<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PostalCode"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <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'>May I suggest, Tom, that you haven’t yet done your duty. Perhaps the dealer and the factory are taking their cues from you.  Of course I don’t have a transcript of your conversations with them but from what you have shared so far I would get the impression that you have been less than forceful with them. If you are just reporting data with no conclusions then you are allowing them to reach whatever conclusion is most favorable to their short term interest. I would encourage you to be more aggressive and forceful without bringing the customer in just yet. Let them know that this piano needs replaced. You demonstrate your allegiance to the customer by aggressively keeping the pressure on the dealer and the factory. If you don’t then allegiance really doesn’t mean anything, it’s just a word.<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'>Of course your challenge is to do it diplomatically without burning bridges. It should help your cause that you have consulted the national PTG forum and the consensus is that a new piano with those torque numbers is wholly unacceptable. Let the factory know that the entire PTG network is watching this case to see how they’ll respond. It is not just their reputation with this one customer that is on the line here. <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> <div> <p class=MsoAutoSig><b><font size=6 color=navy face="Bradley Hand ITC"><span style='font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Bradley Hand ITC";color:navy;font-weight: bold'>Dean</span></font></b><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoAutoSig style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><u1:PersonName u2:st="on"><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt; color:navy'>Dean May</u1:PersonName>             cell 812.239.3359 <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoAutoSig style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> <p class=MsoAutoSig style='margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt'><u1:place u2:st="on"><u1:City u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Terre Haute</span></font></st1:City><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'></u1:City> <u1:State u2:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">IN</u1:State></st1:State>  <u1:PostalCode u2:st="on"><st1:PostalCode w:st="on">47802</u1:PostalCode></st1:PostalCode></span></font></st1:place></u1:place><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </span></font></div> <p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Paul McCloud<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, December 29, 2006 11:40 PM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> Pianotech List<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: ethics question</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>Tom:</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>    You have done your duty.  Let the dealer/factory take care of the problem.  You can inform the customer of your discovery, but you need to let it go.  Don't make the dealer/factory the bad guy.  YOU will be the one to lose because one day you may need their help.  In my town, there has been a lot of bad blood on both sides.  Some technicians have been blackballed from every dealer in town, and won't get any referrals from anybody.  Some technicians won't work for any dealers either.  And be careful what you say about a certain brand of piano.  You can be held for libel if you say things that aren't true, just as you would be held responsible for saying things about a person that are false or accusitory.  </span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>    If you choose to burn your bridges, you may be sorry later.  Don't be labelled a troublemaker, but try to help the situation if you can.  Don't take sides against the dealer, but try to work with them.  Your reputation could be sullied by the dealer if you side against them.  After all, they refer people to technicians all the time, and if they like you, and respect you, you may be the one they recommend.  </span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>    We have our opinions about these situations, and we may not like to have to deal with them, but making enemies of our dealers isn't the way we should be going.  I am the head technician at our store, so I get to try to solve problems as they arise.  Believe me, it isn't my cup of tea to cover for the factory defects I see and make sure the customer is happy.  I've found myself in hot water many times for making the wrong comments to customers about problems I've found.  My advice (FWIW) is to try to be a hero and help both sides.  So far, I think you've done the right thing.  You informed the dealer, they are taking steps, you haven't alarmed the customer, and let whatever may happen.  Who knows?  Maybe the dealer will pay you to fix it.  </span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>    Believe me, if you take sides, you won't win.  Been there...</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>    JMHO,</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>    Paul McCloud, RPT</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>    <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Diego</st1:place></st1:City></span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>    The Piano Exchange</span></font><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'>----- Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div style='font-color:black'> <p class=MsoNormal style='background:#E4E4E4'><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <a href="mailto:tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net" title="tvaktvak@sbcglobal.net">Tom Sivak</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>To:</span></font></b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></font></b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Friday, December 29, 2006 11:31 AM<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></font></b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> ethics question<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>List<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>What to do, what to do...<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>A client has a new <st1:place w:st="on">Essex</st1:place> grand, purchased less than a year ago.  The local Steinway dealer assigned me the freebie first tuning on the piano which I performed almost 6 months ago.  At this point, the client is now mine.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>At that first tuning I was alarmed to find that most of the tuning pins were way too loose.  I'm not being picky here; I wasn't sure if the piano would even hold the tuning when I left.  So I called the head of the tech dept. at the dealer to inform him about the loose pins.  <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>He told me that I needed to measure the torque with a torque wrench so that they had some concrete figures to back up my assertion.  He wanted me to get some measurements without alarming the client, which I was able to do.  He seemed to indicate that he would have the piano replaced if the torque readings were unacceptable.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>All the pins measure less than 25 pounds of torque.  Many were less than 15 pounds.  I reported back to the head techie at the dealer and did not hear of any further developements.  I did not share any of this with the owner. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>Last week the owner of the piano called to get it tuned again, so I went yesterday and retuned the piano.  My last tuning actually held just fine.  The piano was about 10 to 15 cents low, not at all unusual at this time of year, let alone on a new piano with stretching strings.  <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>The pins are just as loose as ever.  You can't overpull a string and ease it back down, because it'll just slip all the way down a half step or so.  You have to pull it up to pitch and let go  V  E   R   Y       G   E   N   T   L  Y.   This is a technique that we have all perfected after years of working on 75 year old Gulbransens, not pianos less than a year old.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>So my ethical dilemma is this:  Should I tell the client that the tuning pins are too loose for a new piano?  The dealer may have given me the client, but the client is mine now.  I feel that I owe them my honest opinions on things, and my opinion is that this piano is defective.  Of course, no one has actually asked for my opinion about the piano, so I'd be the one who started all this trouble if it comes to that.  (I don't really do much work for the dealer any more, so I don't think I have that much to risk, personally, business-wise, but of course, I'd rather not alienate the only Steinway dealer in Chicagoland!)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>And after all, the piano is fine right now.  It will hold a tuning, even if I have to be a little careful while doing it.  How many years will it be before these loose pins become so loose that it won't hold a tune?  I don't know, but certainly much sooner than any new piano should.  It seems unethical to allow the client to be blissfully unaware that in a year, or two or ten, this piano may need a new pinblock.  They have a warranty now, and since this situation is only marginally acceptable now and will only get worse, they should take care of it sooner rather than later.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>There is a new head of the tech department at the dealer.  I have called him twice and he hasn't returned my calls yet.  Of course, I won't do anything until I talk to him, but in the meantime, the ethics of the situation seemed worthy of discussion.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>What do you all think?  What would you do?  <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>I look forward to your sage advice,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'>Tom Sivak<o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Chicago</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><o:p></o:p></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size: 12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p> </div> </blockquote> </div> </body> </html>