<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content=text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16674" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY text=#000000 bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Another thing I learned, then and since is that either crazy people live in the mountains or living in the mountains makes you crazy. Tom Cole Causeral, corollary, or coincidental I agree, Tom. Anyway, I miss whatever it was when I moved back to California from Colorado 30 years ago.</DIV> <DIV>Fenton</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">From: <A title=tcole@cruzio.com href="mailto:tcole@cruzio.com">Thomas Cole</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">To: <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Friday, August 01, 2008 10:19 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: Re: No- shows..... again</DIV> <DIV> </DIV>I had a similar long trip into the mountains to find that the owner was not at home. I found the front door unlocked and since the piano was just inside the door and I had tuned for the woman a couple of times before, I decided to save the appointment and do the tuning. Arriving home that evening, I got a call from a very irate woman who was extremely upset that I had entered her house while she was gone (forgotten about the tuning date) and now "The Whole World" knows that she doesn't lock her front door and I let her go on venting hoping that she wears herself out screaming at me instead of doing something else. The only thing that would settle the argument was that I accepted half of my fee. So I took it that entering a house without previous arrangement is probably not a good policy and have refrained from doing so ever since. Another thing I learned, then and since is that either crazy people live in the mountains or living in the mountains makes you crazy. Tom Cole Dean May wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid01d901c8f3ed$1699b530$6600a8c0@athlonx2 type="cite"> <META content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)" name=Generator><O:SMARTTAGTYPE name="PostalCode" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><O:SMARTTAGTYPE name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><O:SMARTTAGTYPE name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><O:SMARTTAGTYPE name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </O:SMARTTAGTYPE></O:SMARTTAGTYPE></O:SMARTTAGTYPE></O:SMARTTAGTYPE> <DIV class=Section1> I had a no show a couple of weeks ago, a fairly long time customer in a small nearby town. Her door was open so I went in, tuned the piano and left an invoice. Always check the door. If it is open and it is a repeat customer who knows me I always go ahead and go in to tune it. <O:P></O:P> <O:P></O:P> Turns out this lady had been taken to the hospital the morning before. She was out in a couple of days and sent me a check with a note of thanks that I went ahead and tuned her piano. <O:P></O:P> <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</U3:CITY></U3:PLACE></ST1:CITY></ST1:PLACE></U1:CITY></U1:PLACE> <U1:STATE u2:st="on"><ST1:STATE u5:st="on"><ST1:STATE w:st="on">IN</ST1:STATE></ST1:STATE></U1:STATE>  <U1:POSTALCODE u2:st="on"><ST1:POSTALCODE u6:st="on"><ST1:POSTALCODE w:st="on">47802</ST1:POSTALCODE></ST1:POSTALCODE></U1:POSTALCODE><O:P></O:P></DIV> <O:P></O:P> <DIV> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </DIV> From: <A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A> [<A class=moz-txt-link-freetext href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>] On Behalf Of <A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated href="mailto:reggaepass@aol.com">reggaepass@aol.com</A> Sent: Friday, August 01, 2008 8:38 AM To: <A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> Subject: Re: No- shows..... again<O:P></O:P></DIV> <O:P></O:P> <DIV> Here, here Ed. When someone stands me up, I leave a note stating that I was there at the appointed time I had on my calendar, waited fifteen minutes, and then left.  (After all, it is possible that I wrote is down wrong.)  While I'm waiting, I call 1) their house (in case they are there, but don't hear the door), and then, 2) I call my answer machine to see if there is word from them there.  If no, and they afterwards call and explain that they had a (true) emergency and didn't have my number with them, OK.  If they just forgot, I tell them that they will have to pay for half of a service call for the missed appointment without prior notice when I do service their piano next.  Otherwise, they need to find another date to the prom.  In concert with this no show policy is a rather liberal cancellation policy: As long as they let me know that they will not be able to keep the appointment, no love is lost.  The stated advance warning is 24 hours, but in practice I will accept them actually reaching me any time before the scheduled service.  It comes down to a matter of consideration, and as Ed has pointed out, thinning the heard of undesirables is a good thing in terms of re-ordering your universe for the better. Alan Eder<O:P></O:P></DIV> <DIV> <O:P></O:P></DIV> <DIV> <O:P></O:P></DIV> -----Original Message----- From: <A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated href="mailto:A440A@aol.com">A440A@aol.com</A> To: <A class=moz-txt-link-abbreviated href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> Sent: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 3:25 am Subject: Re: No- shows..... again<O:P></O:P> <DIV id=AOLMsgPart_0_a70f7990-e3fa-4802-991c-aaf3c92c97f1><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT><< How do you deal with a no show appointment? Do you bill them? Bill half? </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>Not </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>at all? Any other way to deal wit them? >></TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>Greetings, </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"> <O:P></O:P></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>SNIP</TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>   Our day by day decisions determine what our life is like, and gradually, </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>over the years, our clientele develops around our own personality. They aren't </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>really "them", but, rather, "They are us",  so we are responsible for what </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>kind of a career we have.  We, in some way, choose our customers, and  If taking </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>care of ourselves means that we lose the occasional  inconsiderate customer, </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>is that a big loss or simply cleaning up our customer base to better suit our </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>vocation? </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>Regards, </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>Ed Foote RPT </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT><A href="http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html" target=_blank>http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html</A></TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT><A href="http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html" target=_blank>www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html</A></TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>  ************** Get fantasy football with free live scoring. </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>Sign up for FanHouse Fantasy Football today.       </TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE><PRE style="BACKGROUND: white 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial"><TT>(<A href="http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020%29%3C/HTML" target=_blank>http://www.fanhouse.com/fantasyaffair?ncid=aolspr00050000000020)</HTML</A>></TT> <TT><O:P></O:P></TT></PRE></DIV> <DIV id=u8CAC1EA873D1E22-C4C-32EA> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-TOP: 7.9pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center> <HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </DIV> The Famous, the Infamous, the Lame - in your browser. <A title=http://toolbar.aol.com/tmz/download.html?NCID=aolcmp00050000000014 href="http://toolbar.aol.com/tmz/download.html?NCID=aolcmp00050000000014" target=_blank>Get the TMZ Toolbar Now</A>! <O:P></O:P></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>