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<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>I have to categories of clients in
my database: active and inactive. Those I see on a regular basis get put
on the active list, those who stand me up on repeated occasions get put in the
inactive list. Who knows if down the road an inactive client has a
rude of an awakening and becomes a good customer. Keep your options open. It's
all about establishing and maintaining a good clientele which can be trained to
abide by your rules of doing business.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Century Schoolbook" size=2>Tom Servinsky</FONT></DIV>
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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=toddpianoworks@att.net href="mailto:toddpianoworks@att.net">Matthew
Todd</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> Friday, August 01, 2008 8:29
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: No- shows..... again</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>I will be going this afternoon to evaluate a piano. The lady wants
to sell it, but it needs work first, so I will be giving her an
estimate.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Do you keep these clients in your database, even if you may never see her
again? And if you do, how long before she, or any customer for that
matter, is removed?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Matthew<BR><BR><B><I>Tom Servinsky <tompiano@bellsouth.net></I></B>
wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">Ed<BR>Well
said. There are multiples ways you can deal with the occasional no <BR>show.
I agree that finding a way which fits your comfort zone is best.. If
<BR>you're the type that wants to leave a bill and demand your time be
<BR>reimbursed, go for it Been there, did that.<BR>Never, never, never did I
ever get reimbursed with that approach. Plus I <BR>lost the customer for
good at that point.<BR>My current approach is to let sleepy giants sleep.
Usually I have a lot of <BR>other customers I can plug and feel that time on
a short notice. I'll leave <BR>my card and if an apology doesn't come my way
in a very short order, the <BR>customer is fired at that point. However most
times it generally is an <BR>honest mistake and the customers are very
apologetic. If the customer offers <BR>a little something extra for my extra
trip I'll usually down-play it and <BR>say that isn't necessary, but
graciously accept the gift.<BR>Tom Servinsky<BR>----- Original Message -----
<BR>From: <A440A@AOL.COM><BR>To: <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Sent: Friday, August
01, 2008 6:25 AM<BR>Subject: Re: No- shows.....
again<BR><BR><BR>><BR>> << How do you deal with a no show
appointment? Do you bill them? Bill <BR>> half?<BR>> Not<BR>> at
all? Any other way to deal wit them? >><BR>><BR>>
Greetings,<BR>> I think it depends on what you want. Some customers are
worth keeping,<BR>> some not. That may mean sending a bill for your time,
overlooking it in <BR>> the<BR>> interest of greater profit, (or
good), or adding a surcharge on the next <BR>> visit,<BR>>
etc.<BR>> There are customers that will offer to pay for your time, and
others <BR>> that<BR>> will not even register that their carelessness
has cost you. I suggest <BR>> do<BR>> whatever keeps you from feeling
resentful. It may take a little courage, <BR>> up<BR>> front, but step
by step, we effect our lives in a positive way by speaking <BR>> our
own<BR>> truth and letting our world reflect that.<BR>> Our day by day
decisions determine what our life is like, and gradually,<BR>> over the
years, our clientele develops around our own personality. They <BR>>
aren't<BR>> really "them", but, rather, "They are us", so we are
responsible for what<BR>> kind of a career we have. We, in some way,
choose our customers, and If <BR>> taking<BR>> care of ourselves means
that we lose the occasional inconsiderate <BR>> customer,<BR>> is that
a big loss or simply cleaning up our customer base to better suit <BR>>
our<BR>> vocation?<BR>> Regards,<BR>> Ed Foote RPT<BR>>
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html<BR>>
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html<BR>>
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