<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type> <META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.19120"> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Matthew,</DIV> <DIV>If you know in advance, that you will not be able to make your dues, send a note to the home office.  Back in the late 80's I had extensive bills putting a step-son through college.  I sent a note to the home office saying I was going to have to drop my membership.  Then about four years later, I took the test again and got my RPT status back.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ken Gerler</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" dir=ltr> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; 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@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, September 01, 2011 11:44 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff; FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; COLOR: #000; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">So if you become an RPT, and then fail to pay your dues one year, do you get stript of your RPT status until you give the guild your money?</SPAN></DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto"></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV style="RIGHT: auto"><SPAN style="RIGHT: auto">Matthew<VAR id=yui-ie-cursor></VAR></SPAN></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <DIV style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT size=2 face=Arial> <DIV style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; LINE-HEIGHT: 0; MARGIN: 5px 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; HEIGHT: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 0px; BORDER-TOP: #ccc 1px solid; BORDER-RIGHT: #ccc 1px solid; PADDING-TOP: 0px" class=hr contentEditable=false readonly="true"></DIV><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> Gerald Groot <<A href="mailto:tunerboy3@comcast.net">tunerboy3@comcast.net</A>><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Thursday, September 1, 2011 8:37 PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?<BR></FONT><BR>I love my work.  I really do.  But, if I couldn't make a living at it, I<BR>would do something different.  But, I would most certainly not bite the hand<BR>that feeds them.... Meaning, all of the learning you're received for nothing<BR>here. <BR><BR>I would think that anything a person could do to improve one's likelihood of<BR>acquiring more business would be most prudent. As I said, I have received<BR>numerous emails from people that have looked on the PTG website looking for<BR>a piano tuner.  2 emails from the PTG website easily pays my dues for a<BR>whole year.  :)<BR><BR>Jer<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: <A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" ymailto="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A> [mailto:<A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" ymailto="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A>] On Behalf<BR>Of Duaine Hechler<BR>Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2011 8:30 PM<BR>To: <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" ymailto="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A><BR>Subject: Re: [pianotech] Is this the work of an RPT?<BR><BR>On 09/01/2011 05:53 PM, Gerald Groot wrote:<BR>><BR>> That isn't true at all Matthew. That, my friend, is a frame of mind - a<BR>mindset that you and many other tuners have <BR>> made for yourself that sets your prices low and keeps them low. What you<BR>think, is not necessarily the actual way <BR>> things work in business. In any business. Prices must be raised from time<BR>to time in order to keep up with the cost of <BR>> living and in order to make a living. I've heard many tuners say that "my<BR>customer won't pay that!" That's wrong. I <BR>> have a friend here who lives in Grand Rapids 12 minutes from where I live<BR>that says the same thing. Yet, I have the <BR>> same exact customer types as he does. Mine pay it. His might not though<BR>but, that is only because of his negative <BR>> attitude.<BR>><BR>> Case in point. As an example only. My base fee for tuning here, is $150.<BR>That is JUST for tuning only! Major pitch <BR>> raises are extra. Removing the action is extra. Repairs are extra. Sure, I<BR>toss little things in here and there, we <BR>> all do that. But, that is besides the point. I average well above that<BR>price for most tunings. I tune at least 3 or 4 <BR>> a day and am always booked ahead all year long. I used to tune 6-9 a day<BR>but at age 55, I'm intentionally slowing <BR>> myself down, trying to go for 3 tunings a day but, I'm far too busy to do<BR>that so, I keep tuning more and more. JFor <BR>> this next month, I will be tuning no less than 5 a day, 6 days a week. I<BR>am booked solid through September. I have <BR>> most of October booked out. I have all of November booked out. I have all<BR>of December booked out. I have all of <BR>> January booked out. I have all of March booked out. By booked out, I mean<BR>NO openings at all. I have 4 or 5 action <BR>> jobs already scheduled for next summer. So, if what you said were true<BR>about raising prices, I would have gone out of <BR>> business long ago.<BR>><BR>> That did not come by me "naturally." I worked my tail off for years to<BR>build up my business and my reputation so that <BR>> I could be that busy. The fact is, our business is built up on our own<BR>reputations. On our honesty, our integrity, our <BR>> quality of workmanship, on our dependability and much more not to mention<BR>how we treat our customers. It's no wonder <BR>> so many tuners are complaining about a lack of work with how they treat<BR>the RPT's in here. If they treat their clients <BR>> the same way, I would never call them and being an RPT that knows these<BR>people, I would NEVER recommend them nor would <BR>> I sub contract anything to them. That becomes their loss. Attitude is<BR>everything.<BR>><BR>> Jer<BR>><BR>Jer,<BR><BR>That's great if you can get 5 or 6 tunings a day - really it is.<BR><BR>BUT - again, it called demographics - if the business ain't there - it ain't<BR>there. You just can't go around drumming up <BR>business out of thin air. If nobody has pianos anymore then where are you<BR>going to find them - in hideouts, in <BR>speakeasy's - do you get my point ?<BR><BR>And, No, I can't move where the pianos - a r e - because I have family<BR>obligations here.<BR><BR>So - now that you know and understand the facts - where do I get this<BR>business to get 5 or 6 tunings a day ?<BR><BR>I hope you are - not - going to tell me that obtaining RPT status is going<BR>to drum up the pianos that ain't there ?<BR><BR>Duaine<BR><BR>-- <BR>Duaine Hechler<BR>Piano, Player Piano, Pump Organ<BR>Tuning, Servicing&  Rebuilding<BR>Reed Organ Society Member<BR>Florissant, MO 63034<BR>(314) 838-5587<BR><A href="mailto:dahechler@att.net" ymailto="mailto:dahechler@att.net">dahechler@att.net</A><BR>www.hechlerpianoandorgan.com<BR>--<BR>Home&  Business user of Linux - 11 years<BR><BR><BR><BR></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>