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<DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=2>I find no shows to be particularly irritating for many of the reasons mentioned below. They can generally be avoided by calling a day before to remind of the appointment. Since many of us are booking my appointments a couple of weeks in advance (or more), it is easy for a customer who is not methodical about recording and reviewing scheduled appointments to forget. So I try and call just prior to the scheduled appointment just to remind them. If they aren't home, I leave a message. I often do this the day before using my cell phone, which I carry, between appointments or when I have a free moment. Then I don't have to spend time sitting down to the phone at night after I get home. </FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>David Love</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net">davidlovepianos@earthlink.net</A></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=cedel@supernet.com href="mailto:cedel@supernet.com">Clyde Hollinger</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> 2/2/2003 4:26:41 AM </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Feb Journal</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2>Jonathan,
<P>How do you manage to have no-shows only for the last appointment?
<P>I used to get upset about no-shows. Nowadays I'm more ambiguous on the subject.
<P>Plus: A (usually) welcome break in the day. Minuses: I frequently turn business away to keep my schedule sane, and that appointment could have been used by someone who really wanted it. Also, my income for that day will decrease 20%
<P>I leave a form letter at the door of no-shows. It states that if there was an unforeseen emergency, just let me know and we'll reschedule -- no problem. If there was an oversight on their part, we all make mistakes, but there is a loss for me because now it will take two appointments when I will only be paid for one. Our policy is to absorb the loss for the first occurrence. Second occurrence will yield a bill for half the normal tuning charge. It is up to the client to contact me if they want to reschedule.
<P>I'm not aware that anyone has gotten angry over my policy. It also does a little to educate the client, who may have never stopped to think of the impact on the tuner's life. Some call back to reschedule with profuse apologies. Others I never hear from again. I don't get upset. Life is life.
<P>Contrary to Wim's statement that he will never get paid for no-shows, it can happen, but it's rare. One woman felt so badly that she sent me a check for the full tuning charge. I followed my policy, rescheduled, and charged nothing additional for the "prepaid" tuning.
<P>Regards, <BR>Clyde Hollinger, RPT <BR>Lititz, PA, USA </P></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>