<html> <body> Present yourself as the professional and that you are covering your bases by presenting the system as a proven means of reducing maintenance on the piano, protecting it from climate swings.  Sort of as a way to avoid malpractice charges ;-)  If the customer doesn't want the system, that is their mistake and they will pay for it over time.  I leave a brochure with every client I serve.  If they ask, I tell them about it.  If they argue I don't pursue.  If they are concerned about heat etc. I point out that I only install systems with the smart-heater-bar that will not come on without moisture reaching it (all eight watts of it).  The other bars only come on under the control of the humidistat and have less power than the average light bulb spread out over much more area. Have a take-or-leave-it approach.  Argumentation is always a lose lose situation.  Either you are the expert or you aren't.  I have mentioned that there have been systems in the past that had problems and that a frayed cord coming out of a piano should be considered suspect.  DC is well established, improved, and the system has been favorably reviewed by Kawai. BTW you should charge retail markup on all products you sell.  I used to sell them at cost plus labor, and I always came up short. FWIW Andrew At 07:28 PM 3/9/2004 -0500, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>I've asked a couple of you privately for advice, but would like a wider opinion from this list.    I left a DC brochure with a customer with a new Kawai Grand.    I was there for the first tuning in late Oct and their house was open, the humidity was high,  and the owner seemed very tuning-concious.  I explained the main effect would be tuning stability, but general piano health would be better, with more stable humidity and lower humidity also.  (Homes here with AC on can still vary from 50-70% humidity, in my experience, depending on outside temp and humidity, and AC system size and type.  Many cool days when people open their windows have humidity of 80% and up to 100% sometimes.  Technicians here normally install the heater bars and humidistats, but no humidifiers.)   When I followed up for DC install and /or 6 month tuning, he had talked to their piano teacher, who has a studio in Cape Coral.  Was told that DC was a bad idea for a nice piano, and they "we are finding that they do more harm than good."  "Hot spots, etc,   better to not use one unless you have things sticking etc."   This is a reputatable teacher who I believe is operating under either old infomation, false information, or no information.  Lots of techs, at least in this neck of the woods used to install the heater bars without humidistats, and maybe that is the source of his  belief.    I told my customer that I believed his teacher was misinformed, and that I would talk to him.  Set up the tuning appt for the customer for May..  He is honestly convinced that he might be risking his piano by installing a system.    I feel badly for two reasons.  First, my judgement is in doubt.  Second, the customer possibly believes that I am just trying to sell him something to line my own pockets.  I did tell him that I only make about the cost of one tuning when I install the system.   And that he would likely need tuning less often with the system.    So over a period of time, I actually may lose income.     I am a believer in the systems, as long as they are properly installed with humidistats. Have one in my own Yamaha grand piano and it has made an incredible difference in tuning stability.  But I have also found in the past that debating with someone who already has made up his mind is neither fun nor fruitful.   What do you think.  What would you do?   Dave Smith SW FL</blockquote></body> </html>