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[FirTree@aol.com]

In a message dated 95-11-11 20:27:22 EST, you write:

> They inform me that they won't pay it because I didn't tell them in advance
that the >estimate would cost them and they wouldn't have had me come out it
they knew it >would cost them.
>
>

Yep, I too have forgotten to inform 2 or 3 customers of the
appraisal/estimate fee. Ouch! I have chosen the diplomatic way and not
charged when I have not told people in advance. When we make an appointment,
we are making a verbal contract with the customer. "I will come to your house
and perform this and that work for such and such a fee." Inexplicit contracts
are always open for varied interpretation from the parties involved.

BTW, I once taught a session to our chapter about doing estimates and selling
customers on rebuilding / reconditioning / make-it-work-better jobs. I
started thinking about how many estimates I had done in the last dozen years,
and how much work I have actually done. I have estimated millions of dollars
worth of work other than tuning and have probably done about ten percent of
that. In order for me to do free estimates, I would have to make enough
profit on one job in ten to pay for the estimates that didn't pan out, as
well as a decent profit for the time spent doing the repairs. Darn right I
charge for estimates. If the customer wants to do the job, giving back my fee
towards the work will not cut my margin appreciably. Making the fee
applicable makes it a much easier sell.

Most important of all, if a customer balks at paying a minimal fee for me to
look at the piano, why should I think they will pay me hundreds or even
thousands to do the real work? I will spend a large amount of time on the
telephone with anybody, knowing it may turn into work with them or someone
else. It costs me too much to go out and look at a piano without some hope of
return.


Dave Stocker
firtree@aol.com
Tumwater, WA