<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2180" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><SPAN class=488384720-01112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2>Hi <FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000000 size=3>Avery and all</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=488384720-01112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=488384720-01112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2>This was the best opinion on this subject to my knowledge so far.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=488384720-01112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=488384720-01112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2>It seems to be all about cost.  This is unfortunately the best way too loose existing clients, churches or not.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=488384720-01112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=488384720-01112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2>However, I'll never use the "cut throat" strategy myself, but for some reason some of the piano technicians in our city believe that they might get much more work if they can do the work as cheap as possible. Although I'm not the cheapest in town, I still have enough work to feed my family.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=488384720-01112006></SPAN><SPAN class=488384720-01112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Kallie Swanepoel</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Piano Tuner/Klavierstemmer</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Skype Name:<BR>KallieSwanepoel<BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Phone: +27 (0) 12 379 3762<BR>Mobile: +27 (0) 83 261 6942<BR>Voice Link: +27 (0) 88 129 8775<BR>Fax: +27 (0) 86 633 2999<BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2><A href="http://www.kallieswanepoel.co.za/">http://www.kallieswanepoel.co.za</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Avery<BR><B>Sent:</B> 01 November 2006 21:58<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech List<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: piano tuning- fickle church accounts<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT size=3>Dean, etc. <BR><BR>In my experience, it's usually because someone contacted them who's cheaper than you are. It normally doesn't have much to do with the quality of your work! :-( Thankfully, the few churches I do work for are faithful to me! Not to the price! <BR><BR>Avery <BR><BR>At 07:20 AM 11/1/2006, you wrote:<BR></FONT> <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica" color=#000080 size=2>I just lost a long time church account, no reason given. It is pretty frustrating as I have supplied concert pianos to them at no cost in years past for special events. The last time I was out their dampchaser was unplugged. I plugged it in, reminded them how important it was to keep it plugged in and came back in two weeks. It was unplugged again. I helped them get set up with an extension cord to plug it in further away. Now I’m out $170+ for two missed appointments. Next time I call the secretary tells me the board has decided to use someone else. Sigh. Twice I’ve nearly stopped by the church to press them for a reason, but I’ve decided to take the high road.<BR> <BR>Whenever the pianist changes, music director or pastor, we are in danger of losing the account. Loyalty isn’t real high. That’s why it is important to send regular reminders to the office to let them know you are out there. <BR> <BR>Dean<BR> <BR> <HR> <DIV align=center></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" eudora="autourl"> mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Leslie Bartlett<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 31, 2006 9:24 PM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> FW: piano tuning<BR></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3> <BR></FONT><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica" color=#0000ff size=2>Years ago, a newbie, I tuned for this large church.  About three years in they replaced me without telling me.  That has been a few.  So I wrote their organist and asked him if he could recall why they replaced me. The reply left me somewhat amused.  Thought I would share it FWIW.<BR>les bartlett<BR></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3> <BR> <HR> <DIV align=center></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> Scott</FONT><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica" color=#0000ff size=2> / </FONT><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>FoundryChurch] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 03, 2006 9:58 AM<BR><B>To:</B> l-bartlett@sbcglobal.net<BR><B>Cc:</B> Joleen<BR><B>Subject:</B> piano tuning<BR></FONT><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica" size=2>Hi Les,<BR> <BR>To be honest, I cannot remember much about why we changed tuners. We have actually had several tuners over the years.<BR> <BR>I wish the best of luck to you in your continued endeavors.<BR> <BR>SCOTT<BR></FONT><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3> <BR></FONT><BR><FONT face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3> <BR></FONT><BR><FONT size=2>--<BR>No virus found in this outgoing message.<BR>Checked by AVG Free Edition.<BR>Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.13.20/508 - Release Date: 10/31/2006</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>