<!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 6.00.2712.300" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff background=""> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I always strive for excellence in my = work, as we all should. But I can't tell you how many times I have driven many = miles for a service call only to find a PSO clunker that is horribly out = of tune and half the keys don't work because of broken & missing parts, = etc, etc, but the customer says something like "This was my grandmother's = piano. I just want to be able to plunk out a few melodies". Given the situation/parameters mentioned why would one be concerned = about it being a bad reflection on their work? It is a reflection on = the client. I don't think my reputation as a good technician will be damaged = in the least by me making the effort to make that old clunker "playable" for the customer. I just do the best I can = and then move on, hopefully to find a better piano to tune at my next appointment...</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Best,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Greg</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>   </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><EM><STRONG>David Love wrote:<BR></STRONG></EM></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><EM>I missed a bit of this thread but = the problem with doing this type of thing, even if the customer seems satisfied, is = that the quality of the tuning reflects on you to others who may hear it.  = Though you can't make a silk purse..., I do tend to think about the quality of = the product I leave behind and how it might reflect on my own = reputation.  If a customer wants to pay only a minimum charge, but you know the piano will = need more to even get it reasonably in tune, and it is likely that you won't = see this customer ever again--or at least for another 10 years, then (even though = I still take the job) I often wonder if it's really worth it.<BR><BR>David Love</EM></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> <BR>----- Original Message ----- = <BR>From: Greg T <BR>To: pianotech@ptg.org <BR>Sent: May 05, 2002 10:32 = AM<BR>Subject: Re: "Old School Teachings" - Little Story & Confession<BR><BR><BR>I = totally agree with the reply below mine...<BR><BR>Maybe that = (customer/situation) is why the "tooners" of the "old school teachnings" did some of the things they = did and a was not so much a reflection of their skill level...<BR><BR>IMO the = best one can do is to simply do one's best, given the parameters of the = situation, and not worry so much about what a previous "tooner" did...<BR><BR>Best,<BR>Greg<BR><BR>----- Original Message ----- = <BR>From: Kevin E. Ramsey <BR>To: pianotech@ptg.org <BR>Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 = 9:04 PM<BR>Subject: Re: "Old School Teachings" - Little Story & Confession<BR><BR><BR>    Terry, your customer dictated = the terms of service, you didn't. Let her define the level of service she wants, = if that's what she wants from you. You gave her what she wanted and what she was = willing to pay for; there's no reason for you to have your "tail between your = legs". <BR><BR>Kevin E. Ramsey<BR>ramsey@extremezone.com<BR><BR>The short story = is I tuned that thing in 45 minutes and left it 15 cents flat. It was the = worst tuning I have ever done, and I even skipped the few notes in the high = treble that were lacking hammers and/or hammer felt!<BR><BR>I still claim to be = Mr. "A440 or else!", but golly gosh, I guess there are times when = alternatives are in order - not often, but sometimes.<BR><BR>With tail between = legs,<BR><BR>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>