<HTML>In a message dated 9/22/2002 1:47:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time, mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Subj:Re: Testing Statistics.. was Important Question Date:9/22/2002 1:47:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time From:<A HREF="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com</A> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> To:<A HREF="mailto:ilvey@sbcglobal.net">ilvey@sbcglobal.net</A>, <A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> Sent from the Internet         Terry</BLOCKQUOTE>     Frustrating as it may be Being a RPT doesn't mean a hoot to 99% of the people I work for. Nobody declined my services or refused to buy one of my remanufactured pianos because of it either. I'd rather they employ me because of reputation and trust and not titles or hipe anyway.       Being an RPT is for me and the testing procedures and knowledge base this association brings thru networking. Our clients get the benifit of that and don't even KNOW IT. >>>Dale Erwin <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px"> I wonder about this. The other day I posted that for the first time in four years in this business I was asked by a potential client whether I was a member of the PTG. I have never been asked about RPT status in any way shape or form. I view RPT status as something a tech may wish to pursue for themselves (and most certainly presents a worthwhile goal), but I don't think it is likely to make an impact on many piano owners. And is it just me, or do others feel a bit sheepish about the "Guild" part of Piano Technicians Guild? Didn't some older English uses of this term imply some sort of exclusionary practices? Or am I off base with that. Maybe PTA? Piano Technicians Association. Terry Farrell   </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>