As much as we want computers to do all of our work, at some point we have to get personally involved when it comes to scheduling appointments or reminding people to get their piano tuned. First of all, about one third of my customers are prescheduled. That comes to almost 10 appointments a week. (I wrote an article in eh Journal about that a couple of months ago). In regards to the rest of my customers, I send them a simple post card for 5 years in the month I last tuned their piano, basically saying it's time to get the piano tuned. Above their name on the mailing label it shows the month and year I tuned the piano. I send them out, but honestly, I get maybe 2 or 3 calls a month, if that many. But I send them anyway to keep my name out there. I don't make phone calls. I get phone calls, but because I have my calendar with me on my phone, I can make appointments almost anytime, anywhere. But now that I am getting a new website which gives customers the opportunity to schedule appointments, I might never have to get on the phone again. :) Wim -----Original Message----- From: Paul McCloud <pmc033 at earthlink.net> To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org> Sent: Thu, Oct 18, 2012 5:23 pm Subject: Re: [pianotech] soliciting testimonials or customer comments? Hi, Wim: I use another web based scheduling service from AppointmentQuest. I have some of the same issues as Genbooks, because I sometimes have clients sign up in distant areas of town. I have to monitor my emails closely to see if anyone has made an appointment, and then sync the information to get it into my iPhone. I'm working on a Filemaker database so that I can have a secretary call people to remind them, and not get things mixed up. If these programs would only have a feature that they would automatically remind people to have their pianos tuned, that would be great. Since I haven't found one, I have to pay to have a program customized for me. I have many clients in the ApptQuest online database, so at least I don't have to type them all in. Years ago, I was told about ApptQuest by Brad Smith. He has different calendars for different parts of his service area, so that customers in those areas can only make appointments on certain days. I have not done that, because I don't want to lose a potential customer because they don't have an opening on their day off. It might be a possible solution for you. Paul McCloud San Diego ----- Original Message ----- From: tnrwim at aol.com To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2012 7:14:54 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] soliciting testimonials or customer comments? Jerry After discussing this with my computer guy, we've decided not to use Genbooks after all. One of the prime reason is the scheduling. I like to bundle my appointments as much as possible, so as not to have to drive from one end of the island to the other. I don't know how you get around that, but it does create a problem for me, especially during certain parts of the day. The other thing I didn't like was having to transfer all my appointments to Genbooks. What we are going to do, however, is almost as good. My new website will allow a customer to request three different times, after he/she has filled in the address and phone number. That gives me more control over the scheduling. I've been more or less doing that now, when they send an e-mail asking to get the piano tuned. I then have to respond to get their address etc., and.It often takes three or four e-mails to set something up. Now I will have all if their information, and we can set something up right away. I still only have to use Outlook, which is synced to me computer and iphone. I am also going to see if there is a way to send reminders and ask for testimonials, which was the original topic of this discussion. Wim . -----Original Message----- From: Jerry Groot <tunerboy3 at comcast.net> To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org> Sent: Tue, Oct 16, 2012 2:18 am Subject: Re: [pianotech] soliciting testimonials or customer comments? Hi Wim, Great!! You’ll love it! It took me a couple/few months before people started using it as much as I thought they should. When people call my business line, I made a voice message saying that they can go to my website and book from there if they wish. Genbook really comes in handy with my college where we book a ton of concert tunings and other stuff in there. The phone tag and email tag is virtually ended but for some sort of emergency, broken wire or something. Of course, there is a bit of a learning curve too, like with anything else. But, if I can learn it, anyone can! J There is a place in Outlook that took me FOREVER to find where once we have Genbook set up to sync without computer, we “MUST click Genbook” in our Outlook. Genbook had to help me find it but, once it was clicked, it synced together perfectly and the total cost is only $20 a month. That place is located on the left side of Outlook. Click your calendar. Then look for “all calendar items. Click that. Down below that, you will see, Genbook. Click that box. It will only show up there once you have Genbook set up ON Genbook’s web page to sync with your Outlook, Gmail etc. Not only that but, there is little chance of losing this information for example, if your computer were to crash, you’d be screwed. Genbook can be accessed from any computer, anywhere so long as you remember the password. So now you can book from the clients home as well. I have my main computer backed up, now it is online at Genbook as well so, I’m saved in two places. AND, once the information is entered that you require the client to enter, next time it is filled in, you start filling in the customers name, say Wim -----as soon as Wim is typed in, anyone with the first name of Wim comes up. Hit the tab button to bring you to the 2 nd name Blees… Click on what it brings up and it auto fills out the remaining fields for you with the name, address, email, phone number etc… Feel free anyone to look around, click on a tuning for example to see what you see from there…. www.grootpiano.com in case you forgot what it was. There are so many great features with it, I can’t list them all so I touch on the ones I like the most. Another being, that when they do get their confirmation email, should something pop up, I allow them to be able (notice I said I allow them, there is a feature in Genbook that allows you to let them cancel within a certain amount of time too) to cancel or change the appointment from that email which people have done from time to time. Screwed up or, had a death in the family. Jer From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [ mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org ] On Behalf Of tnrwim at aol.com Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 12:17 AM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] soliciting testimonials or customer comments? Gerry I just signed up for this service and sent it my computer guy. I like that it automatically sets up the appointment to my