Potential Customers

[David Ilvedson]

This is a multipart message in MIME format

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
List,
A few of you have mentioned you don't charge for pitch raises=
 because you can do it within your normal tuning time.  IMHO,=
 this is making the customers problem yours and I know this is=
 more wear and tear on my body, going through it twice is harder=
 work (if your younger, you might not understand this).  I'm=
 willing to take up the customers problem but I want to be paid=
 for it.  Part of my phone conversation is the fact that regular=
 service, i.e. once or twice a year, will eliminate pitch raises=
 and I quarantee that if they set up for the next appointment.  I=
 quote for the next appointment "whatever is my going rate."  All=
 customers get price increases .  My normal rate is for one hour=
 of work, which is how long it takes me to tune a piano at pitch,=
 quick vacuum of accessible areas and minor pedal adjustments. =
 Pitch raise takes about an extra 15 minutes.   I also charge by=
 the hour for all repairs etc.  I don't see the logic in breaking=
 down a repair into:  1 broken hammer repair=3D$X, 1 string=
 replace=3D$X.etc...sometimes the repair takes longer than=
 estimated time...I simply say if I'm there for 2 hours or=
 whatever it will cost $X amount.  2 hours would be twice my=
 rate.  How many of you take into consideration travel time to=
 the appointment?  Is that built into your fee structure or do=
 you figure it is cost of doing business.  For me, it takes=
 roughly 15 minutes to get to the next job and I don't add that=
 to my fee but I'm thinking about it.  I think the bottom line is=
 to look at how much money you made today and divide it by the=
 hours spent.  Look at your hourly take home fee and start=
 calling other service in the home companies, plumbers etc. to=
 see how you match up...
David I.

----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
From: <Piannaman@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Received: Sun, 1 Sep 2002 02:44:14 EDT
Subject: Re: Potential Customers

In a message dated 8/31/02 9:54:58 AM Pacific Daylight Time,=
 mathstar@salemnet.com writes: 



I'd like the list to share ideas about this: 

Telephone call: "How much do you charge to tune a piano?" 

1. If it is obvious from the conversation that a pitch raise or=
 other work will be needed, do you talk about charges beyond the=
 standard tuning?



I very politely tell people my basic rate for a tuning, which=
 covers an hour and a half of my time.  Anything beyond that time=
 gets charged at an hourly rate.  The hour and a half will=
 normally cover a pitch raise if necessary(though the 1/2



2. If you have a reeeeally incompetent bozo 'tooner' in the area=
 (armed with a tuning hammer and electronic guitar tuner and=
 literally does not know the meaning of the terms temperament,=
 tempered tuning, inharmonicity, etc.) do you try in any way to=
 s

I do try to get the business away from him, but not by being=
 negative about that person, rather by pointing out the=
 advantages to my work.   



3. What "techniques" do you use to try and secure the business?


See answer to question 1.  Being competent, thourough, polished,=
 and polite will win most people over.  I also make sure to=
 present a neat bill, along with a service sticker that they can=
 put inside of their bench(NOT in the piano), and a fe

T
hanks 

Alan R. Barnard 
Salem, MO 


---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/2b/e3/09/17/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--