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<DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT =
face=Arial>Alan
wrote:</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT
face=Arial><EM>"Lately I've been ducking the whole "how much do you =
charge
thing" quite succesfully with calls like you describe. I simply say: "I =
don't
want to quote anything before I see a piano for the first
time."</EM></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
class=765023701-14012005><EM>(snip)</EM></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><EM>"Also, this let's me.....estimate the =
family's
financial situation, find out how much the piano means to them,
etc."</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Hmmmmm. Sounds suspicious to me. Don't you even =
have a
standard tuning fee?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=tune4u@earthlink.net =
href="mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net">Alan</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech'</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 13, =
2005 8:50
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Pitch Raise and =
String
Breakage</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>Lately I've =
been ducking
the whole "how much do you charge thing" quite succesfully with calls =
like you
describe. I simply say: "I don't want to quote anything before I see a =
piano
for the first time. I'll examine it and then we can discuss what is =
needed and
agree on things before I do any work. Fair enough?" Or something =
to that
effect. Seems to be accepted very well and I haven't wasted a trip
yet.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>Then, when I =
see that
it's 87 cents flat with rusty coils and mouse nests, we can talk face =
to face
about needs, options, etc., and do the "selling" on a personal basis. =
To me,
that is always better than "selling" anything over the phone where you =
don't
really know what's what with the piano. Also, this let's me establish =
a
rapport with the customer so I can read their body language, estimate =
the
family's financial situation, find out how much the piano means to =
them, etc.
At this time, before starting, I say things like: </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>"These =
strings may be
rusty enough or old enough that some of them may pop while
tuning."</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>"Though I =
will be
careful, metal under tension loses its elasticity, or ability to
stretch, over time and gets brittle."</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>"You been =
taking these
strings to the beach with you, or what!?! </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan R. Barnard</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Salem, MO</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr =
align=left><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On =
Behalf Of
</B>Matthew Todd<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 13, 2005 5:11
PM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech<BR><B>Subject:</B> Pitch Raise and String =
Breakage<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>Hi List,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When you're on the phone scheduling an appointment with a =
client, and
you ask the question "How long has it been since the piano was last =
tuned",
and they say "over 10 years", then you mention the pitch raise and =
the extra
cost involved, and that their piano may need it....do you also =
mention that
some strings might break over the phone, or do you wait =
till you're at
their home before you bring it up?</DIV><BR><BR>Matthew Todd<BR>Todd =
Piano
Works<BR>Piano Tuner/Technician<BR>Tuning - Repairing - Regulating
<P>
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