diatribe -Reply

[Bill Spurlock, RPT]

Vince: I don't want you to feel that I'm taking YOU to task, but rather that I'm
going after the issue. By being "soft on the people, hard on the problem" I
think discussions like this can be most beneficial. And as one who has devoted
countless hours to our testing and educational efforts over many years, and who
daily sees positive results from our testing and educational efforts, I believe
strongly in them. So, to respond to the issues you raised:

>Right now, there is an emphasis on getting the associate to advance by
>emphasizing PACE, etc., and in doing so, may be starting the PTG
>training school for piano technicians. Which wouldn't be so bad, if
>there was more of a difference between Associate and RPT. In the eyes
>of our customers, there is no difference. There are problems in our
>area where many customers know about the guild, but do not know the
>difference between the two categories.

First of all, most of our members have learned most of what they know about
piano technology through PTG programs and contacts. (According to our member
needs survey, only 25% attended correspondence schools, and far fewer attended
classroom instruction to learn this trade.) We have long functioned as a primary
educational source for many of our members. I barely knew a bridge pin from a
hitch pin when I joined, and learned virtually everything I know about pianos
through PTG. So we are not STARTING a PTG school, only continuing to refine what
we've always done and taking up the slack where industry is cutting back. The
better training we can provide, the better service we can provide to the
industry and the public. And that's what we claim to want to do.

As for public perceptions of our categories, if RPTs are unhappy with the
existence of Associate members, and feel they are too visible to the public,
then they should be very encouraged by our current direction. PTG has for the
first time in our history developed a wide array of tools to allow RPTs to
market themselves effectively to the public. We finally have a logo which
contains the words, "Registered Piano Technician", literature explaining what an
RPT is and that Associate members have not been tested, and we have a single
name for our franchised category. All that is backed up by public relations
efforts by PTG and individual members. Creating public recognition of the RPT
standard is easy, but it absolutely requires participation by every RPT. No one
else can do the job for us, and Associates don't prevent us from doing it. If
every Associate dropped off the face of the earth tomorrow, would the public
suddenly become aware of RPTs? No. We have to tell them, and we can do that just
as effectively not matter what we call Associates and no matter how many
Associates there are. The marketing program has put all the necessary tools in
our hands. Now we just have to use them.

I don't know what your local situation is, but overall most Associates indicate
that they do want to upgrade. They're buying exam source books like crazy, more
are taking exams, and RPT upgrades are up from this time last year. Attitudes at
the local chapter level are critical to creating the expectation of upgrading.
Talk to ETS Chair Mitch Kiel for some specific ideas to implement in your
chapter.

While I am disappointed with those Associate members who don't upgrade, I am
even more disappointed with the many RPTs who don't attend meetings, do schlock
work, and don't care to learn, since they directly sabotage the RPT image. There
will always be those members for whom mediocrity is good enough. We must accept
this and go on, knowing that PTG gives the advantage to those willing to
advance, providing the ultimate barrier to competition: state-of-the-art-skills.


Bill Spurlock