In a message dated 2/15/98 9:10:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, PDtek@aol.com writes: << A 51 cent pitch raise and tuning requiring 3 1/2 hours?! I don't know who Joe Garrett is but I would say he could stand to hone his skills a bit, learn to work more efficiently, or stop day dreaming on the job. And if I multiplied 3 1/2 times my hourly fee, the above tuning with a 1/4 step pitch raise would cost my customer over $200. >> Its the money Dave , not the time. Its the value of whats done, not the time. The AVERAGE technician is NO speed demon when it comes to tuning speed. The Guild test gives you 4 hrs or so to tune a piano with NO pitch raise to 80% !!!! NOT counting scoring time. I have not seen Joe Garretts book either but average is different than what a highly skilled technician is. Time studys are usually an average of the best AND worst times.An auto Flat- Rate book gives times of the best technicians with ALL the proper tools and the fastest times NOT the slowest. I have NEVER seen a car mechanic meet or beat a time for a repair in a flat-rate manual! That to me is the cheapest way to fix a car , NOT by the mechanics time. I think (IMHO) we should look at the value of what we do, as opposed to the time. The value of a 1/4 tone pitch raise should be more than a NO pitchraise tuning. He allready got ripped-off.I hate to see that. His Guild chapter should BLACKBALL that customer. I also agree with skill-honing, BUT, dont increase your efficiency by 50% and charge 1/2 as much because you charge by the hour. I guess I have more questions than answers. Theodore Mamel RPT Pittsburgh Chapter
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