<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <meta content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"> <title></title> </head> <body bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000"> <br> Great answer.  I've never had one turn into thousands, but have definitely turned some tunings into<br> very good paying  work.  Quite gratifying when that happens, because it tells me that my  demeaner<br> was such that the client seemed to trust my judgement , and when the client is satisfied with the final<br> result, we're both pleased, and  my time was profitable. Enjoyed your post.<br> <br> Carl<br>  <br> <br> Alan Barnard wrote: <blockquote cite="mid411-2200512220201359781@earthlink.net" type="cite"> <title></title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=ISO-8859-1"> <meta content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name="GENERATOR"> <div> <div><font size="3">I'm not sure I exactly understand what you're asking but I'll respond ...</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="3">Only on one occasion did I do extra work without pre-agreement. That was a major pitch raise when the piano owner was not there when I arrived (another family member let me in). When I gave her the bill she freaked, it was very ugly. On the other hand, she was very upset about something from the moment she walked in the door--I was just the last straw, as it were.</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="3">In this case, I had pretty much carte blanche but only charged her for the tuning and PR, the rest was just piddley adjustments, a little hammer fitting, etc., that I do as part of tuning anyhow, if there is time.</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="3">I have, on many, many occasions turned a "normal tuning" into a 2 or 3 hundred dollar job. On about five occasions, I turned them into 2 and 3 thousand dollar jobs. I DO sell work, but I don't twist arms. Here is the situation, here are the needs, here are your options, this is how your piano could be, here are the economic issues as to now and future market value of the piano, etc. You don't have to be a good salesman, really, you just have to open your mouth. Same thing on selling caster cups, Dampp-Chaser systems, and so forth. </font></div> <div> </div> <div><font size="3">You present, they say yes or no, you make more money, they get a happier piano. Win, win, win. Never think of selling as something where the customer loses if you "win" -- that's for shysters. Good selling is just presenting need, information, options, long term benefits, etc.</font></div> <div> </div> <div> <div><font size="3">Alan Barnard</font></div> <div><font size="3">Salem, Missouri</font></div> <div> </div> <div>----- Original Message ----- </div> </div> </div> <blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;"> <div style="background: rgb(228, 228, 228) none repeat scroll 0%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>From:</b> <a title="koko99@shaw.ca" href="mailto:koko99@shaw.ca">carl teplitski</a> </div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>To: </b><a title="pianotech@ptg.org" href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</a></div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>Sent:</b> 12/20/2005 1:29:44 PM </div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>Subject:</b> Re: Unintended Results</div> <div><br> </div> <font size="2">Did you and customer agree on the need and actually start the work immediately ?<br> Were you able to give her an idea how much job would cost ?  In my experience, <br> most people are not  that quick to agree to  a job which would  come to much more<br> money than a tuning, on the first visit . Though it has happened to me , also, but a normal<br> tuning turning into a $ 2 or $ 300.00 job, is not the usual occurance.  Maybe I'm not that<br> good a sales person.  Just curious.<br> <br> Carl / Winnipeg<br> <br> <br> <br> Stéphane Collin wrote: <blockquote cite="mid000c01c604cf$49910520$aa844157@ordinateursteph" type="cite"> <meta content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name="GENERATOR"> <style></style> <div><font face="Arial">hihi</font></div> <div><font face="Arial">nice story</font></div> <div> </div> <div><font face="Arial">Stéphane.</font></div> <blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px;" dir="ltr"> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">----- Original Message ----- </div> <div style="background: rgb(228, 228, 228) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>From:</b> <a title="tune4u@earthlink.net" href="mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net">Alan Barnard</a> </div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>To:</b> <a title="pianotech@ptg.org" href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</a> </div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>Sent:</b> Monday, December 19, 2005 7:57 PM</div> <div style="font-family: arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"><b>Subject:</b> [Norton AntiSpam] Unintended Results</div> <div><br> </div> <div>Had a new customer on a referral from a referral from a referral from a referral--always gratifying. Arrived to find a crummy old Wurly console in bad shape. But since the customer (wife of an Army colonel which explains the reference to "one more move") is a good player and is in this chain of referrals, I took pains to make necessary repairs, minor regulation, a little tone work, pitch raise and two-pass tuning. It ended up a much happier piano than when I arrived. During the job, she asked if I knew of a decent grand for sale. We discussed several options, including a beautiful S&S M that I know is for sale at a decent price. She got excited and wrote down all the info I was giving her. Today I got the following note in the mail ...</div> <div> </div> <div><img alt="" src="cid:part1.02030607.07000303@shaw.ca" align="bottom" border="0" hspace="0"></div> <div> </div> <div>Screwed up again!!! </div> <div> </div> <div>I had a chance to get a much nicer piano in my customer base and messed it up by making her piano acceptable to her. Rats.</div> <div> </div> <div>Only kidding ... sort of.</div> <div> </div> <div>Alan Barnard</div> <div>Salem, Missouri</div> <div> </div> </blockquote> </blockquote> <br> </font></blockquote> </blockquote> <br> </body> </html>