<!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 6.00.2800.1491" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: #000000; = FONT-FAMILY: Verdana" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7> <DIV><SPAN class=960292119-05052005><FONT face="Arial Rounded MT = Bold" color=#0000ff>I can't imagine booking six months in advance. This past = February in 1 week I had 2 different customers stand me up. The first one, had = been call a week beforehand and agreed to the time. When I arrived at her house , = she was on her way out the door to catch a flight to Florida. It didn't seem to = bother her that I had the time set aside for her. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=960292119-05052005><FONT face="Arial Rounded MT = Bold" color=#0000ff>The next customer the appointment was booked about 2 = days in advance. I droved about 70 minutes for a warranty tuning to find no one = home. I waited for about 1/2 hour, left message on their answering machine and = stay in the area for another 1/2 in cased they came home. After 3 days I haven't = heard from these people I called them and finally got someone other than the = answering machine. I talk to the husband and he said that he forgot and couldn't = care less that I made a special trip for nothing. Up to this point I never had "no-shows".</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=960292119-05052005><FONT face="Arial Rounded MT = Bold" color=#0000ff>I did  call people years ago as reminders but = I found I didn't have time for this anymore. I still have customer asked me to = give them reminder calls. Most people lose track of time and forget the last the time the  piano was tuned. I did find some people were put = off. Working for a store when  calls come in from our branches = and the person taking the call will either give the customer my number or send = me an email with the information. I then can call to set up appointment.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=960292119-05052005><FONT face="Arial Rounded MT = Bold" color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=960292119-05052005><FONT face="Arial Rounded MT = Bold" color=#0000ff> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Wayne Walker</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Piano Tuner & = Technician</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">MUSICSTOP LTD</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">1005 Dow Rd, New Minas, = NS</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">B4N 3R4</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Cell 902-221-1540</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS">Fax 902-681-1463</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><A href="mailto:wayne.w@musicstop.com">wayne.w@musicstop.com</A></FONT></D= IV> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS"><A href="http://www.musicstop.com/">www.musicstop.com</A></FONT></DIV></FO= NT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=960292119-05052005><FONT face="Arial Rounded MT = Bold" color=#0000ff></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=960292119-05052005></SPAN><FONT face=Tahoma = size=2><BR><SPAN class=960292119-05052005><FONT face="Arial Rounded MT Bold" = color=#0000ff size=3> </FONT></SPAN>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Piannaman@aol.com [mailto:Piannaman@aol.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, = May 04, 2005 10:42 AM<BR><B>To:</B> pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: reminders<BR><BR></DIV></FONT> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><FONT = id=role_document face=Verdana color=#000000 size=3> <DIV> <DIV>Richard,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Everyone's different, and different things work for different clients.  I book some six months in advance, some a year in advance.  Some can't keep a calendar that far ahead, so I send = them reminders and call.  If I book far in advance, I always call to = remind the customer when I'm coming.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>After sending postcards, i'll usually call two-three = times over a 3-6 month period, and if I get no response, I leave a message telling them to call me when they need my services.  I put an x = by their name, indicating to me that the ball is in their court, and not = to call them again.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I try to be sensitive to the customer's desires in this = regard.  I don't like feeling like I'm another harassment in someone's harried life.  Most people are gracious and appreciate the reminders, but = some are obviously put off.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I know it's hard for us to face sometimes, but our place in most = peoples' priority list is somewhere down below the annual cat = innoculation.  It often takes a note sticking or little Betty saying, "mommy, the piano = sounds funny" for the customer to get of her duff and call the tuner.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>It's taken awhile, but I've learned not to take these things = personally, even when they tell me they're using tuner X, who was = recommended by their neighbor, teacher, guru, or priest.  That's the nature = of the biz.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hope this helps,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Dave Stahl</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> dated 5/4/05 6:12:15 AM Pacific Daylight Time, = richard.ucci@att.net writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px = solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 = size=2> <DIV>Got a call from a client I tuned a year ago for the first time, = telling me not to call back with any more reminders. She has my number and = will call when she's ready(aroung the turn of the next century I guess).</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I call clients once a week to schedual appointments,and leave a = message if I get their machine.Short and sweet- "the pianos due, It's been a = six months,year,whatever , and I'll be in the area this week. Let me = know if you want to schedual.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I considering making the next appointment when I'm = there and sending a reminder card two weeks prior, with the stipulation for = them to call and confirm. I still don't want to have no shows which means I = still will have to call many of them to confirm.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><BR> <HR> I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.<BR>It has = removed 1455 spam emails to date.<BR>Paying users do not have this message in = their emails.<BR>Try <A href="http://www.spamfighter.com/Product_Info.asp?">SPAMfighter</A> = for free now!<BR><br><hr>I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private = users.<br>It has removed 1455 spam emails to date.<br>Paying users do = not have this message in their emails.<br>Try <a = href="http://www.spamfighter.com/Product_Info.asp?">SPAMfighter</a> = for free now!<br> </BODY></HTML>