<br><br> <div class="gmail_quote">On Dec 5, 2007 5:55 PM, Annie Grieshop <<a href="mailto:annie@allthingspiano.com">annie@allthingspiano.com</a>> wrote:<br> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <div bgcolor="#ffffff"> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2">Something amazing has happened, and I would very much appreciate advice from y'all.  </font></span></div> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2">H</font></span><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2">ow do you schedule your time when business gets good enough to keep you hopping?  How do you divvy up your weeks, days, and hours to ensure that you can provide a range of services?  Do you set aside specific time for different types of work?  </font></span></div> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2">After seven years of hustling to make ends meet (which meant I had more than enough time to work at customers' sites and in my shop), I've moved to a new area which is turning out to be absolutely wonderful.  Today, however, it became very apparent that I'm going to have to become much more careful of my schedule if I'm to take advantage of the work opportunities that are being offered (and still do my best work, of course). </font></span></div> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2">So I would appreciate hearing how other folks do it.  Thanks!</font></span></div> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2"></font></span> </div> <div><span><font face="Comic Sans MS" color="#0000ff" size="2">Annie Grieshop</font></span></div></div></blockquote></div> <div><br>Hi Annie,</div> <div>Glad things are going well for you in your new locale! I haven't figured out the answer to the scheduling thing yet, I've only been at this for 38 years, if you fugure it out let me know! </div> <div>I will suggest charging a reasonable rate for milage beyond a certain distance, pick the number of miles that fits your situation best, for me it's 25 beyond that I charge. If I have 3 appointments that day it gets split 3 ways. </div> <div>One suggestion I'll make although from what I know of you I don't think you need it, don't schedule your time so closely you don't have a little time to talk with your customer. I find talking with my customers gives me a sense of their needs and the time to explain some things(educate)them about pianos, specifically the needs of theirs when I'm not there.  <br clear="all"></div> <div>I find raising my rates is something I do periodically as I see the other things I pay for going up, I think most of us are pretty good at realizing our own worth. I will relate one fact from my days in sales, whenever a price hike came along we all felt very hesitant about going out and asking that new increased price from the customer. Our feeling was, it's the same product that cost less yesterday and today we are asking more for it without adding anything to it. Until one of the managers finally pointed out what we all should have realized. WE knew the price had increased, the customer didn't, so when we asked for the higher price, we were the ones killing our sales by being hesitant or mentioning the increase. If we just stated the price, we had no problem because the customer was unaware of the change! </div> <div> </div> <div>I have been reading the other posts in answer to your question and I saw that Ken Jankura mentioned something about getting a sore shoulder if he tuned too many in a day or a particularly tight pinned piano early in the day. Something I learned years ago that always helped me maintain a healthy shoulder was to stretch it while it was still warm from your morning shower. Roll your towel up and tuck it under your arm then pull your arm down to your side, slowly, gently, stretching the muscles and tendons of the shoulder. Keep your elbow bent and pull your elbow against your side a few times, flex your arm behind your back and pull with your other hand, gently, a few times. Now your shoulder is loose and fully stretched out and ready for full days work. I learned that from a Chiropractor friend and used it for 30 years until I tore my right rotator cuff, full tear, 2 years ago, which I rehabbed tuning pianos! </div> <div> </div> <div>Mike<br>-- <br>The real trouble with reality is that there's no background music.<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> </div>