<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=windows-1250"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2523" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><SPAN class=800103517-14012005><FONT face=Arial>You bet. = Sometimes I way "A standard tuning is XX dollars. If your piano is in good shape and close = to pitch, that's all it would be."</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=800103517-14012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=800103517-14012005><FONT face=Arial>Maybe it's the = way I say it, but they don't seem to get "suspicious" like you did! Ha. I just = don't want people making decisions based on inaccurate information or costs they = can't associate with things I can point out and explain in person. It's just = good business.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=800103517-14012005><FONT = face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=800103517-14012005><FONT face=Arial>As to the = comment about the "<EM>family's financial situation," </EM>that is NOT how fees are = based (gimme a little credit) but it IS an important consideration, sometimes, = in what options I recommend and--sometimes--what kind of extra work I'll throw = in to help out. For example, I have many times made repairs for which I billed = less than I normally would in order to give struggling single moms, for = instance, a working piano and me a regular tuning customer. Also, fair to say, if = I'm in a home where the piano obviously cost far more than my car, I am not = prepared to hear a lot of whining about fees. "Your fragistats need basculating and = the flongbats are starting to pusculate and that's just how it is. I = recommend a complete dusting of your music desk."</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan R. Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN class=800103517-14012005>Sighing in </SPAN>Salem, = MO</FONT></FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr = align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On = Behalf Of </B>Terry<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, January 14, 2005 4:06 = AM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Pitch Raise and String Breakage<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT = face=Arial>Alan wrote:</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial><EM>"Lately I've been ducking the whole "how much do you = charge thing" quite succesfully with calls like you describe. I simply say: = "I don't want to quote anything before I see a piano for the first time."</EM></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><EM>(snip)</EM></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><EM>"Also, this let's me.....estimate the = family's financial situation, find out how much the piano means to them, etc."</EM></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Hmmmmm. Sounds suspicious to me. Don't you = even have a standard tuning fee?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</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=tune4u@earthlink.net = href="mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net">Alan</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> Thursday, January 13, = 2005 8:50 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Pitch Raise and = String Breakage</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>Lately I've = been ducking the whole "how much do you charge thing" quite succesfully = with calls like you describe. I simply say: "I don't want to quote = anything before I see a piano for the first time. I'll examine it and then we = can discuss what is needed and agree on things before I do any work. = Fair enough?"  Or something to that effect. Seems to be accepted = very well and I haven't wasted a trip yet.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>Then, when = I see that it's 87 cents flat with rusty coils and mouse nests, we can talk = face to face about needs, options, etc., and do the "selling" on a personal = basis. To me, that is always better than "selling" anything over the phone = where you don't really know what's what with the piano. Also, this let's = me establish a rapport with the customer so I can read their body = language, estimate the family's financial situation, find out how much the = piano means to them, etc. At this time, before starting, I say things like: </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>"These = strings may be rusty enough or old enough that some of them may pop while tuning."</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>"Though I = will be careful, metal under tension loses its elasticity, or ability = to stretch, over time and gets brittle."</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=765023701-14012005><FONT face=Arial>"You been = taking these strings to the beach with you, or what!?! </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan R. Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Salem, MO</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr = align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On = Behalf Of </B>Matthew Todd<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 13, 2005 = 5:11 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech<BR><B>Subject:</B> Pitch Raise and = String Breakage<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV>Hi List,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When you're on the phone scheduling an appointment with a = client, and you ask the question "How long has it been since the piano was = last tuned", and they say "over 10 years", then you mention the pitch = raise and the extra cost involved, and that their piano may need it....do = you also mention that some strings might break over the phone, or do you = wait till you're at their home before you bring it up?</DIV><BR><BR>Matthew Todd<BR>Todd Piano Works<BR>Piano Tuner/Technician<BR>Tuning - Repairing - Regulating <P> <HR SIZE=1> Do you Yahoo!?<BR>Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new = enhanced search. <A = href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=29917/*http://info.mail.yahoo.com/ma= il_250">Learn more.</A><BR> <P><FONT size=2>--<BR>No virus found in this incoming = message.<BR>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR>Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.11 = - Release Date: 01/12/2005<BR></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <P><FONT size=2>--<BR>No virus found in this outgoing = message.<BR>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR>Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.11 - = Release Date: 01/12/2005<BR></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <P><FONT size=2>--<BR>No virus found in this incoming = message.<BR>Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR>Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.11 - = Release Date: 01/12/2005<BR></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML> <BR> <P><FONT SIZE=2>--<BR> No virus found in this outgoing message.<BR> Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.<BR> Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.11 - Release Date: = 01/12/2005<BR> </FONT> </P>