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<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005><SPAN =
class=640172722-21042005><STRONG>(Had
trouble with this message, if it posts more than once, just zap.
Sorry)</STRONG></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005><SPAN
class=640172722-21042005></SPAN></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005><SPAN =
class=640172722-21042005></SPAN>Had to
happen sooner or later. Visit people who don't play much, tune annual. =
He's
nice. She was okay in past. She not home. Sit at piano. 20+ cents flat =
after
period of high humidity around here. Tell him it needs pitch correction. =
Work on
piano for 2 1/2 hours. She's now home, comes in as I'm trying to take a =
little
Story & Clarke wine out of the unisons. Scowl. "We have places to go =
today!
How much longer is this going to take?" Oh, says I, I'm just finishing =
up. "How
much." Well it needed pitch correction, you see, blah blah blah, =
so it's
$140 today. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>[Insert sound of Banshee With =
Bellyache
here]</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>"Why, we haven't even moved that =
piano."
(Me: chuff, hrgmff, choke ...)</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005> {Caution Serious Rant =
Zone Ahead}
</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>WHAT THE HELL IS IT WITH THIS =
'MOVING THE
PIANO CRAP'? EVERYONE KNOWS(!) THATS WHAT MAKES PIANOS NEED TUNING =
(puff
puff pant) DID THE GOVERNMENT USED TO PRINT THAT FACTOID(???!!!) ON =
CEREAL BOXES
OR WHAT? SEEMS MOST FOLKS DON'T KNOW A $#*%&* THING ELSE ABOUT =
THEIR
PIANO BUT IF YOU ROLL IT 3 INCHES, THAT'S WHEN YOU GOTTA CALL THE TUNER =
(OR IF A
KEY IS 'STICKING.') OTHER THAN THAT, IT CAN EASILY GO ANOTHER 15 YEARS =
AND
SOUNDS JUST BLOODY GREAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>"Last time you were here you only =
charged me
$50." No, Ma'am. It was $65 a couple of years ago. Now it's $80 plus you =
needed
the pitch raise. </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>Tried to explain. She wrote a =
check. I said,
just pay me what you think it's worth. She paid the full =
amount.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>She won't be using me next time. =
That's
okay. She will undoubtedly tell everyone in her church--and it's a =
small
community here--and anyone else who'll listen that I am a rotten crook =
and I
charge $140 to tune a piano--that hasn't even been moved! That's not =
okay.
Damn.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>I never raised my =
voice.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>I've <SPAN
class=140591922-21042005> included </SPAN> the letter I've =
prepared to
send her<SPAN class=140591922-21042005> , below</SPAN>. Before I =
seal it
and send it, if any of you kind folks want to look it over and tell me =
I'm right
on, crazy, or both, I'd appreciate it. All comments welcome. Maybe some =
ideas
for people with similar customer relations disasters are here, too
...</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=500441220-21042005> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV align=left>Alan R. Barnard</DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>Trying to Thicken My =
Skin Without
Thickening My Skull in </SPAN>Salem, MO</DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=500441220-21042005>(Man, that's just =
plain thick!
