<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:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>After answering the private email you sent to me, I see you posted it to the techlist as well so, I’ll repeat what I said here too. </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D'>J</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Yes I am 3<sup>rd</sup> generation.  But, let me tell you a story Matthew.  My mom got sick 4 years before my dad was ready to retire.  She had cancer.  He tried everything in his power to save her.  During those last 4 years of my mom’s life, the very large business that my dad had, fell apart.  He wasn’t taking care of it, he wasn’t returning calls, he wasn’t hardly tuning at all.  I was a kid, 22 when my mom died.  Dad wasn’t ready to turn it over to me and so by the time he actually did, nothing but the college was left and that wasn’t very many tunings back then.  Dad chose to spend the rest of my mother’s life, those 4 years, with her instead of taking care of the his piano business.  When I finally got what was left of it, there wasn’t enough to make a living.  I had to work my tail off, literally, knocking on dealers doors from up to 45 miles away making them a deal “they simply could not refuse” to get customers.  At one time, I was servicing for 4 different dealers all at the same time.  Working like a fool trying to build up clients!  While doing this, I was calling clients that we used to have trying to get them back.  Some of them accepted, some didn’t.  It did not happen overnight.  It took me many YEARS to built it back up again and many more years to build it up to where I have maintained it since.  A business does not run itself.  It takes a lot of work and effort to build it up to being with.  Once you have that kind of clientele built up along with a good reputation, it is harder to maintain that level of quality and workmanship for the rest of your life than it was to build it up the business in the first place.  It’s easy to let quality slide on some days where we just don’t care much.  We all have to fight to keep that up.  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I am not sure why you are so stubborn Matthew.  I did it.  It works.  Many others on this list have also done it and, it works for them too.  Raising prices will indeed lose you “SOME” clients, but, generally speaking, those are probably the ones you didn’t want in the first place, like the crappiest pianos or the ones that only tune them every 15 years….<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Jer<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Matthew Todd<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 01, 2011 8:45 PM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Jer,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I don't think you would apply to this as much.  Aren't you like a third or fourth generation tuner in your family?  But, back to my original statement, yes, it is true.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Matthew<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> Gerald Groot <tunerboy3@comcast.net><br><b>To:</b> 'Matthew Todd' <toddpianoworks@att.net>; pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 1, 2011 5:53 PM<br><b>Subject:</b> RE: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?<br><br></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div id=yiv547892835><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>That isn’t true at all Matthew.  That, my friend, is a frame of mind – a mindset that you and many other tuners have made for yourself that sets your prices low and keeps them low.  What you think, is not necessarily the actual way things work in business.  In any business.  Prices must be raised from time to time in order to keep up with the cost of living and in order to make a living.  I’ve heard many tuners say that “my customer won’t pay that!” That’s wrong.   I have a friend here who lives in Grand Rapids 12 minutes from where I live that says the same thing.  Yet, I have the same exact customer types as he does.  Mine pay it.  His might not though but, that is only because of his negative attitude.  </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Case in point.  As an example only…  My base fee for tuning here, is $150.  That is JUST for tuning only!  Major pitch raises are extra.  Removing the action is extra.  Repairs are extra.  Sure, I toss little things in here and there, we all do that.  But, that is besides the point.  I average well above that price for most tunings.  I tune at least 3 or 4 a day and am always booked ahead all year long.  I used to tune 6-9 a day but at age 55, I’m intentionally slowing myself down, trying to go for 3 tunings a day but, I’m far too busy to do that so, I keep tuning more and more.  </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D'>J</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>  For this next month, I will be tuning no less than 5 a day, 6 days a week.  I am booked solid through September.  I have most of October booked out.  I have all of November booked out.  I have all of December booked out.  I have all of January booked out.  I have all of March booked out.  By booked out, I mean NO openings at all.  I have 4 or 5 action jobs already scheduled for next summer.  So, if what you said were true about raising prices, I would have gone out of business long ago.   </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>That did not come by me “naturally.”  I worked my tail off for years to build up my business and my reputation so that I could be that busy.  The fact is, our business is built up on our own reputations.  On our honesty, our integrity, our quality of workmanship, on our dependability and much more not to mention how we treat our customers.  It’s no wonder so many tuners are complaining about a lack of work with how they treat the RPT’s in here.  If they treat their clients the same way, I would never call them and being an RPT that knows these people, I would NEVER recommend them nor would I sub contract anything to them.  That becomes their loss.  Attitude is everything.  </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Jer</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Matthew Todd<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 01, 2011 10:14 AM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Thank you sir.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>That is why I said "standard tuning service".</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>My point was that if we raised our own rates each year, after a while, no one would want to pay the money, and we would soon be out of business.  Sure, maybe it's an assumption, but I will not be the one to try it to see if it is true.