<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" 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"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16544" name=GENERATOR><o:SmartTagType name="PostalCode" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="PersonName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US vLink=blue link=blue bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>This is clearly a worldwide school community problem as I have the same frustrations in Australia. The general level of matinence for school pianos is low as are budget and funding allocations. The issues are usually determined by the school bursar or accountant. Not all Directors are pianists and there can be scant regard for the condition of even new pianos while banks of new computers adorn IT rooms and are treated with awe. Tuners need to be affirmative and definite about what they are prepared to do and the conditions under which they will work. Try doing a "concert" standard  tuning in a space with a brass band rehearsal and a drum session in adjacent rooms! I have refused these sort of conditions, insisted on access during vacation periods and never resile from billing in exact accordance with the volume and quality of work required. In the end it generates a level of appreciation and respect that keeps the association well and businesslike. That's all we can ask.  Karl Schenscher. South Australia.</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"><B>From:</B> <A title=deanmay@pianorebuilders.com href="mailto:deanmay@pianorebuilders.com">Dean May</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech List'</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, October 10, 2007 11:48 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: School districts and markup</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Similar to Mike below, I tune for several schools, just none in my home county. School business is something I don’t pursue as they are usually the most difficult as Mike cites below. They also are the most unappreciative. I can live without that.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoAutoSig><B><FONT face="Bradley Hand ITC" color=navy size=6><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 22pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Bradley Hand ITC'">Dean</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT color=navy><SPAN style="COLOR: navy"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><U1:PERSONNAME u2:st="on"><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=navy size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: navy">Dean May</U1:PERSONNAME>             cell 812.239.3359 <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=navy size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: navy">PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoAutoSig style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><U1:PLACE u2:st="on"><U1:CITY u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=navy size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; 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 style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Michael Magness<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Wednesday, October 10, 2007 9:46 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: School districts and markup</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN class=gmailquote><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">On 10/10/07, <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Michelle Smith</SPAN></B> <<A href="mailto:michelle@smithpianoservice.com">michelle@smithpianoservice.com</A>> wrote:</SPAN></FONT></SPAN> <o:p></o:p></P> <DIV name="Compose message area" link="blue" vlink="purple"> <DIV> <P><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Thanks Jim.  </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I actually posted yesterday evening but it didn't show up for a while.  I was, however, up at 4:40 this morning dealing with a 5-year-old issue.  Sheesh! </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Have a good one!</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Michelle Smith</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <DIV> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <P><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> <A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" target=_blank>pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A> [mailto:<A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" target=_blank>pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>] <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>James H Frazee<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Wednesday, October 10, 2007 6:45 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: School districts and markup</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <P><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <DIV> <P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Michelle,</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <DIV> <P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"> </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <DIV> <P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">I'm not sure I'd take a full mark-up, it would depend on the situation.  (read, do I pay taxes in this district)  But I'd certainly charge them more than just wholesale - you're time is worth something, just ask a teacher . . . And, by the way, what are you doing up so early? </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <DIV> <P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'"> </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <DIV> <P><FONT face="Trebuchet MS" color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'">Jim Frazee</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><BR>Hi Michelle,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I have tuned for several school districts over the years although ironically never the one I live in(go figure)! Against the advice of my older, more experienced, wiser bretheren in the trade I offered a discount which I thought was appreciated when I began doing school work. I found it wasn't and my services were taken for granted as schools/teachers/directors are wont to do. I was called frequently at the last minute expected to re-arrange my schedule to accomodate theirs and still offer the discount. I eventually learned what my colleages had tried to tell me, never discount to anyone! I still do on occasion, in a case by case basis. Usually only on  purchases of items, cutting some percentage points or including some labor. In some cases offering a package deal. In rare instances I'll discount a tuning for a mention in the printed program. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For instance in the sale you are asking about you might offer a percentage off with installation at your regular labor rate as a package. Explain that installing piano trucks isn't as simple as it appears and really should be done by someone with experience installing them and with knowledge of pianos. I have done the same thing when I sold piano trucks, Dampp-Chasers w/covers, etc.  <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I hope this helps, good luck with the 5 year old,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Mike <BR clear=all><BR>-- <BR>Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.-- Albert Einstein<BR><BR><BR><BR>Michael Magness<BR>Magness Piano Service<BR>608-786-4404 <BR><A href="http://www.IFixPianos.com">www.IFixPianos.com</A><BR>email <A href="mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com">mike@ifixpianos.com</A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>