<WBR>I think most people misunderstood my comments about the "moments of truth". Although it could be interpreted as using the bathroom, I was trying to expand this conversation beyond that. <br> <br> The Moment of Truth has to do with the way we behave and what we say when we are in the customer's home. It has to do with not only what we say, but how we react to the piano, our observations about the furniture, our comments about the music, the family pictures, etc. Here in Hawaii I'm wearing easy removable sandals because not taking off your footwear is considered inappropriate behavior. Not taking them off would be a major Moment of Truth. <br> <br> But, as I mentioned, you never know what the moment of truth might be. That is why it is so important to be on your best professional behavior. <br> <br> Yes, let's get beyond the bath room, and talk about how to ask the customer for more money. <br> <div style="CLEAR: both"><br> Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<br> Piano Tuner/Technician<br> Honolulu, HI<br> Author of <br> The Business of Piano Tuning<br> available from Potter Press<br> www.pianotuning.com</div> <br> <br> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Willem Blees <wimblees@aol.com><br> To: pianotech@ptg.org<br> Sent: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 4:22 pm<br> Subject: Re: moment of truth was Re: bathroom<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_dd8a105f-bead-4c60-bed7-3d83c12082eb><br> <br> -----Original Message-----<br> From: <A href="mailto:itunepiano@aol.com">itunepiano@aol.com</A><br> To: <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A><br> Sent: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 3:35 pm<br> Subject: Re: moment of truth was Re: bathroom<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_631c3abf-5633-48f2-bb75-c6041bffff61> <div><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">  Personally, I'd rather not do anything to give the customer a reason not to call me back. <br> <br> <br> There is no way of knowing what, if anything, the reason might be for the customer not to call you back. If we knew exactly what that "moment of truth" is, then it would be easy. But we don't. Some customers are very forgiving. But what works for one customer might not work for another customer. Not only that, but what works for one customer the first time you see her, might not work the second time. <br> <br> So you never know what "not do anything to give the customer a reason not to call me back", It could be anything. It could be nothing. That is why I said, all you can do is be on your best professional behavior, and hope for the best. <br> <br> BTW, for more information on this subject, there is a book out, written by some guy who used to live in Alabama, but now lives in some God forbidden place, where it never gets cold. :)<br> <br> Wim <br> </FONT></div> <div><br> </div> <div><br> </div> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Willem Blees <<A href="mailto:wimblees@aol.com">wimblees@aol.com</A>><br> To: <A href="mailto:ilvey@sbcglobal.net">ilvey@sbcglobal.net</A>; <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A><br> Sent: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 6:04 pm<br> Subject: moment of truth was Re: bathroom<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_eb505937-f582-440c-8f16-fb5bdddd83b6><WBR>There comes a time during our visit in a customer's home when there is, what is called, a "Moment of Truth". This is the moment the customer decides whether or not to have you back to tune her piano again. Exactly what or when that moment is will be different with every customer, and every time we visit that customer.  <br> <br> That moment of truth might not have anything to do with how well we tuned the piano. It might be asking to use the bathroom. But it could also be the way we look, or say good morning, or how we react to the piano, or the cat, or any number of things we do and say while we are in the customer's home. <br> <br> All we can do is be on our best behavior and present ourselves as professionally as possible. Then, maybe, if we did everything right, the customer might ask us to come back again.  <br> <br> <div style="CLEAR: both">Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<br> Piano Tuner/Technician<br> Honolulu, HI<br> Author of <br> The Business of Piano Tuning<br> available from Potter Press<br> <A href="http://www.pianotuning.com/" target=_blank>www.pianotuning.com</A></div> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_ae256552-edc9-4ea7-bf68-7c89179a8d0d> <div align=left> </div> </div> <div class=AOLPromoFooter> <HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"> More new features than ever. Check out the new <A href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?ncid=aolcmp00050000000003" target=_blank>AOL Mail</A>!<br> </div> </div> </div> </div>