<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I politely decline service periodically.  Some pianos are cans of worms that only create headaches.  Usually the people who own them don’t want to or can’t pay what is really necessary to fix them properly.  You end up doing a compromised job that more often than not just makes you look bad.  In such cases I do take the time to discuss why such a piano is not worth their time or money, I make suggestions about alternatives, other pianos they might consider purchasing in their price range that will be serviceable.  Most of the time they are thankful that you don’t lead them down a road that costs them money that is not well spent.  Often they offer to pay me for the information I have given them.  I have gained many long term customers this way and sometimes made a commission finding them a piano.  Declining service on a piano is sometimes the right thing to do, in my view.  How you can turn what appears to be a bummer appointment and a total loss into something profitable for all concerned can be a challenge, but it is doable.  </span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p> <div> <p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt; color:navy'>David Love</span></font><font size=2 color=navy><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'><br> davidlovepianos@comcast.net<br> www.davidlovepianos.com</span></font><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'> </span></font></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></font></b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> Service Refusal</span></font></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I had a first today. I went to an appointment and refused to tune a piano.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>1908 Cable upright. The piano had the tubbiest/deadest bass strings I have ever heard, bass bridge was cracked and forward pins were migrating, dampers missing, half the hammers were bobbling, extremely rusty strings (home was subject to Hurricane Charlie damage), loose tuning pins, etc., etc. (need I say more?).</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I've never had to do it, but I refused to tune her piano. I've certainly seen similar and worse pianos, but the owner's have understood that the piano was toast (even when it was a family heirloom). This lady wanted the damn thing tuned. Amazing.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>I told her: "Sorry, call somebody else."   :-(</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>What a bummer appointment. I don't have very many of those...... :-)</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Terry Farrell</span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> </div> </body> </html>