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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I know <span class=GramE>its</span>
totally after the fact, but here it is still.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>When I’m tuning brand new pianos I
tell the customer that the first year the piano is in the new home it will go
through many changes in the first year. <span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>During these changes it should be tuned
as much as often, 3 or 4 times depending where the piano sits at every tuning,
the first year.<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span>Then I have them
set up the appointment right there and then.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This is the manufacturers’ recommendations
and you save your butt during dramatic seasonal changes.<span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> </span><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I don’t know if it helps now but that’s
how I do it.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>~G<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>__________________________</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>Gregory P. Cheng RPT</span></font><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;mso-no-proof:yes'>West Chester PA 19382</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org
[mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf
Of </span></b>piannaman@aol.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Tuesday, May 23, 2006 10:10
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> pianotech@ptg.org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> What would you do?
Ethical questions.</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> Hi All,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Yesterday I got a call from a lady whose piano I tuned 2
months ago. That appointment was the store-paid-for tuning on a
nice new small upright piano. Prior to that appointment, I'd misplaced
her on my schedule and was a no-show...embarassing, something I never do, and
we all hate it when it happens to us.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>She said that the piano was already out of tune after two
months--not surprising given the recent weather changes and the fact that it's
a new piano that was 10c # at the first appointment. We set up an
appointment, then she asked if this was paid for by the dealer. I said
no, tunings are not a warranty problem, pianos go out of tune, yada, yada,
yada. She asked how much. I quoted her my normal price.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>She didn't exactly blow, but she was not a happy
camper. I explained to her that I am an independent tech, and that I
couldn't be responsible for factors beyond my control, such as the newness of
the piano and the change of weather (from cold and wet to warm and dry).
In the end she said, "I'll find someone else!" End of
conversation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>I thought about it, and tried to see it from her
perspective. I called her back and offered her a discounted rate--trying
to placate her and smooth things over. NO go. She still intended to
call someone else. End of conversation.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>So I'm tuning along on the morning's piano when the fact
that I'd missed our first appointment slapped me in the face. While not
responsible for the aforementioned factors, I WAS responsible for wasting a
couple of hours of her day on a prior occasion. I called back
and left her a message to the effect that I would be happy to come and make up
the time that I'd cost her that day. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>I don't expect a call back from her--ever. The
bridge is burned, whatever trust there was is gone. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>What would you have done when faced with a phone call like
the first one? Stuck to your guns for the full price, offered a discount,
or come back for free?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>IN the end, I'm somewhere between feeling better because I
did everything I could to remedy things, and feeling like I caved in a big way.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>Thanks in advance for any input<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>Dave Stahl<br>
<br>
<br>
Dave Stahl Piano Service<br>
650-224-3560<br>
dstahlpiano@sbcglobal.net<br>
http://dstahlpiano.net/<br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![if !supportLineBreakNewLine]><br style='mso-special-character:line-break'>
<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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