<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1476" 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=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>Hi Dave, = </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>Were you called = back because it was simply time to tune again, or were they saying they weren't happy = with your previous work?   </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2><SPAN class=937020317-05022005>Was the Acrosonic compared to the Charles = Walter in the process of their reasoning? <BR></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2><SPAN class=937020317-05022005>I hear two conversations.  </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2><SPAN class=937020317-05022005>One is the Acrosonic, the other is machine = use.  </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2><SPAN class=937020317-05022005>How did you leave off the topic of the = Acrosonic with client.  In agreement/understanding, or did it dead end, somehow? </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2><SPAN class=937020317-05022005>We have to be sensitive to how they are = processing what we say and do.  Be ready to inquire as to how they understand = things, and prepare to help them out of possibly misunderstanding things.  </SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT = size=2>When he said that "he understood that.... just wanted it to play at family gatherings..."  </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>How would you = translate what he was really saying?   Often, they use this type of language to = say in effect: "Yeah, I know...but I'm still right!"</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>Help them clarify = their own understanding.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>Best thing to do is = ask questions that help them clarify what they mean and understand, making = every possible effort to do it without adding tension.  Endeavor to = understand their understanding of things, and you'll soon help them reveal their MIS-understanding of things to themselves.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>I heard = somewhere..."Let a man who knows nothing keep talking long enough, and soon he'll make a fool = of himself". </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN><SPAN = class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2></FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2></FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN><SPAN = class=937020317-05022005></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN><FONT size=2><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><SPAN = class=937020317-05022005></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN><FONT size=2><SPAN = class=937020317-05022005>We have to be careful how we present the virtues of a machine to the client.  </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN class=937020317-05022005>The idea must = be 'positioned' so that you get them to understand the machine's place in = the world.  </SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005> In this case, = this CEO person must have gotten the impression that he had a choice to make. </SPAN></FONT><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><SPAN class=031155016-05022005><FONT size=2>The only time I would allow = someone to dictate my means of accomplishing something would be on the PTG exam, or = perhaps in some phases of rebuilding. ( Use of certain parts, or some methods, etc.)<SPAN class=937020317-05022005>  = </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><SPAN = class=031155016-05022005><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT = size=2></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=031155016-05022005><FONT size=2>You know more about = a piano than any CEO<SPAN class=937020317-05022005>.  = </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=031155016-05022005><FONT size=2><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2><SPAN = class=937020317-05022005>If you can get accustomed to being 'watched' as you tune, it can help you build = stronger relationships with clients. </SPAN><SPAN = class=937020317-05022005>Often their expressions and actions may seem confrontational or accusatory, when = it's really just curiosity. </SPAN></FONT></SPAN><SPAN = class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>You must take more confidence in your own judgment and experience.  Most 'in-home' customers are like children, and = must be loved and educated according to their ability to assimilate = information.  Don't be distracted by their position in life. They are still babes in = the wood as far as pianos and music.  </FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>This is not to demean anyone, = just helps us understand them better.  </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT = size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>This topic has = nothing to do with stretching octaves.   :-)   = </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>It is a matter of = listening to the client as much as listening to the piano. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005><FONT size=2>I feel your pain, = and none of us is immune to this type of situation. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN><SPAN class=937020317-05022005></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; = mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt">Best regards,<BR>Brad Smith, RPT<BR></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><A href="http://www.smithpiano.com"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Trebuchet MS'; mso-bidi-font-size: = 7.5pt">www.smithpiano.com</SPAN></A><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></DIV></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr = align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Piannaman@aol.com [mailto:Piannaman@aol.com] <BR><B>Sent:</B> = Saturday, February 05, 2005 3:53 AM<BR><B>To:</B> = pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> Not what I signed up for<BR><BR></FONT></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Verdana color=#000000> <DIV><FONT size=2>Hi List,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Just a little vent...I got a call a few weeks back = from a woman I'd tuned an Acrosonic for about 5 months ago, saying the piano = needed to be retuned.  Okay, It was some 30 cents flat or so, o that = makes sense.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>When I arrived on the scene, the bass sounded kind = of crappy, and the treble had gone fairly far flat.  And some of the = aging rubber lifter grommets were clicking in the forks.  NO big = deal.  The lady of the house who I had worked for before was not home.  = Instead, a rather CEO looking man came to the rather large door of the huge and = well-appointed house on the golf cours.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>We discussed the situation.  I explained that = even with the best possible tuning by the best tuner in the world, the Acro = would never sound as "in tune" as their son's Charles Walter studio that I also tune.  He explained that he understood that, but that they just = wanted it to play at family gatherings.  Given their apparent financial = situation, I gently pointed out that they would get far more musical satisfaction = from a better quality instrument, and that they should limit their = expectations for this one.  Blah, blah, blah.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Then he saw my pocket PC and asked about the = Tunelab program.  I explained a bit about it, at which point he told me = that he wanted me to tune to the computer.  I said okay, but as I tuned, = it became apparent to me that my ear did not agree with what I was = seeing, especially in the upper octaves.  This is precisely where he came = in to watch me tune, silent as a statue, for a good 30 minutes.  = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>What it boils down to is that I work for myself = for many reasons, the biggest one being that I don't have to be told what to = do.  This situation was aggravating.  It was evident that the man of = the house was used to telling people what to do and getting his way most of the time.  I'm used to using MY judgement, not that of a person = without a musical bone in his body.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The tuning was way too stretched in the treble, to = the point of having octaves that were strident, but I did it the way he had asked.   I hope his wife is happy with it(and/or him...(-:).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Thanks for listening,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Dave = Stahl</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>