Is my memory going?

[Barbara Richmond]

Hi list,

I offer my customers the convenience of making the next appointment right
there and then for whatever time span that seems appropriate.  If folks
don't want to book ahead, I don't worry about them.  Before my leave, I
built a great business of people who wanted their pianos to be in the best
shape possible.  I'd fill in open spots with the folks who were *now and
thens.*

Now after moving away and coming back to the area (not the same town) 8 1/2
years later, I am getting calls from my old customers --unfortunately, no
other tuner was willing to do what I did and so all those pianos need a lot
of work now!

Anyway, booking ahead doesn't necessarily mean the appointment is written in
stone, but it's amazing how well they usually work out.  When I first got
into business, LaRoy Edwards spoke to me about this method.  It was some of
the best business building advice I could have gotten.


Barbara Richmond, RPT


----- Original Message -----
From: "John Ross" <jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 6:49 AM
Subject: Is my memory going?


> Hi List,
>
> I went to an appointment the other day. When I went in the house, the
> customer said, "you were the last one to tune it."
>
> I said, I am sorry I don't remember. She said don't feel bad, it was 19
> years ago. Ok, definitely too long. But..
>
> This was a little old lady, who only used it to play for herself.
> Sure, it should have been tuned sooner. Actually only two unisons were
> really bad, and she said she still played it, and enjoyed it. It was down,
> 10c - 35c.
>
> I got thinking, (I know something new), this is a situation, where calling
> and recommending, a tuning every year or more, was not required.
>
> I would feel bad, calling this woman regularly, and saying time to have
your
> piano tuned, and taking her money.
>
> That is why I never call. I always let them call me.
>
> If I was to call everyone, the year wouldn't be long enough to do them
all.
>
> I feel in some cases, calling people and doing there piano, on a frequent
> basis, is unethical. Now I am talking of the little old lady, on a fixed
> income, that only plays for her own enjoyment.  Not a situation, where a
> child is taking lessons, or a serious player.
>
> After a piano is stabilized, I see nothing wrong, with every 3 or 4 years,
> for a tuning.
>
> Any comments?
>
> Regards
> John M. Ross
> Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
> jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
>
>
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