Greg Newell wrote: > I thought you folks might be interested. Here's a company I'm not likely > to patronize. > > Greg Newell > > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: Re: Sales > Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2000 21:22:51 -0700 > From: International Piano Supply <noc@pianosupply.com> <SNIP> A few years ago someone on the list posted a "handy" list of suppliers and phone numbers. I rang up the number listed for "Jannsen" and got "International Piano Supply" instead. Once the fellow answering the phone realized I was a *bone fide* piano technician he explained that his was a "retail" e-store, and that Jannsen was a "featured product" -- so he suggested I call Jannsen direct. After rummaging through my bookshelf I found my Music Trades Product Directory (or maybe it was the PTG directory), located Jannsen's real phone number, and placed my order. You may find it advisable to keep that URL, though, so that you know what your web savvy customers have "priced" various items at. I've had a few "loyal" piano teacher/church music director customers call me to price artist benches in the past, but they ended up ordering them from either IPS or other music supply catalogs. Of course these alternate suppliers are drop shipping the items, so the buyers have to assemble the bench or grand piano dolly on their own (good luck on the latter procedure, disloyal customers!). I did "out compete" one of these outfits by being able to get the item (grand piano truck) quicker (the e-tailer said "2 to 3 weeks for delivery on this particular item"; Jannsen it to me 3 days after I placed the order), and dropping my price by $50. The congregation also conned/negotiated me into assembling and installing it (for a moderate fee) with a team of three strong and willing volunteer church members. Rather than having 3 guys watching me do all the work, I spent most of my time bossing them around. Patrick Draine
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