<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> Friends, I like Wim's attitude of not getting too bent out of shape over failed appointments, even though none of us likes them.  I leave a copy of the following letter stuck in the door, then make a note on the customer record, stick it back in the file and forget about it.  Once in a while, a free hour is even refreshing!  Feel free to plagiarize. (LETTER TEXT)     When I arrived as scheduled I was unable to gain access to service your piano.     If there was an unforeseen emergency that prevented you from being home, please let us know.  We are very understanding, knowing there are instances when the welfare of a friend or family member takes precedence over piano service.     If this problem was due to an oversight on your part we recognize that all of us make similar mistakes now and then.  Nevertheless, piano technicians have little more to sell than their time and skills.  A failed appointment means a significant loss, since it will now take two appointments to service your piano when payment is received for only one.  The extra time from the failed appointment can rarely be used profitably.     We have developed the following policy if the second instance is the case.  We are willing to absorb the loss of the first occurence.  Should the same happen again, you will be requested to pay half the normal tuning charge, plus mileage costs if they apply.  Both of us wish to be treated fairly, and from our viewpoint this policy appears more than fair.     Please call if you would like to schedule another appointment.  Thank you for understanding. I hope this is helpful to someone. Regards, Clyde Hollinger, RPT Wimblees@AOL.COM wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE> I have come to the conclusion, that no matter how I try, there are always going to be no shows, and I am never going to get paid for them. And what all of this has made me realize is that no shows are one of the job descriptions of being a piano tuner. That doesn't mean I like them. What it does mean is that I don't get upset about them.</blockquote> </html>