<html>  <head><style type='text/css'> p { margin: 0px; } </style></head> <body>  <P>Barbara, It has been two years since I last tuned their piano, and my rate increased from $60 to $75.They were trying to get me to still tune for the old price even after they went to someone else.I considered that a real slap in the face.</P> <P> </P> <P>RU<BR></P> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message from "Barbara Richmond" <PIANO57@FLASH.NET>: -------------- <BR> <STYLE type=text/css>P { MARGIN: 0px } </STYLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2180" name=GENERATOR> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Wait, do I understand that you just recently raised your rate, or did you raise your rate just for them?  If it's the latter, I would advise against playing games or being vindictive with folks.   I believe the financial incentive Alan was talking about, was something like a credit or discount toward future work depending on how many tunings were referred.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara Richmond</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=richard.ucci@att.net href="mailto:richard.ucci@att.net">richard.ucci@att.net</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> Tuesday, October 05, 2004 7:54 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: ethics question</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <P>Alan, you are very right about that. I had a client call me back after going to another "tooner" (their teacher) and request a tuning. I gave them my current price which is $15 more than it was before and they balked. I said ,"That is my price, however I am booked for the next two weeks".They have not called back, but I don't care.</P> <P> </P> <P>Rick Ucci/Ucci Piano <BR></P> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">-------------- Original message from "Alan Forsyth" <ALANFORSYTH@FORTUNE4.FSNET.CO.UK>: -------------- <BR> <STYLE type=text/css>P { MARGIN: 0px } </STYLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2180" name=GENERATOR> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>It may very well be that the teacher has been given a financial incentive to refer customers, or may be involved personally with said tech. I myself wouldn't lose too much sleep over it. Remember it is likely your ego is being hurt more than anything else and not your wallet. There are plenty of other income earners within the piano tuner's world besides tuning. If those lost customers should ever need to call you in the future, it might just be very tempting to say that you are fully booked for the next ten years.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>AF</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>and my goodness, almost two whole digests of Pianotech dedicated to beer........hic.......</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>  </body> </html>