Fees

[David Love]

Yes, I'm talking about doing that on the phone at the initial inquiry.

David Love


----- Original Message -----
From: "pianolover 88" <pianolover88@hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: March 16, 2002 3:47 PM
Subject: Re: Fees


> David,
>
> I take care of ALL the pre-qualification, such as you state below,  BEFORE
I
> even step foot in the customer's house; on the phone! I have a simple,
> effective system, and it works great- for me.
>
> Terry Peterson
>
> >From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net>
>
> >That's not how I present it.  Before I ever state the fee I go through my
> >usual inquiries about type of piano, make, last time it was serviced, any
> >particular problems they are having or want me to address.
> >David Love
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "pianolover 88" <pianolover88@hotmail.com>
> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> >Sent: March 16, 2002 9:49 AM
> >Subject: Re: Fees
> >
> >
> > > I don't believe it's a good idea to tell the customer, "I charge $100
> >per
> > > hour", or whatever. I charge by the job based on everything involved,
> >plus
> > > travel time, mileage and gas.
> > > If you went to have Laser eye surgery and the Doc told you "I charge
> >$20,000
> > > per hour", you'd run outta there so fast you'd leave your shoes
behind!
> >That
> > > figure is not exact, but we know that the actual procedure takes only
a
> >few
> > > minutes per eye, and costs, depending on the deal you find, between
> > > $1,000-$3,000 per eye! Of course, the Doc isn't charging JUST for
those
> >few
> > > minutes, but for post op, all the pre-op prep, and has to pay his
staff,
> > > office rent, and the cost of his laser.
> > > But if he WERE to advertise his "hourly" rate, he wouldn't be in
> >business
> > > very long. I have NEVER been asked to "justify" my rate, and I don't;
I
> > > charge for the particular job I'm doing and that's that.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Terry Peterson
> > >
> > >
> > > >From: Wimblees@AOL.COM
> > > >Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > > >To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > > >Subject: Re: Fees
> > > >Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 01:34:46 EST
> > > >
> > > >In a message dated 3/16/02 4:34:12 AM !!!First Boot!!!,
> > > >davidlovepianos@earthlink.net writes:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > Don't take me quite so literally.
> > > > >
> > > > > David Love
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >David
> > > >
> > > >I realize that the story you gave is not a word for word telephone
> > > >conversation, and neither was mine. And I am not trying to persuade
you
> >to
> > > >change your practice. I wish you all the luck in the world with it. I
> >just
> > > >wanted you to be aware that what you are doing might not solve the
> >problem
> > > >you described. It doesn't make any difference what you charge, and
how
> >you
> > > >justify it. Someone is going to ask you to explain your fee
structure,
> >and
> > > >they will not be happy with it.
> > > >
> > > >One of the problems we have in this business is that we are dealing
> >with
> > > >two
> > > >different price structures. One is a set fee for a set task. ($80 to
> >tune
> >a
> > > >piano). The other is an hourly wage to do everything else. Now we may
> >have
> > > >come up with set fees for doing other things, ($250 to put on a set
of
> > > >bridle
> > > >straps, $800 to regulate an action, $350 for a new set of keytops).
but
> > > >they
> > > >are all based on the amount of time we spend doing them, multiplied
by
> >the
> > > >hourly rate we charge, (plus parts).
> > > >
> > > >That is why we should set our tuning fee by what we charge per hour.
> >But
> > > >you
> > > >first need to figure out what that hourly rate is. Vivian Brooks and
I
> >both
> > > >have excellent classes on this, and if you look in the archives, or
on
> >the
> > > >CD
> > > >ROM, you will probably find many articles on the subject.
> > > >
> > > >One thing I find disturbing, is there are tuners who charge $70 per
> >tuning,
> > > >and take an hour and half to do that tuning. But then they charge $70
> >per
> > > >hour to do technical work.  That means if they need to charge $70 per
> >hour
> > > >to
> > > >pay the bills, every time they go do a tuning, they loose $35. If
they
> >did
> > > >20
> > > >tunings in a week, they will have lost $700. They should be charging
> >the
> > > >same
> > > >for a tuning as they do for technical work, which would be $105. But
> >that
> > > >would be way over what everyone else charges. So something's got to
> >give.
> > > >My
> > > >recommendation is to learn to tune faster.
> > > >
> > > >Again, David, please don't think that I am arguing with what you are
> >doing.
> > > >As I said, if you think it is fair, and the customers are satisfied,
go
> >for
> > > >it.
> > > >
> > > >Wim.
> > >
> > >
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