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><u><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'>TODD PIANO WORKS</span></u></b><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'>Matthew Todd, Piano Technician</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'> <br></span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'>(979) 248-9578</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'><a href="http://www.toddpianoworks.com/" target="_blank">http://www.toddpianoworks.com</a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> Jim Coleman <jcpanoman@colemantools.com><br><b>To:</b> Matthew Todd <toddpianoworks@att.net>; pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, September 1, 2011 8:28 AM<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id=yiv547892835><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td width="100%" style='width:100.0%;padding:1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt'><div id="yiv547892835INCREDI_TEXT_AREA"><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Matthew,<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> First, you wrote, "I'd be up over $200 for a standard tuning service."  If you were doing something on the order of a full service on your visit, that is tuning, some minor voicing, regulation touch-up, etc, you would be in the ball bark.<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>PTG's dues are a bargain!  We provide a sort of full service.....available to almost 4,000 members around the world.  If we did not keep the dues in line with increasing costs, and improving our 'service' to the membership you would, in time, have no educational resources, no Journal (worth the dues by it's self!), no website, no adequate Home Office building or personnel, the RCOs would be on their own and eventually disappear, no Annual Convention, etc.<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The teaching and learning of new and better ways to service our clients would possibly revert back 60 years or so to the way it was when my grandfather was in the business and teaching my dad. They did not want to share any secrets with an 'outsider' lest they make more money<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>or take away any of their customers.<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>I can guarantee you that my dad nor I would be who or what we are today without PTG. And where would many of today's technicians be without my dad, LaRoy Edwards, Norm Neblett, Web Phillips, Al Sanderson, and so many other giants in the world of piano technology. <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>So, to you Matthew and the other members on this list, if you want to be all you can be as a piano technician, get seriously involved in<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>PTG.   If you haven't challenged the tests, DO IT !  Get involved in your chapter, be a delegate to council! Run for office!<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Who knows you could be president of PTG some day.<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>So much to say and so little time.<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Jim Coleman, Jr  <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Proud to be an RPT<o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div id=yiv547892835IncrediOriginalFontSize><div id=yiv547892835IncrediOriginalMessage><div><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>-------Original Message-------</span></i><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div id=yiv547892835receivestrings><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>From:</span></i></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:toddpianoworks@att.net" target="_blank">Matthew Todd</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Date:</span></i></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> 08/31/11 23:00:05</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To:</span></i></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" target="_blank">pianotech@ptg.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Subject:</span></i></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> [Norton AntiSpam] Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Dues increase Patrick?  So what else is new?  If I raised my rates as much and as often as the PTG raises theirs, I'd be up over $200 for a standard tuning service.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><u><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'>TODD PIANO WORKS</span></u></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'>Matthew Todd, Piano Technician</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'> <br></span><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'>(979) 248-9578</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:blue'><a href="http://www.toddpianoworks.com/" target="_blank">http://www.toddpianoworks.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> J Patrick Draine <jpdraine@gmail.com><br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 31, 2011 1:50 PM<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div id=yiv547892835><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Bill, </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Have you spoken to this particular RPT about the piano? Have you offered to show him how the work ought to be done?</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>If you care enough to bring the situation forward to the public as you have, you might consider following the procedures outlined in the PTG Bylaws, Disciplinary Code. While I doubt that any action would be taken against him, getting the appropriate committees involved may be just the "wake up call" that he needs.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>On another note, I suggest you read the September Journal's "Executive Outlook" column, this month written by Vice President Chris Solliday. You will see that our elected leadership is considering furthering our "continuing education and training." This of course will need a major "buy in" from the membership (and, yes, probable dues increases) before any such plan is implemented.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Check it out, and get involved!</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Patrick Draine</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>On Wed, Aug 31, 2011 at 9:41 AM, Bill Fritz <<a href="mailto:pianofritz50@aol.com" target="_blank">pianofritz50@aol.com</a>> wrote: </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>As to the work being performed, I've already answered that, w/ the customer's confirmation, and more detailed info on my part.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></td></tr><tr><td width="100%" style='width:100.0%;padding:1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt 1.2pt' id=yiv547892835INCREDIFOOTER><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td width="100%" style='width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'></td><td valign=bottom style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in' id=yiv547892835INCREDISOUND></td></tr></table></td></tr></table><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><a href="http://www.incredimail.com/?id=619263&did=10500&ppd=2723,201108041216,9,1,820153269552681380&rui=119956824&sd=20110901" target="_blank"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=700 height=107 id="yiv547892835_x005f_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.gif@01CC68EE.DCF1C8C0" alt="FREE Animations for your email - by IncrediMail! 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