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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3>For those of
the fairer sex, would you be comfortable going out on appointments in a =
floor
length gown? I think not. </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Been there done that -- depends on the =
job site
(la-dee-dah fundraisers at $1000 a plate with "special guest artist at =
the
piano") ....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face=Arial =
size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3>In short,
Cliff, what's good for you is fine, for you, but it certainly doesn't =
make me
less of a technician because I don't conform to someone else's dress
code.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3><FONT
face=Arial size=2>The problem is</FONT> <FONT face=Arial =
size=2>in the
customers' expectations. There are some neighborhoods where =
nothing but
the best will do, and that means wearing the best dress slacks and a =
nice
shirt. The same outfit in another neighborhood would be dreadfully =
out of
place and will arouse the worst suspicions.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Cleanliness counts big-time around here. It =
doesn't seem
to matter what is worn, as long as it is =
clean.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3><FONT
face=Arial size=2>What really goes over well is any sign of respect =
for their
homes. Removing shoes and putting on slippers at the door ... =
bringing in
a clean light-colored tub mat on which to place your toolbox so the =
floor
doesn't get scuffed or the carpet doesn't get =
dirty.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" =
size=3><FONT
face=Arial size=2>It also helps to have reasonably clean work =
habits. I
try to do any/all in-home repairs over the tub mat or an old =
towel. At the
end of the job, I just roll all the trash up, sawdust and all.
</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
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=gnewell@ameritech.net =
href="mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net">Greg
Newell</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> Friday, June 21, 2002 =
2:41 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: clothing</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>OK fuddy duddy, you asked for it! But seriously, many =
of us
tuners do far to much inside the piano to wear what you wear and not =
destroy
our clothing on a regular basis. I don't know what your charging for =
services
but there is no way on earth I could absorb all that extra. Nice =
slacks and a
button down shirt with casual shoes and hopefully socks that match :-) =
is
perfectly fine and acceptable and in my experience puts the customer =
more at
ease with me. This is usually how they answer the door in these parts =
so to be
dressed like them puts us at ease with each other. A Good piano =
technician can
and should wear what he's comfortable WORKING in. Less than a suit and =
tie
does not make him or her less of a technician. For those of the fairer =
sex,
would you be comfortable going out on appointments in a floor length =
gown? I
think not. In short, Cliff, what's good for you is fine, for you, but =
it
certainly doesn't make me less of a technician because I don't conform =
to
someone else's dress code.<BR><BR>Greg Newell<BR><BR>P.S. this is not
addressed specifically to you Cliff but the list in =
general.<BR><BR><BR>At
01:52 PM 6/21/2002, you wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite type="cite" cite>Tex,<BR><BR>While =
servicing a 1953
Acrosonic on Tuesday, I came across a pamphlet that Baldwin =
apparently
included with the piano. In it there was section about =
service, tuning
and how to choose a technician. The accompanying picture =
(drawing)
showed a tuner at someone's door wearing a double-breasted suit, =
doffing a
chapeau, and carrying what appeared to be a doctor's =
bag.<BR><BR>While times
have changed, I don't think this image is terribly far off from the
impression a good piano technician should offer. Call me a =
fuddy
duddy, but I wear dress pants, dress shirt, and tie. I try to =
keep the
shoes shined.<BR><BR>After all, piano doctors still make house
calls.<BR><BR>Cliff Lesher<BR>Winfield, PA =
<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><X-SIGSEP>
<P></X-SIGSEP>Greg Newell<BR><A href="mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net"
eudora="autourl">mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net</A> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>Z! Reinhardt RPT<BR>Ann =
Arbor MI<BR><A
=
href="mailto:diskladame@provide.net">diskladame@provide.net</A></FONT><=
/P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>