outlook, which is also synced to my IPhone, so I can see right away when a new app is made. The only draw back, as you said, Is when some one schedules an appointment on the north side when I have another appointment on the south side, with no travel time in between. But, as you said, it's a small problem to deal with. The important thing is that customers can now schedule an appointment on line, which seems to be how things are going to done in the future Thanks for recommending this program Wim Sent from my iPhone On Oct 15, 2012, at 3:15 PM, "Jerry Groot" < tunerboy3 at comcast.net > wrote: Hi Rick, No, they can’t. Only I can see my whole calendar and what’s booked. What they see is only what times I have made available to them to choose from and that’s it. They have the choice of picking what suits them best. I can block a day, a part of a day, an appointment time, block out my vacation dates etc., so nobody can book a thing. Or, I can open something up with one click if I blocked it out holding it for a church or for someone else. When people book an appointment they have exactly 5 minutes to complete it. That way, they can’t hold open a time slot while they answer a phone call or while they fool around texting or whatever. After that 5 minute time frame is up and if they haven’t hit the confirm button, it auto exits them out. Then, they have to start over again.. I like that feature. If they book the appointment, it will take them less than 2 minutes to fill it all out. You can also require a credit card for confirmation if you choose. I don’t use that feature as I think it would be a turn off. At least it would for me. The reason for it, is for no shows but, when they book the appointment, it sends them an email immediately confirming the chosen date. 24 hours prior to our appointment, it sends them a reminder email with information that I personally placed in there for them to read such as: “In most cases, I will not have to move the piano away from the wall. Please remove all items off from the piano prior to my arrival. Please do not run the dishwasher, load it, or unload it or the vacuum cleaner. I will need it relatively quiet to do my job correctly.” Etc…. Whatever you’d like for it to say. When they set up an appointment, it also auto blocks out that time slot on both Genbook and on my computers Outlook calendar which it is set up to auto coordinate with Genbook without me having to do a thing at all with it.. I come home see that someone booked an appointment and that’s pretty much it. As for distances, that’s the only drawback. You could say something like my travel area is generally let’s say “15 miles from wherever you live. If you are outside of this area, please call me.” You can set it up too, if you don’t want to service for a particular customer for any reason, that they cannot book an appointment online at all! I have only had one time so far, where I had to reschedule someone that was way out of where I was going to go on that day. They were very understanding about it. Everything has its drawbacks…. But, there are far too many positives for me that I can overlook this one. Jerry Groot RPT From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [ mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org ] On Behalf Of richarducci at comcast.net Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 7:57 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: [pianotech] soliciting testimonials or customer comments? Hey Jerry, can the people booking appointments see you whole calendar? Does it block out times that are already booked? What about distances between appointments? Rick Ucci Uccipiano.com 609-677-0444 On Oct 15, 2012, at 2:51 PM, "Jerry Groot" < tunerboy3 at comcast.net > wrote: If you go to my website, www.grootpiano.com you will see that people can schedule their own tunings at specific times that I have specified. And, you can see any reviews that people have sent to me. FYI, I was booked through November but, I had a “few” changes take place recently so I have a few openings left for this month now. Be that as it may, they can very easily book with me directly online now and many of them do so. Everyone loves it! Especially those that I have to schedule often like my college concert tunings and other venues. It virtually eliminates playing phone tag!!!!!! I’ve been using this service, “Genbook” for scheduling now for about 8 months upon the recommendation of a friend, Loren DiGiorgi who has used it for several years. I love it. An email goes out the day after the appointment has occurred, asking the client to click on a link and provide some feedback on his/her experience. They can say whatever they wish, good, or bad, it is totally their choice… Jerry Groot RPT From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [ mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org ] On Behalf Of Richard W. Bushey Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 1:47 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] soliciting testimonials or customer comments? Also, is it better to have them write to you or about your services? Or does it matter? Richard W. Bushey Richard's Piano Service www.RichardsPianoService.com Rbushey at RichardsPianoService.com 573-765-9903 ----- Original Message ----- From: Richard W. Bushey To: pianotech at ptg.org Sent: Monday, October 15, 2012 12:44 PM Subject: [pianotech] soliciting testimonials or customer comments? I have seen several technician's websites that include testimonials or customer comments about one's services (including all aspects of tuning/repair, etc. as well as specifically about Dampp-Chaser installations), and was considering adding a page such as this for my services. I was wondering what you all feel is the proper way to acquire, ask permission to use, etc? OR do you feel that they are even helpful, necessary, or not? It is always awkward asking people to "dote" on you, however, I think it is still an honest way for potential customers to see that you are legit, punctual, careful, polite, etc. without you having to "blow your own horn" so to speak. They will have a tendency to believe what others say collectively about you. Anyway, if one (me or anyone else) wants to include them on their website, I guess I'm curious if one should wait for unsolicited comments (cards, emails, etc. that just show up without you asking), or is it alright to ask present and/or former clients (by email, request at the time of tuning, etc.) if they would be willing and able to write an honest note (by email, cards, comment boxes on blogs, facebook entries, etc.) about one's services with the understanding that anything written could be used on one's website or other publications such as brochures, etc? So, what do you all do? Richard W. Bushey Richard's Piano Service www.RichardsPianoService.com Rbushey at RichardsPianoService.com 573-765-9903 I am using the Free version of SPAMfighter . SPAMfighter has removed 1000 of my spam emails to date. Do you have a slow PC? 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