What would YOU do?

[Z! Reinhardt]

The more insights I read about this potential client, the more I am
inclined to think he is looking for any possible excuse to not pay for your
service.  He sounds like he's the type who will demand that everything be
*perfect* according to his terms before he'll part with a penny.  Then if
he does pay up, he may expect you to make countless return trips at your
expense to *maintain* that perfection, regardless of the piano's
instability after 15 years of neglect.

How was it that the piano went for service for so long in that former
location?  Any chance he has a *reputation* with the other technicians in
that area?

Z! Reinhardt RPT
Ann Arbor  MI
diskladame@provide.net

----------
> From: Wimblees@aol.com
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: What would YOU do?
> Date: Monday, June 15, 1998 9:57 AM
> 
> Clyde:
> 
> Every once in a while I get a customer who behaves this way. As long as
the
> conversation is on the phone, and he asks you quesitons of a technical
nature,
> I would suggest you answer them. If he starts asking personal questions,
hang
> up on him. This guy is overly cautious, and wants to make sure he is not
going
> to get ripped off. If he wants to "interview" you at his house before
allowing
> you to work on his piano, tell him you charge a "consultation" fee, in
> addition to you other fees. Since you don't have shop for him to come to,
tell
> him he can observe you tuning a piano at a church or school, but remind
him
> about your "consultation fee". He will either accept that, or go to
another
> tuner. In other words, make this as difficult for him, as he is trying to
make
> it for you, and see who "wins".   If you are uncomfortable doing this,
tell
> him you are not interested in working for him. 
> 
> Good luck.
> 
> Willem Blees  RPT
> St. Louis
> 
> 
> In a message dated 98-06-15 08:48:50 EDT, you write:
> 
> << Friends:
>  
>  Last Saturday a man called me.  He just moved into the area from a large
>  city and is looking for an RPT to service his Kawai console, which was
>  purchased new 10-15 years ago and hasn't seen a tuner or technician
>  since.  He's going down the phonebook listings, I gather.  He sounds
>  like a most exacting person.  From his descriptions I suggested the
>  piano may need less than $200 of work, including pitchraise, tuning,
>  thorough cleaning and a few minor things.
>  
>  I am used to the normal questions from first-time clients, but this
>  gentleman suggested he may want to meet me first and perhaps come and
>  see my shop (I don't have any; I work out of my car).  I could
>  understand that if I were attempting to sell him a major rebuilding job
>  for megabucks.  He already told me he won't call one other person back
>  because the RPT made him feel uncomfortable.
>  
>  I expect him to call again.  Would you take this job?  Is this type of
>  scrutiny common in some areas?  In my 18 years of business I never saw
>  anything like it.  I have visions of him watching my every move and
>  checking every cranny of the piano's interior with a white cloth to see
>  if I was thorough enough.
>  
>  I will appreciate being enlightened.  I know not every place in the
>  world is as trusting as Lancaster County, and I am careful never to
>  betray that trust.  Thank you.
>  
>  Clyde Hollinger, RPT
>  Lititz, PA, USA >>