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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>If they don't play much. I probably =
wouldn't have
done a pitch raise, for 20cents.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>Through the period of a year, the pianos =
up here,
have sections of them that vary 30 + cents. If they haven't queried why
the piano sounded bad, at times through the year, then the pitch =
raise,
and the extra cost to them is wasted money</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>I guess it all comes down to, know your =
customer.
Some people need pitch raises, and some don't.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>It is after all their piano, and their =
tolerances
for an out of tune piano, may be much greater than =
yours.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>This pitch raise for 2-4 cents kind of =
gets me,
lets face it, if it is on a stage, for example, the stage lights, on and =
off can
change it more than that.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>I know a lot of you are going to =
disagree with me,
but it has worked well for me. Since I started in '75, I have never =
called a
customer and said, "it is time to do your piano"</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>With the humidity changes, when is the =
right time
to tune their piano?</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>It could be the right time for one =
customer, and
the wrong time for another.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>For example, if they turn their furnace =
off a
couple of weeks after you tune, or turn it on a couple of weeks after =
you tune.
Then you shouldn't have suggested they have their piano tuned, or should =
you?</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>I suggest DC installations for the =
customers that
notice their piano go out throughout the year.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>You always, give them the option of a =
pitch raise,
after discussing it with them. And always make sure it is the pianist, =
that you
discuss it with. If a minor, the pianist, and their
parent.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>John M. Ross<BR>Windsor, Nova Scotia, =
Canada<BR><A
href="mailto:jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca">jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca</A></FONT=
></DIV>
<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</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, April 21, 2005 =
10:53
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: =
Aaaaaarrrrrrrrgh!</DIV>
=
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR>Alan,<BR><X-TAB> &n=
bsp; </X-TAB>Personally,
I would send the letter but edit out all of the middle where you =
discuss other
businesses and other tuners. Other than that you are extending the =
hand of
peace. <BR><BR><BR><BR>At 05:47 PM 4/21/2005, you wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT =
face=arial>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. <BR></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=arial>[Insert sound of Banshee With Bellyache
here]<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT face=arial>"Why, we haven't even =
moved that
piano." (Me: chuff, hrgmff, choke ...)<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=arial> {Caution Serious Rant Zone Ahead}
<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT face=arial>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!<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT face=arial>"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. <BR></FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=arial>Tried
to explain. She wrote a check. I said, just pay me what you think =
it's
worth. She paid the full amount.<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT =
face=arial>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.<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=arial>I never raised my voice.<BR></FONT> <BR><FONT
face=arial>I've attached the letter I've prepared to send her. =
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 ...<BR> <BR></FONT><FONT face=arial size=2>Alan R.
Barnard<BR>Trying to Thicken My Skin Without Thickening My Skull in =
Salem,
MO<BR>(Man, that's just plain thick! =
Thorry.)<BR></FONT> <BR><BR><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></FONT><BR><BR>____________________________________________=
___<BR>pianotech
list info: <A href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives" =
=
eudora="autourl">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</A></BLO=
CKQUOTE><X-SIGSEP>
<P></X-SIGSEP>Greg Newell<BR>Greg's piano Forté<BR><A
href="mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net"
eudora="autourl">mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net</A>
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