No shows

[John Ross]

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Hi List,
I only make a firm time, for my first appointment of the day, normally 0900hrs.
Then I make them for a mid to late morning, or early to mid afternoon, etc.
That way if there is a no show, I just go on to the next. It can sometimes work to my advantage too, sometimes a neighbour will come by, and say can you fit mine in, and I say if there are no major problems, yes.
Sometimes it is nice to go home early, surely, none of us are working to such a tight budget, that we would hurt, for the lack of that one tuning?
I don't like waiting, so I have a limit of waiting 15 mins. I don't charge for the call, as normally, I plan my day, so all the tunings are in one area, and the travel time is not an issue. I realize that not everyone's clientele list allows them to do this.
I have never had a list that I called for a scheduled tuning. My reasons are, I don't believe that frequent tunings, once stabilized, are necessary in all situations.
i.e. little old lady, just for hymns, kids gone, no more lessons, and I always recommend that in this area, they not be tuned in the summer, as the humidity swings are too great. (gives me the summer off too. :-) )   When I did need a cash flow, through the summer, I did restringings, keytops etc. The flow of jobs has worked out just right for me.
I do have a few that say, when you are in the area, call me. Some will also call and say I have 3 or 4 others, can you come next week. I give them a small discount for arranging the others.  For any distance, I have a mileage surcharge, which drops the more there are to do.
Mind you I do have a small contract with a University, 35 pianos, which allows me to work this way. I have been well pleased with the relaxed way that this works out.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Clyde Hollinger 
  To: davidlovepianos@earthlink.net ; Pianotech 
  Sent: Sunday, February 02, 2003 2:22 PM
  Subject: Re: No shows


  David, 
  My question to you is this:  When you call the day before, how frequently do people say, "Oh!  I forgot!  That's not going to work."  Then you have to scramble to find someone else for the next day.  Is that a problem or not? 
    
  I've been mailing reminder cards the Thursday before the week of the appointment.  People who notice a schedule conflict will often call me on Friday, which gives me more time to fill the appointment.  But I would love to get away from sending the reminder cards. 

  Regards, 
  Clyde 

  David Love wrote: 

    I find no shows to be particularly irritating for many of the reasons mentioned below.  They can generally be avoided by calling a day before to remind of the appointment.  Since many of us are booking my appointments a couple of weeks in advance (or more), it is easy for a customer who is not methodical about recording and reviewing scheduled appointments to forget.  So I try and call just prior to the scheduled appointment just to remind them.  If they aren't home, I leave a message.   I often do this the day before using my cell phone, which I carry, between appointments or when I have a free moment.  Then I don't have to spend time sitting down to the phone at night after I get home.

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