Suggestions warmly welcomed..

[Ron Nossaman]

>I have a situation that warrants opinions from those who have either been
>there, or might think with a slightly different angle than me.
>
>Here goes..

I had one of these the first year I was in business - not a dealer of 
pianos, but of airplanes. Like Fran, I stopped in a couple of times to 
discuss the bill (for a rebuild), but he never seemed to be in during 
business hours. The last morning I went by, I (nicely) advised the 
receptionist that I intended to spend the day right over there in that 
chair, discussing the overdue bill with anyone who walked through the door 
until I received a check for the full amount due. In under ten minutes, I 
was paid and gone. Being mad doesn't help, at least being vocally mad in 
public doesn't, but being an embarrassment works wonders. These days, I'd 
probably talk to a lawyer friend of mine for a generic cover letter first, 
after reminding him nicely a time or two, THEN maybe go sit in his place of 
business and offer to embarrass him if that didn't work. In any case, the 
lawyer will tell you what you have to work with.

Later, I did some work for a piano dealer I didn't trust to pay me (nothing 
definite, I just didn't), and told him I wouldn't go over $150 between 
payoffs. When I hit $150, or less than one tuning below $150, I wasn't 
available until the account was cleared. When he folded and went to jail, I 
was out $125, but a couple of other techs lost a whole lot more.

I wish I had better answers for you, but I never learned to deal with 
low-lifes well.


Ron N