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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Long rant, sorry.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jon, et al,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I really agree with your approach. I, too, have
given up dealer work for the same reasons. I have myself to blame as well. Since
I cut my teeth on dealer work in my early career I had no firm views about
handling the dealer relationship vis a vis piano needs or customer relations. My
philosophy only evolved after much, shall we say, trial and error being
committed on my part as well as the dealers'. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Now I have a much more 'mature' view of things and
can see how and why errors occurred, mistakes made in judgment, and pianos left
in limbo, their faults to be resolved by future professional techs ready to
correct perhaps what should have been done years in the past, possibly under the
auspices of a warranty or dealer program.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Just moments ago I got off the phone with a new
"dealer", who shall remain anonymous for now. The communication went like
this:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dealer wants me to do a local tuning at 'cost' and
send the bill, here's the info: Blah, Blah, Blah.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Whoa, says I, lets back up a bit. I tell them that
my fee is $XXX plus $XX per hour over and above the tuning. I tell them I don't
need the extra work at reduced price, I don't care for their unprepared pianos
that go out the door, and I don't like covering up that fact either by them or
by me acting on their behalf when I represent them in the home.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Speechless, the gal trying to make the arrangements
stammers out that, gee, she likes my train of thought, but she'll never get her
manager to approve of my fees or probably my approach. But, she likes my 'stick
to my guns' attitude and professional bearing, so she says she'll discuss with
the manager and get back to me.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We'll see how this shakes out. I am not about to
get involved misrepresenting products for anyone again. Or getting myself into
situations that are untenable for me, the piano or the customer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jon, your comments also point out the need for
piano techs to be better informed and more conscious of what is really going on
in the dealer - technician relationship. My personal take, based just on my own
experience, points to naiveté in my part and total lack of training to see the
problems in a piano at the dealer level and to speak up. The fees that we were
supposed to accept were always supported with the solicitous " That's so you can
get the customer for your very own" crap. Also, the famous bit: "We let you
work on pianos to get experience, why should we pay you the going rate at
retail"?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dealer work - what a subject for discussion. Many
of us are strongly opinionated about the various aspects, but for those of us
residing more in the negative camp, I suggest that we have caused as much of the
problem by cow-towing to the stores' policies as much as anything the dealer
overtly or covertly does. We have lacked backbone and conviction and must share
in the so-called blame. Bravo to those who have picked up their ethical
perspectives and moved on to greener pastures. With more attention to how we
approach dealer work perhaps the pendulum can swing with a better
beat.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>Joseph Alkana RPT</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=jonpage@comcast.net href="mailto:jonpage@comcast.net">Jon Page</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, December 29, 2006 2:27
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> ethics question</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000>I don't see the point of treating the
dealer with a kid-glove approach.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000>The piano left the show room in that
condition. Evidently they had no</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000>regard for the customer from the
beginning, why should they have any now.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000>The tuner there must have noticed it. If
not, they need better personnel.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000>Either way, no real service
delivered.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>If they are not forthcoming with customer service, why have to coax or
coerce</DIV>
<DIV>them into maintaining their reputation.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>One notice should be sufficient to a dedicated dealer. And the notice
should</DIV>
<DIV>come from the customer, not a third party.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Don't pussy-foot around, you're not their lackey, take the gloves
off...</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I've refused dealer work because of the condition in which the pianos
were</DIV>
<DIV>delivered, I told them not to call me anymore. I get their pianos
when they</DIV>
<DIV>are out of warranty and ready for genuine technical improvements.
The</DIV>
<DIV>customers are surprised that the previous tuner (company man) was
not</DIV>
<DIV>more conscientious. My reputation gets a boost from their service
apathy.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Are dealer's tuners instructed not to point out problems because if
the</DIV>
<DIV>customer doesn't perceive a problem...there is no problem?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Educate you customers. Generally, they do not have a clue as to how a
piano</DIV>
<DIV>should play or sound. They figure it's supposed to play like that. And
what they</DIV>
<DIV>assumed was a "new" feel, is actually poor geometry which didn't
'play-in'.</DIV><X-SIGSEP><PRE>--
</PRE></X-SIGSEP>
<DIV><BR>Regards,<BR><BR>Jon Page</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>