List, After 30 years, I'd like to think I know how to handle a customer....this one happened to be Vietnamese, but spoke pretty good English.... 1 month ago I got a call to tune a Baldwin spinet piano, cheaper one...not an Acrosonic... with a few sticking keys. They had recently moved. I got to the job and found the piano up to pitch with a few sluggish hammers. I lubricated with Protek or Goose Juice...can't remember which one and tuned the piano. The sluggish hammers seemed to be returning. I got a call a week ago that the tuning wasn't right and it was bad for the children's ears. I went over this morning and found some sticking keys again. No tuning problem except the teacher said the top 3 notes didn't sound right...;-] Customer: "The last tuner spent a lot of time and did a really good job" Implying....and it put me on the defensive. This should have been a warning bell but I didn't hear it. What I did: I tried to explain that a tuning doesn't cover other mechanical problems. (a skeptical client) On a couple of sluggish notes. I lubricated again and worked the hammers, strengthened the return spring, tightened the bridle strap up to help return the hammer. TREATING THE SYMPTOM....I thought it might be in the wippen flange so squirted some lube up into the general area. I pulled two hammer assemblies out and repinned them. Glue impregnated bushing cloth...I could hear it and feel it. I showed this to the customer...she was there while I worked....that took care of the problem on those 2 notes. Before continuing to a couple of other sluggish notes , I explained I had been there an hour and she was going to have to pay me something for my time...She balked and I packed up and stomped out. What a rookie way to handle the problem...embarrassing What I should have done: Taking control...Me: "The initial lubrication (at no charge) didn't take care of the problem. That is the first thing I try and usually it takes care of the problem. It might take an hour or more to fix it and will cost $x per hour. At that point if she balked I could left without wasting an hour. The other option: I could have continued doing the work for free in hopes of keeping the customer. Problem: glue in the bushing cloth is not going to go away and I might have the same problems down the road. I did tell her this.... What I probably should have done at the initial appointment. Really assessed the sluggish note situation and charged her to repin the problem hammers. I think at that point she may have understood the time needed to fix the problem. Maybe, maybe not. Protek/Goose Juice is often such a quick way out the door on a less than great piano. Lesson learned: Take control of the situation. You can't keep every customer if they are unreasonable or can't understand my policy. SORRY FOR THE RANT... David I.
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