<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="place"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> In all my 31 years in the business, I think I've only been stiffed twice, <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Exactly, so why worry about collecting the signature? I always operate from the position that if a customer is so untrustworthy that I have to have a signature on the invoice to insure getting paid its worth eating the cost of the tuning to me to get rid of that customer and never tune for them again. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> 25 years in the biz and only stiffed maybe twice as well. <o:p></o:p> <div> Dean<o:p></o:p> <u1:PERSONNAME u2:st="on">Dean May</u1:PERSONNAME>             cell 812.239.3359 <o:p></o:p> PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272 <o:p></o:p> <u1:PLACE u2:st="on"><u1:CITY u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><u3:place u4:st="on"><u3:City u4:st="on">Terre Haute</st1:City></u3:place></u1:CITY></u3:City> <u1:STATE u2:st="on"><st1:State u5:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">IN</st1:State></u1:STATE></st1:State>  <u1:POSTALCODE u2:st="on"><st1:PostalCode u6:st="on"><st1:PostalCode w:st="on">47802</st1:PostalCode></u1:POSTALCODE></st1:PostalCode></st1:place></u1:PLACE><o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Willem Blees Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2008 9:26 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: Balance Due!!<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> Matthew All my tuning orders, (Tuning ticket, as I call it), are 3 part carbonless invoices. (white, yellow, pink, available at most office supply stores or print shops). 95% of the time, I leave the pink with the amount paid, and the other two copies are taken home. But when there is a need to leave a bill, I leave both the yellow and the pink copy with the balance due. I then have a self inking stamp which reads. "Keep pink copy for your records. Return yellow copy with check."  About 40% of the time I get the yellow copy, about 30% of the time I get the pink copy. and the rest of the time I don't get a copy at all, especially when it comes from a  school. If at all possible I have someone sign at the X at the bottom of the tuning ticket. That proves I was there. I keep a pile of the invoices due on my desk. I also have a line in my computer where it asks if there is a balance due. I kind of keep a mental note of who owes me, and about once every two weeks I look through the pile to see if anyone is more than a month overdue, and I call them.  In all my 31 years in the business, I think I've only been stiffed twice, and one of those was a church. <o:p></o:p> <div> Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT Piano Tuner/Technician <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Honolulu</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">HI</st1:State></st1:place> Author of The Business of Piano Tuning available from Potter Press www.pianotuning.com<o:p></o:p> </div> -----Original Message----- From: Matthew Todd <toddpianoworks@att.net> To: pianotech@ptg.org Sent: Sat, 31 May 2008 9:42 am Subject: Balance Due!!<o:p></o:p> <div id="AOLMsgPart_2_f40c36ef-21a8-4b2b-92f4-5af93b4358e4"> <div> I had a client today who had to leave for an appointment so her brother was there to make sure I got paid.  Besides tuning I had to fix two notes.  She left for my tuning fee with her brother and that was it, so when I gave her brother the bill, he was short on the cash.  She didn't plan on my extra work or the tax.  So I took the bill and wrote what was paid, and the balance due.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Is that the right way to do it, or next time should I have the party present sign it?  Should there also be a due date?  Then there's the situation where there is no one home and a check is left on the table.  I did have one client leave me a blank check!!  I was like "hmmm, let's see, I need new tires on my car, maybe a new tuning hammer...."<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Matthew<o:p></o:p> </div> </div>  <div id=u8CA919D96C09AE6-914-1E4F> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-top:7.5pt;text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center> </div> Stay informed, get connected and more <a href="http://mobile.aol.com/productOverview.jsp?productOverview=aol-mobile-overview&?&ncid=aolmbd00030000000139" target="_blank" title="http://mobile.aol.com/productOverview.jsp?productOverview=aol-mobile-overview&?&ncid=aolmbd00030000000139">with AOL on your phone</a>. <o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </body> </html>