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<P>Ha...I sent the same analogy a moment before I read yours...;-]</P>
<P><BR>David Ilvedson, RPT<BR>Pacifica, California<BR><BR><BR></P>
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Original message<BR>From: "John Formsma" <JOHN@FORMSMAPIANO.COM><BR>To:=
Pianotech <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Received: 12/20/2005 3:06:22 PM<BR>Su=
bject: Re: How to explain a pitch adjustment<BR><BR>
<P align=left><FONT size=-1><FONT face=Verdana>As Dean wrote, "pr=
e-selling" the pitch raise on the phone has worked very well for me, to=
o.<BR><BR>Remember to always keep the explanation as simple as possible=
. The customer doesn't live and breathe piano technology like we do, so=
keep it simple. They don't care about a 33% pitch drop. (I've seen the=
glazed eyes from my own explanations - that's how I know <grin>.=
)<BR><BR>I often will simply state (ideally, on the phone) that it's im=
possible to do a fine tuning unless the piano is close to standard pitc=
h. When that is stated confidently, it's usually not a problem. If need=
ed, a fairly universal example is painting a purple wall ... white. You=
can't do it with only one coat - it requires two or more. Most people =
understand that if it has been "years" since the last tuning, it can't =
be done with only one pass.<BR><BR>John Formsma<BR><BR><BR></FONT></FON=
T>Geoff Sykes wrote: </P>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid002d01c605a6$3912a0f0$6500a8c0@geoff2r3ofonmy typ=
e="cite">
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=906542820-20122005>Greet=
ings all --</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=906542820-20122005></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=906542820-20122005>Many =
pianos need a pitch adjustment prior to tuning. Usually because it hasn=
't been touched in five years. Therefore, like many of you I'm sure, I =
frequently find myself having to explain to customers what a pitch adju=
stment is, and why their piano needs one prior to tuning. I have found =
that car analogies often help when explaining things but I have not bee=
n able to come up with one that would help with a pitch adjustment. Eve=
n after explaining, as simply as I know how, the relationship of the in=
credible string tension across the plate and why it needs to be eq=
ualized before a fine tuning will hold, I often feel like I'm comi=
ng off trying to sell them something bogus. </SPAN></FONT><FONT face==
Arial size=2><SPAN class=906542820-20122005>How do you people expla=
in pitch adjustments to your customers whose piano needs it so tha=
t they not only understand what it is but why it's important that their=
piano gets one prior to tuning?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=906542820-20122005></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=906542820-20122005>-- Ge=
off Sykes</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=906542820-20122005>-- As=
soc. Los Angeles</SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></BODY></HTML>