<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2963" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When conversation, kids, TV, dishwasher, etc. are making too much noise, IMHO, the best thing to do is a straight-forward assertive request: "Would you mind turning the TV off or the volume way down because it is very difficult to hear the things I need to hear to tune your piano." Most folks are very accommodating I find. Then as they are turning the TV off/down I tell them "the quality of tuning that I can do to your piano is directly proportional to the amount of quiet I get." They usually signal with an understanding smile.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>But I have found that when there is not a stay-at-home adult in the home, and someone has to take a day off work, they tend to schedule the plumber, the carpenter, the lawn crew, the roofer, and the piano tuner all on the same day. That's a tough one. Best I think to simply advise them about next time.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I don't run into many parrots in the Tampa area - thank goodness!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>One time I did have a little girl who, regardless of how many times I asked her not to, with every new note I tried to tune, would pick up her violin and "try" to mimic that note. Mom was nowhere to be found..... Gosh, that was a rough one!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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"> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Does anyone have a simple handout, maybe comical or whimsical, that you use to give new customers upon entering their home -- something that points out you can do a better job for tuning for them if lawnmovers, dishwashers, parrots, kids, TVs, washers, sweepers, other workersw, whatevers, are kept to a dull roar?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I sometimes tell noisy customers this but I confess to feeling  a bit priggish when I do.  But as you all know, you do a better job for them when it's QUIET.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I was thinking a simple, comical, colorful handout at the beginning of an appointment might do the trick.  Anyone do this?  Share?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dave Smith</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>SW FL, home of the 10,000 parrots in cages near the pianos.  Bong, Squakk< Bong, Squakk.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>