<font color='black' size='2' face='arial'> <div><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Lee</FONT></div> <div> </div> <div>One thing that has helped with my first time callers is to give them two prices. I tell my customers that I have a "basic"tuning fee, which is for pianos that are tuned once or twice a year. I also have a "full service fee", which is $30 higher. I tell them, "that takes care of minor repairs and adjustments". But then I add that if in my opinion the repairs are more than what I call "minor", that I will discuss with them what the total charge will be, before proceeding. </div> <div> </div> <div>What I have found is that most people volunteer that their piano needs at least a full service tuning. In fact, most say that they wouldn't be surprised that it will be more. Once you get to the piano, if all it needs is a tuning, then fine. But if, in your opinion, it's going to take longer than you anticipated, it is very easy to talk them into paying more. <br> </div> <div style="CLEAR: both"></div> <div>I allow about an hour for my "basic" tuning, and about an hour and fifteen minutes for my "full service" tuning. Anything more than that, it's more. </div> <div> </div> <div>Wim Blees</div> <div>Hawaii</div> <div> </div> <div><br> <br>  </div> <div style="FONT-FAMILY: arial,helvetica; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-----Original Message-----<br> From: lee innocent <ljinno@googlemail.com><br> To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Wed, Jul 27, 2011 4:20 am<br> Subject: [pianotech] New Business from telephone enquiries<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_1_70bd533c-889c-4ae4-8768-f54eb370cf19> <div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Hello All,</FONT></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Wondering how most of you clinch appointments from telephone enquiries. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is not my forte! These calls tend to be very short once I tell them the price. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>How do you handle telephone enquiries? </FONT></div> <div style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </div> </div> </div> </font>