In a message dated 96-03-09 09:00:38 EST, you write: > > >__ 1. Do you normally provide discounts for piano teachers? Yes >__ 2. If "yes", is it only because they are teachers - not > based on referrals? Yes >__ 3. Do you provide discounts proportional to number of referrals? No >__ 4. Do you normally provide discounts for multiple pianos? No >__ 5. What number of pianos qualifies as 'multiple' (2,5,10, etc.)? N/A >__ 6. Are discounts compounded for teachers with multiple pianos? No > (teacher=discount, teacher w/2 pianos=bigger discount) >__ 7. Are additional discounts provided for service frequency? No >__ 8. Are discounts based on [P]ercentage, or fixed [D]ollar amount? Percentage >__ 9. [Discuss] Any variation on type of service, or other 'perks' > provided to teachers? We provide PTG brochures and technical bulletins and also National Piano Foundation brochures at no cost to them. We refer students to them based on the following: our opinion of them as teachers/people, their preference in students, their location, and their schedule openings. >__ 10.[Discuss] Other considerations I may have overlooked. Hope it is not out of place to broaden this to the practice of discounting in general. We discount to three groups: teachers, institutions, and dealers. For teachers and dealers we look at this as professional courtesy with the hope that referrals will follow. Our experience has been that dealers, whose generic first name could be "much maligned", refer us a ton of work. The down side- "emergency" service calls that are not emergencies and customers who come to us cold and usually do not extend us the respect we feel we have earned after years in the business. Our experience with teachers has been mixed. Elizabeth has always had good relations with teachers as did her father, Kelly Ward. Dale, has learned to appreciate teachers since he quit teaching. Good teachers are a good experience, they take care of their instruments and encourage their students to do the same. Institutions- church and school work is a large part of our business. Their discount is based on quantity, though some referrals come through them. The upside- bulk tuning, repair, and regulation will help you confirm your career decisions. Or as Kelly Ward would say, " it weeds out the dullards and the slow ones". All the best, Dale Probst & Elizabeth Ward Registered Piano Technicians Ward & Probst, Inc Piano & Organ Service Wichita Falls, TX > >
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