<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1141" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I work full time at the one really big = dealership here in Phoenix, AZ.  We actually do full, complete preps on all = our new pianos, plus we can take care of the most finicky Uber-rich people that = live here. When I first came here, thanks to a heads-up from Jim Coleman, = Sr., I felt like a kid in a candy shop.  "You mean I can do anything that I = want to make this piano better?  I can take whatever time it takes?  = You pay me a salary, and not by the piano?"  The only people who may have = it better would be University Techs, because they're harder to fire, but the work = is similar. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    This has been the = best thing to happen to me as far as improving my skills. My regulating work is about = as good as it can get, I have learned sooooooo much about voicing that I didn't = know before, etc.  Now, when I'm working at one of our locations, I = welcome any questions from the contract techs with less experience. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I realize that most = dealerships don't do things this way, but most dealerships end up getting what they = sow in the way of customer satisfaction. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kevin E. Ramsey, RPT</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE 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=PatchWick@aol.com href="mailto:PatchWick@aol.com">PatchWick@aol.com</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> Wednesday, April 16, 2003 = 4:06 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Dealership = work</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 = face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">In a message dated 4/16/2003 11:18:52 AM Eastern = Daylight Time, <A href="mailto:tito@philbondi.com">tito@philbondi.com</A> writes:<BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" TYPE="CITE">Ok..I've read most of the posts regarding this current = subject, and I want<BR>to chime in on it..<BR><BR>Yesterday was my 7th year aniversary in the business, and that day, April<BR>15, is special = not because it was the first day of business for me..it is<BR>special = because it was the first day I started doing contract work for a<BR>dealership = here that I STILL do contract work for today, and will continue<BR>to do = work for until it isn't feasible for either one of us.<BR><BR>When I was = hired to do this work, this dealer said to me, and I quote:<BR><BR>"In 3-4 = years, you'll be busy enough where you won't have time to do my work<BR>anymore."<BR><BR>Yes, I am busier than the 1-armed = paperhanger in a hurricane, but I still<BR>make time to do this dealer's work, at = reduced rates..why?<BR><BR>1. We have an understanding about his floor work = and his Warranty<BR>Tunings..the floor will have to wait if I have the = opportunity to double my<BR>income instead.<BR><BR>2. He really is a nice person.<BR><BR>3. See #'s 1&2.<BR><BR>This dealer got me going = in a big way 7 years ago, and I am eternally<BR>grateful..he's happy to have = me, and I'm happy to work with him.<BR><BR>win-win.<BR><BR>We should all be = that lucky.<BR><BR>-Phil Bondi (Fl.)<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I've had = this arrangement with a dealer for 16 years and am still going strong. On = those rare occaisions when my "outside" work slows down I enjoy the chance = to get him caught up a bit.<BR><BR>will wickham</FONT> </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>