No budget

[JMScherer@aol.com]

Hi, everyone.

I've only been on the list a few days, but have been extremely enlightened by
the interchange of ideas. After seventeen years of part timing it, I decided
last year to become a full time tech. I have a lot of competition, but the
other piano technicians I've met, mostly through the local guild meeting, are
really great folks. So far I've met about a dozen of the 30 or more in the
area - including part timers.

One of the universities in my area has about twenty or so pianos in their
music department, but seem to have NO BUDGET for piano tuning. I have caught
the Dept. Head briefly in passing a couple of times, and he has been real
nice, saying he will keep me in mind for tuning. I think one of the problems
is that he is too much of a nice guy and doesn't really push for what his
dept. needs. One of the profs told me that the whole dept. has only $5000 for
the year, except for the marching band which has a big budget.

I am thinking I need to set up an appointment with the Dept. Head and discuss
the situation. I don't know anything about the politics there, though they
did get a new president this past year. He knows the pianos need work. One
room has about four half disassembled verticals that have been like that for
at least a couple of years.

Any thoughts on what research and preparation I should do before contacting
the department head? What sort of things should I say to him, other than I
would like to get his pianos all fixed up for him and keep them that way?

Thanks! - Wally Scherer