I got a call tonight from a customer who told me that his piano has "kind of gone out of tune." This particular piano (very old spinet)was 180+ cents flat when I pitch raised and tuned it close to 3 months ago. I originally told him that his piano, having been neglected for many years, would very likely need to be tuned again in about 3 months, (How's that for timing?) due to the years of neglect and the fact that it was so flat, not to mention the sheer age and overall condition of the piano. So, i asked him if he would like to schedule a follow-up tuning, and that it probably would NOT need another pitch raise, (as I had left it a little sharp, anticipating another, albeit lesser drop) just a basic tuning, and i quoted him my basic tuning fee. WOW! He immediatey asked ... "Don't you guarantee your work?" (I Didn't see that one coming, so i asked him what he meant.) He continued... "Well, the piano seems to have kinda gone out of tune and I didn't expect to have to pay you AGAIN to tune it." I reminded him of what i had told him when i first tuned his piano, and that pianos cannot be "guaranteed" to stay in tune indefinitely, especially a piano that had been so severely neglected and was so flat. Then he said.."well, I just don't have the money right now." I did what i could to be "diplomatic", and ended the conversation by thanking him for calling, and to please call again when his situation changes, and i would be happy to schedule a follow-up tuning. I am wondering how other list members have dealt with this type of situation. Thanks. Terry Peterson Associate Member PTG Los Angeles, CA _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.
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