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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN =
class=160122118-08062000>I give
the regular tuning price first and describe what is included. =
Then,
I explain that the piano may need a pitchraise, describing it =
as
needing to be tuned 2 or even 3 times in worst cases. The customer =
usually
thinks that this will then double or triple the regular tuning fee and =
is
<EM>momentarily shocked</EM>. I let 'em hang for a second, then =
explain
that if pitchraised, it doesn't double or triple the fee and they are =
relieved
and happlily agree with the possible pitchraise fee. Psych
101.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=160122118-08062000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=160122118-08062000>I almost never do anything extra for a =
fee not
approved first by the customer. I often times stick a needle in =
all string
cuts to temporarily improve the tone (5 minutes) and never mention it or =
charge
for it. The customer just thinks you're a great tuner. If =
tuning (to
them) is "make the piano sound better", why not <U>lightly</U> voice =
when you
have the time and think it will be significant? =
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN =
class=160122118-08062000>
<P><FONT size=2>Lance Lafargue, RPT<BR>Mandeville, LA <BR>New =
Orleans
Chapter<BR>lafargue@iamerica.net<BR> </FONT> =
</P></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT =
face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
owner-pianotech@ptg.org
[mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>David
Ilvedson<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, June 08, 2000 10:01 =
AM<BR><B>To:</B>
pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: unhappy =
customer<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=820395314-08062000>Bad =
boy...although
if you hadn't done the voicing you would have been done tuning and no =
one home
and no one to pay the bill? I don't let customers leave without =
a check
on the oft chance they don't get back before I'm =
done.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=820395314-08062000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=820395314-08062000>You =
also need to
let potential customers know about pitch raise possibilities and the =
fee for
such additional work when talking on the phone. I know it can =
make your
fees seem high but a brief explanation usually makes sense to =
them and no
surprises at the job.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=820395314-08062000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=820395314-08062000></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial =
size=2><SPAN
class=820395314-08062000>David I.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT =
size=2><FONT
face=Tahoma><SPAN class=820395314-08062000><FONT color=#0000ff
face=Arial> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT =
size=2><FONT
face=Tahoma><SPAN =
class=820395314-08062000> </SPAN>-----Original
Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> owner-pianotech@ptg.org
[mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Doug
Garman<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, June 08, 2000 7:34 AM<BR><B>To:</B>
pianotech@ptg.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> unhappy
customer<BR><BR></DIV></FONT></FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yesterday, I tuned a 1958 blonde =
Kimball
spinet. I had told the lady my tuning fee over the phone. =
When I
arrived and found the piano to be a half step low I explained the need =
for a
pitch raise and my fee for such. She called her husband and got =
approval
to do the work.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'm not the fastest tuner in the =
world.
After spending much more time than I usually need to I was exhausted =
but very
pleased with the results (especially considering the piano I had =
to work
with). </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>At that point I would =
have written
the invoice, collected my fee, and left.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>However, the tone was still that =
thin,
shallow, metallic, pinging, tinging (my word) sound we're all familiar =
with in
pianos of this sort. I decided to spend some time voicing. =
The
lady had left the house for a while, so I did not "get her =
approval".
After voicig the tone was much more tollerable though still far =
from
ideal.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When she got back I presented her =
with the bill
which included an additional 0.4 hour of time for the voicing. I =
could
tell she was concerned. I explained what that "voicing" =
was.
She played the piano and liked it (I didn't), but later that evening =
her
husband called complaining about the extra charge for something he did =
not
understand or approve. I offered to refund the extra fee, =
telling him
I'd rather he be happy. He said he'd "leave it up to his wife" =
and that
she would call today.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Was I a bad boy to charge her for =
doing a little
voicing without getting her approval? I admit I was frustrated =
that I
was not going to get paid for all the time I had already spent, =
but its
not like I charged her for something I did not do. I think they =
got a
bargin, though it is obvious they do not understand =
that.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Doug Garman, =
Associate</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Granbury, TX</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>