<HTML> In a message dated 7/13/03 5:04:32 PM, tune4u@earthlink.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE CITE STYLE="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px" TYPE="CITE">When I darn a pian= o to heck but the people otherwise are interested in pianos, I do not charge them and I help them, if they desire, in finding another piano. </BLOCKQUOTE> I have found pianos for maybe a dozen clients over the past three years or s= o, and more than half the time I never hear from the client again.  Th= is is not after darning a piano to heck, either.  They call me, asking= if I know of any pianos for sale; I tell them I'll put them on my list.&nbs= p; I find out what kind of piano and price range they are looking for, and = a month later, I find a piano which fits their criterion, so I call them to = let them know where the piano is.  Up to this point, all is cordial, t= hey are grateful, I feel like I'll be gaining a long-term client, and I'm do= ing two parties a favor.   (The seller and the buyer) At this point, one of two things happens: either they buy the piano and I ne= ver hear from them again, or they evidently don't buy the piano and I never = hear from them again.  I had a client whose piano I tuned for 3 years who called to ask me to find = a piano for her daughter.  I found the perfect piano for her: she want= ed a vertical piano with dark wood, and I found her this Acrosonic, and it w= as cheap!  I gave her the info on the piano and I never heard from her= OR her mother again!  I called both of them several times over the fo= llowing week.  I still don't know if she bought the piano, or not.&nbs= p; On that little deal, I not only lost a new client but an old one, too.&n= bsp; Another woman asked me to find her a baby grand, and when I called her with = a lead on a little Samick 3 months later, she was so grateful. She couldn't = believe that I actually remembered her and took the time to call her.  = Gave her the info, and never heard from her again.  She has since ign= ored my tuning reminder cards. I didn't even ask for a finder's fee or seller's fee on these transactions.&= nbsp; I thought it would be enough to gain a client whose piano I would be = tuning for the next 10 years.  All these pianos I found were in good c= ondition at a good price.  I could do no more for my own mother. One last story:  a man called to offer me his piano for free.  A= Wurlitzer spinet with a nice cabinet and bench.  I picked it up and d= id some action work on it, since it wasn't playing very well.  I put a= bout two hours into it, levelling the keys, adjusting the letoff, even resha= ped the hammers.  I sold it for $350, and even included a FREE TUNING = with it.  Never heard from the client again.   He'll probably call me in 5 = years wanting his free tuning.  I know someone will suggest I've done something to alienate these people, bu= t for the life of me I can't imagine what it is.  All relations are co= rdial and everything seems just fine up to the point that they go incommunic= ato.  (sic) So, Homey don't play that game no more.  I still tell people that I'll= put them on a list, but I don't call them no matter what I find.  It'= s not worth it. Tom Sivak </HTML>