You make good points Jim. I like how you described ethics and trust. I suspect that as we move further away from dealing with another technician, prices can wander more. What I mean is, I agree with you in your example in working with another piano technician. When subbing work out to a refinisher, I think one may feel a little more comfortable with getting whatever they can for a refinishing job. I have subbed two refinishing jobs out. The first on a small ebony grand, I quoted the client $1800 for refinishing. I paid my subcontractor $3000 to refinish (yea, yea, yea - long sad story). I charged my client $1800 for refinishing. Other job I quoted $1200 for refinishing an upright. I got someone to do a really nice job for $600. I charged my client $1200. Both clients were very pleased with the work. I'm not sure why, but I would likely not do that with another technician (like if I were to sub out a board replacement, etc.). I would tend to want to share the profit on the upright job. But then again, I know I would likely not find anyone that would cut me a break just because I goofed on the bid like in the grand example above. I guess it just seems more like purely business when the subcontractor is not in the same business as you. Does that make any sense? Am I gonna get flamed for it??? :-) Terry Farrell ----- Original Message ----- From: <JIMRPT@AOL.COM> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2001 10:51 AM Subject: Re: referall fees > > In a message dated 27/08/01 5:05:52 PM, tompiano@gate.net writes: > > <<" Jim, > > I guess I opened a can of worms and ruffled a few feathers along the way. > ">> > > Tom...worms are good for the soul occasionally and you ruffled not 'my' > feathers. :-) > Ethical concerns didn't even enter my mind in my response.......hmmmm perhaps > I need to think about that one.(?) > > The primary tech has the right to set whatever price he and the customer > agree on and the primary tech needs to take into account his own business > needs..................... > > Our own experience does indeed color our opinions and attitudes for > example...........severrrrral years ago I undertook the rewhatever of an S&S > with the *stated* price of *8,400* with 20% going to the primary tech. After > the job was done, and several months later, the customer called me to tune > the piano since the primary tech was out of town. While I was there she > mentioned how pleased she was with her piano and that she thought the price > of *14,200* was really well spent. The customer did not know that I had done > the work. I asked her who had done the work and she told me....yada > so&so..........................and pulled her copy of the contract out of the > bench along with her other records of the piano. The price quoted was indeed > 14,200, it was 'my' quote printed on the other techs letterhead. > Unethical?...... Between the customer and primary tech? No absolutely > not....Unethical between the primary tech and myself?...........'possibly' > not really...... except that I had been told the quote was for 8,400 and I > agreed to work with those figures. Will I 'ever' work with that tech again? > Absolutely not. Did the primary tech do anything wrong? Not really, but they > can now do that "nothing wrong" with someone else. > > The question of "ethics" never entered my mind but the question of 'trust' > certainly did. Subcontracting and/or cross referrral is a great thing for > everyone involved. As long as the playing field is honest, open and > trustworthy......... This includes the 'add-on' contracts you describe. > > So we really agree Tom..huh? > Jim Bryant (FL) > > >
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