<!doctype html public "-//w3c//dtd html 4.0 transitional//en"> <html> <body link="#0000FF" vlink="#800080" lang="EN-US" style="tab-interval:.5in"> Mark, <p>I try to nip the problem in the bud.  Several days before the appointment I send out an appointment reminder card.  In addition to the appointment time, it says three things, and here they are:  "A quiet atmosphere will help me do the best job for you.  It will also be helpful if all items are removed from the piano before I arrive.  Please call attention to any additional problems so they can be attended to." <p>Result:  When I arrive, nearly always everything is off the piano.  Since they want the best job, they stay quiet, sometimes to the extent of whispering to each other.  There are exceptions, of course.  I usually ask if there is anything else that needs attention in spite of my printed note. <p>If you don't like that idea, you might just say something when you arrive.  If it's quiet, express appreciation that it will help you do good work.  If it's not quiet say something that conveys how quietness will benefit them, something like, "I'd really like to give you an excellent tuning, but because I have to listen so closely I'll need to have it quiet to do that.  Do you suppose you could [turn the TV low enough so I can't hear it, find a way to keep the dog from barking as much, do the vacuuming after I'm finished, move your conversation to another room," etc.]? <p>But work at avoiding any detectable indication of irritation.  You get more referrals if you're Mr. Nice Guy.  I hope this helps. <p>Regards, <br>Clyde <p>Mark Dierauf wrote: <blockquote TYPE=CITE><link rel=File-List href="cid:filelist.xml@01C37F55.A96322A0"><style>  </style>  <div class=Section1> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><font face="Arial"><font size=-1>I’ve been doing this for like 25 years, and I still haven’t figured out how to deal with customers who insist on using the piano tuning appointment as the ideal time to catch up on their vacuuming, carpentry,<span class=SpellE>chainsawing</span>, or to finish watching that copy of “Armageddon” on surround sound DVD. Or rather the only way that occurs to me once the noise has begun wouldn’t lend itself to much in the way of repeat business. No matter how diplomatic I try and be in requesting that they keep it down, I’m afraid that I can’t hide the fact that I’m already annoyed. I’ve thought about possible solutions like painting in large block letters on my tool box: “QUIET – TUNER AT WORK!”, but given the high rate of illiteracy I have my doubts whether that would be effective. Does anybody have any helpful ideas?</font></font><o:p></o:p></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Arial'><font face="Arial"><font size=-1>- Mark</font></font><o:p></o:p></span></div> </blockquote> </body> </html>