<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19088"></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>Less than half of our membership are full time technicians, check the surveys. I don't think you should underestimate the downside to raising dues 100%. I'm in favor of rational increases, I voted for and campaigned for every dues increase while on the board . I'm in favor of doing our best to close the gap without losing many of our valued members who have other professions. You are assuming less members and more money, will make this a "top notch organization". </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>I don't buy it.. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=093545018-01072011><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial>DP</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=093545018-01072011> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2>Dale Probst RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2>Registered Piano Technician</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2>Ward & Probst, Inc.</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2><A href="http://www.wardprobst.com/">www.wardprobst.com</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2><A href="mailto:dale@wardprobst.com">dale@wardprobst.com</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV></SPAN></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2 face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Ryan Sowers<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, July 01, 2011 1:39 PM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [pianotech] Right Here, Right Now (was Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L)(OT)<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>Like our piano service businesses, when you raise your rates, you mostly lose the lowest level of your clientele and keep the bottom feeders out of range. I think most technicians underestimate what they can charge. I don't think we should underestimate members willingness to pay for a top notch organization. <BR><BR>If you are a full time technician $450 a year is a drop in the bucket in your yearly expenses. <BR><BR>Ryan Sowers<BR><BR><BR><BR> <DIV class=gmail_quote>On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 10:05 AM, Coleman, Jim <SPAN dir=ltr><<A href="mailto:jcolem21@utk.edu">jcolem21@utk.edu</A>></SPAN> wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; PADDING-LEFT: 1ex" class=gmail_quote> <DIV lang=EN-US link="blue" vlink="purple"> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Alan & All,<U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">About 3 years ago my report to Council stated that for PTG to be a dues based operation the dues would have to be around $350.  Since then the cost of doing everything has gone up.  In today’s dollars they would probably need to be $400-$450.<U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Personally I think that is where we should be (and it  would still be a bargin) but as Dale Probst has stated, we do not know what the fall-out would be in terms of losing members.<U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><U></U><U></U></SPAN> </P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">See you in KC!<U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><U></U><U></U></SPAN> </P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Jim Coleman, Jr   RPT<U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">  Staff Piano Technician<U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">     University of Tennessee<U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt">     Knoxville, TN<U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt"> <A href="tel:%28865%29%20748-0998" target=_blank value="+18657480998">(865) 748-0998</A><U></U><U></U></SPAN></P> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 8pt"><A href="tel:%28602%29%20989-0005" target=_blank value="+16029890005">(602) 989-0005</A><U></U><U></U></SPAN></P></DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><U></U><U></U></SPAN> </P><SPAN style="COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"></SPAN> <DIV> <DIV class=h5> <BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-TOP: 5pt; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in"><DIV> <DIV> <DIV> <DIV> <DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-TOP: 5pt; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 5pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0in"> <DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><BR clear=all><BR>-- <BR>Ryan Sowers, RPT<BR>Puget Sound Chapter<BR>Olympia, WA<BR><A href="http://www.pianova.net">www.pianova.net</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>