Potential Customers

[Z! Reinhardt]

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Comments below ...
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Alan R. Barnard=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Saturday, August 31, 2002 12:26 PM
  Subject: Potential Customers


  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 give the customers a ballpark range for the first time I meet =
their pianos.  The lower number is the minimum charge, and the upper =
number is assuming a 2-hour service call which might include pitch =
correction, minor repairs, regulation or voicing touch-up, etc.  =
Customers are usually pretty pleased if the service call ends up being =
less than 2 hours and are willing to pay for work beyond the basic =
tuning.

  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 steer the caller away from =
that person?

  +  Every area has at least one of these.  If a customer asks me if I =
know this individual, I might give a non-answer indicating that because =
piano work is basically a solitary operation, I really have no real =
reason to know first-hand "Bozo's" level of competency.  If the customer =
tries to press the issue, my advice is usually to attend a performance =
that "Bozo" tuned for [if they can find such a phenomenon].

  +  Then comes the next question.  "Why do you charge so much?  "Bozo" =
only charges $ to tune."  That's cool.  "Bozo" knows what to charge for =
the level of service rendered.  If you know people who have hired =
"Bozo," ask them to tell you more.  If not ... well, you're always free =
to find out for yourself.  [Let them decide what matters most -- quality =
or price.]

  +  Sometimes the discussion can get quite colorful, with much =
back-and-forth about how much they think you might "need" their =
business.  There are some customers whom I swear are "professionals" at =
demanding top-flight service at discount-warehouse prices, and have a =
track record of getting good service people to "cave in" to their =
demands.  No, I don't need that kind of business and may say something =
to the effect that "there are reasons why I charge what I will for =
service, and I have plenty of business even as we speak."

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

  +  Listen.  Listen!  LISTEN!!  Find out what the customer hopes to get =
from the piano.  Pay particular attention to the house pianist(s) =
regardless of the age or years of experience.  Even if no house pianists =
are present while you're servicing the piano, find out what you can =
about them, what kinds of music they like, whether or not there are =
performances coming up (recitals at the teacher's studio, church, =
school, etc.).

  +  Treat all members of the household with respect.  That includes the =
pets, and yes, even the plants.  Early in my career, I was often hired =
back because the dog was relaxed around me (and therefore quiet), or the =
cat would come out of hiding (and therefore less likely to leave rude =
surprises out of nervousness).  I maintained a good working relationship =
with a customer until they moved out of the area because I knew =
something about caring for certain houseplants.  There are some =
customers out there for whom this kind of stuff is more important than =
your technical abilities ... and they are the ones most likely to freely =
give word-of-mouth referrals.  These are the people who will help keep =
you in business and out of the price wars as you go about honing your =
technical skills.=20

  Thanks

  Alan R. Barnard
  Salem, MO

  +  Z! Reinhardt  RPT
  Ann Arbor  MI
  diskladame@provide.net

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