Thorry.)</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT face=Arial>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">Dear =
Friends:<?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">I am very upset about =
our
discussion today. These are my thoughts and feelings =
…<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">First and foremost: If =
I have
offended you in any way, whatsoever, I do truly apologize and ask your
forgiveness. Friendship and integrity mean everything in the world to me =
and
business …. is only business.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">Jeanne, you seemed =
upset with me
from the moment I said hello and certainly before the fee was discussed. =
I
didn’t understand that.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">I’ve attached a copy =
of
</SPAN><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:PersonName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">info</SPAN></st1:PersonName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">rmation about tuning, =
humidity,
pitch raises, etc., in the interest of understanding. Your piano was 21 =
percent
flat today, which I pointed out to Ron. He heard how much I was raising =
each
string just to get it near pitch. Anything more than about 6 or 7 =
percent flat
(or sharp, and less than 5 is better) is simply not tunable for good, =
lasting
results. If anything, with the high humidity of recent days, I expected =
to find
your piano a little sharp, or maybe a little flat (it has been a whole =
year) but
it was <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">way</I> =
off.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">Perhaps I should have =
clarified
fees with Ron before starting, but you had always handled our business =
in the
past and you are the player. So I just plunged in, doing what the piano
needed.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">Most people tune every =
6 months
in our climate, but usually a year doesn’t throw a piano so =
much—although it
will not sound very good. But some pianos are just more reactive to =
humidity
swings than others. No one could have </SPAN><st1:PersonName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">don</SPAN></st1:PersonName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">e a straight tuning, =
today; the
pitch correction was absolutely essential. I wish you’d been home when =
I
arrived; maybe we’d have saved some grief. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">You were right in =
remembering
that I charged less on previous occasions. My records show $65 tuning =
payments
on </SPAN><st1:date Month="9" Day="11" Year="2002"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">9/11/02</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne"> and </SPAN><st1:date =
Month="4"
Day="27" Year="2004"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">4/27/04</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">. Both were for =
straight,
near-pitch tunings, even though I had already raised my rates by April =
of last
year, I charged you the old amount—</SPAN><st1:PersonName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">don</SPAN></st1:PersonName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">’t remember why. My =
standard
tuning rate is now $80 but if gas prices remain so high, I will be =
raising it a
little or start charging for mileage and time on the =
road.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">That’s the way =
Bottorf Appliance
charges: $40 per hour (including driving time to and from) and
$1<U><SUP>00</SUP></U> a mile.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> =
</SPAN>I
know because I routinely survey other professional services to make sure =
that my
fees are in line and fair. At their rate, a visit equivalent to mine, =
today,
would have run about the same as what I charged. Equivalent time on auto =
repairs
at Al West would have cost nearly $200 just for the labor (and they =
won’t come
to your house).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">As I said, I’m not =
the cheapest
tuner in our area. In fact, if I heard that another person was charging =
more
than I, I would immediately raise my rates. I am the only Guild =
technician
between here, </SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Springfield</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">,
</SPAN><st1:place><st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Columbia</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">, =
</SPAN><st1:State><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Arkansas</SPAN></st1:State></st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">, and
</SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">St.
Louis</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">. That alone doesn’t =
guarantee
you top-notch service, but does demonstrate a person’s desire to be
professional, ethical, and to provide excellent, knowledgeable service. =
Also it
affords fantastic training and mentoring opportunities which I take =
every
advantage of.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">There are people out =
there who
will take your money to fiddle with your tuning pins. We call them =
“tooners.”
One such person, locally, uses a guitar tuner and has no understanding, =
at all,
about how pianos work or how to tune them, doesn’t understand tempered =
tuning,
inharminicity, or what to do if a key doesn’t play right. When =
encountering
pianos off-pitch like yours, this person either tunes and =
tunes—desperately
trying to make it sound right—until they literally throw him out, or =
tells them
their “strings are shot” and they need a new =
piano!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">There is a fellow from =
</SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Marshfield</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne"> who tunes locally and =
has a
good reputation. And there is one in Rolla whom I have never met, but =
have never
heard anything bad about. </SPAN><st1:place><st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Second</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne"> =
</SPAN><st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Street</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne"> =
</SPAN><st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Music</SPAN></st1:PlaceName><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne"> =
</SPAN><st1:PlaceType><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Academy</SPAN></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne"> in
</SPAN><st1:City><st1:place><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne">Dixon</SPAN></st1:place></st1:City><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne"> has a lady who tunes, =
very well
I’m told. I’m not sure she comes this far south, =
though.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">On the other hand, =
I’d like to
remain friends and, just perhaps, your tuner, too. I’m trying to build =
a
business, provide the best service I can, feed my family, behave =
honorably, and
make as many friends as I can. If I blew it, somehow, I’m
sorry.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Souvienne">Very truly
yours,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt right 6.5in"><SPAN
style="Z-INDEX: -1; MARGIN: 4px auto auto -12px; WIDTH: 257px; =
POSITION: absolute; HEIGHT: 106px; mso-ignore: vglayout"><IMG
height=106 src="cid:640172722@21042005-3377" width=257
v:shapes="_x0000_s1026"></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: =
Souvienne"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></FONT><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>--<BR>No virus found in this outgoing
message.<BR></FONT></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>--<BR>
No virus found in this outgoing message.<BR>
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR>
Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.10.1 - Release Date: =
04/20/2005<BR>
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