<!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 5.50.4134.100" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>OK, Let's start at the = top.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>How did this customer locate you?  = Dealer referral?  Other referral?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Why isn't the piano holding a tuning = attempt?  Was it loose pins?  Or was it a more insipid problem?  Or a combination of problems?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I think all you can honestly do right = now is to ask the customer whether or not a technician had been consulted before = making this purchase [most likely not], and invite the inevitable question, "Should = I have asked you first ...?"  Then put on your best bedside manners and = tell her about your observations about this Belarus product.  Let the = customer come to the conclusion that the "deal" was not what it had been = hoped to be.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As others have said on the List, do not = take on the legal logistics of this case.  Let the customer blow the dealer out = of the water on this one.  (The fact that the customer is the one who is = putting on the heat may have a greater impact on the dealer than if it had been = the technician.)  However, there is nothing wrong with being a = technical consultant working on behalf of this customer.  Be prepared to = answer any questions, but don't be the one to start the business = fights.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>For what 2 cents is worth</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Z! Reinhardt  RPT<BR>Ann = Arbor  MI<BR><A href="mailto:diskladame@provide.net">diskladame@provide.net</A></FONT><= /DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ulrich@rangenet.com href="mailto:ulrich@rangenet.com">Roy = Ulrich</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> Thursday, June 06, 2002 = 9:22 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Belarus</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"> <DIV><FONT size=2>The dealer is sending another tech to try to "fix" = the problem and hinted that there is a procedure to tighten the pins with = a chemical solution, i.e. he's apparently suggesting doping the block. I = think that's preposterous and that the dealer should either replace the = instrument or refund the money - that doping a new piano is absurd.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>It may help you to know that this "dealer" used to = have a store, has never negotiated a price for warranty tunings, and in the = past, had offered the unsuspecting customer a certificate up to an amount that = never came close to covering the tuning and mileage. The past couple of = years he's selling "Shubert's" out of his store basement while renting out the = upstairs to someone else with an unrelated product. </FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>>><<</DIV></DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Er, uh, I might not have phrased the question = properly; as a matter of fact, the customer HAS asked me to be involved. This is a = rather unique situation, as the "other guy" is coming from about 100 miles = away. Should the customer have to keep this PSO, I'll in all likelihood be = the one who has to service it in future years.Whether or not getting involved = at this point is part of my job description, I disagree. I'm self employed. My = job description is what I say it is, and when an alledged dealer is trying = to pull a fast one, I'll step up to the plate for the customer. Personally, I = believe that it is our responsibility (to a point) to defend the = uninformed customer against consumer fraud. 99% of my new business is as a result = of word-of-mouth referrals because to some degree my customer base = has come to trust me to do a good job and be honest with them. I can't change = that tactic after this many years of success. This is akin (in my opinion) = to buying a new car with a leaky radiator and the dealer offers to put a = can of "Stop Leak" in the system and send you on your way....</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>At any rate, the question was:  Does anyone = on this list see doping a new instrument as an appropriate repair for a NEW = piano that will not hold a tune?  Thanks</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Roy Ulrich</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE 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=Wimblees@AOL.COM href="mailto:Wimblees@AOL.COM">Wimblees@AOL.COM</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> Wednesday, June 05, = 2002 5:42 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Belarus</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>In a = message dated 6/5/02 5:21:01 PM Central Daylight Time, <A href="mailto:ulrich@rangenet.com">ulrich@rangenet.com</A> writes: <BR><BR><BR> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff = 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px" TYPE="CITE">I've been tuning and restoring for 17 years and never = had a situation like this come up. Your thoughts will in all probability = be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!</FONT><FONT lang=0 = face=Arial color=#000000 size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"> = <BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Roy = Ulrich</FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=3 = FAMILY="SANSSERIF"> <BR><XMP></XMP></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial = color=#0f0f0f size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT><FONT lang=0 = face=Arial color=#0f0f0f size=3 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR>Roy. <BR><BR>This = may seem harsh, but your job is to tune pianos, not to negotiate conflicts = between customers and dealers. Unless the customer asks you to intervene on = her behalf, (and pays you to do it), I would suggest you stay away from = any dealings between the customer and the dealer. Let the dealer send = someone else to "fix" the problem. If the customer is satisfied with the = results, that is her "problem." If she is still dissatisfied, it is her responsibility to do something else about it. <BR><BR>Again, this = might seem harsh, and I know it is very tempting to step in and help your = customers. But unfortunately, it is not part of our job description. (again, = unless she specifically asks you to help her). <BR><BR>Wim <BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>