Customer ethics--no more extras!

[D.L. Bullock]

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Why would any competent tuner GIVE away a tuning unless you just did a
complete restoration?  I have tried giving extra work to customers many
times in the last thirty years.  One out of 20 appreciates it and sends more
work my way.  The other 19 just ignore my good work, forget me, and usually
go somewhere else for their next tuning.  My customers who are major
musicians always send me customers, so my work must not be too shabby.
Customers do not appreciate being given anything.  Sales of pianos is
another thing, do anything to get the sale.  But normally in the service
sector they don't appreciate free or cut rate work.  They will cut your
throat every time you give them something free and then ask for more.  The
world's worst about this are institutions and some friends.  Churches are
especially bad about this.  They seem to respect you much more if you charge
them a market price.  Some appreciate it more if your price is slightly
higher than average.

D.L. Bullock    St. