Call Backs

[Thomas D. Seay, III]

>Dear All,
>
>I have a client with a so so (poor) oriental grand (171 cm). She is the
>only client who has ever done this to me. Each time I tune the instrument,
>I ask her to play which she does for 15 min or so. Then, after she has
>approved, I leave. She has then calle
>
>d me to come back every time I have tuned. The instrument has a warped key
>frame and needs numerous other adjustments. These she refuses to consider.
>She lives in a very very exclusive area of my city. Another tuner had
>helped her pick out the instrument
>
>and she thought she was buying a North American product. I am not trying
>to denigrate the instrument.
>
>So far, I have not charged her a call back fee. But as I do over 400
>tunings per year without call back complaints, I think the time has come.
>Her complaints are sometimes valid i.e. there is a sluggish key or as on
>the last visit a duo chord where one st
>
>ring beats by itself. She also refuses to get a proper humidity control
>system, and the piano is kept in a south room  which is only 10 X 10 with
>windows on the East, South, and West sides, with hotwater heat.
>
>Should I "walk away", charge extra for every tuning, or charge a service
>call for each visit? The piano is only about 6 years old.
>
>Recommendations PLEASE!
>
>Don Rose (drose@maple.net) RPT

Refer her to the other technician who helped her buy this piano. Don't be
afraid or hesitant to _fire_ this client. That kind of business no one
needs.

Tom Seay
t.seay@mail.utexas.edu
The University of Texas at Austin