58 am
 Subject: Re: [pianotech] Pianotech?

 Well, Wim, Not everyone can make it to the convention ;-)

 So there .............

 On 07/17/2012 12:37 PM,tnrwim at aol.com  <mailto:tnrwim at aol.com>  wrote:
 >  If you would have come to the convention you would have found out.
 >
 >  Wim :)
 >
 >  Yes, it will continue for at least another 6 months
 >
 >  Sent from my iPhone
 >
 >  On Jul 17, 2012, at 10:00 AM, "Joseph Garrett"<joegarrett at earthlink.net  
mailto:joegarrett at earthlink.net>>
 wrote:
 >
 >>  Any news on the destiny of this list?
 >>  Joe
 >>
 >>
 >>  Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
 >>  Captain of the Tool Police
 >>  Squares R I
 >>


 -- 
 Duaine Hechler
 Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ
 Tuning, Servicing&   Rebuilding
 Reed Organ Society Member
 Florissant, MO 63034
 (314) 838-5587
 dahechler at att.net  <mailto:dahechler at att.net>
 www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com  <http://www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com/>
 --
 Home&   Business user of Linux - 11 years


- 
uaine Hechler
iano, Player Piano, Pump Organ
uning, Servicing&  Rebuilding
eed Organ Society Member
lorissant, MO 63034
314) 838-5587
ahechler at att.net
ww.hechlerpianoandorgan.com
-
ome&  Business user of Linux - 11 years

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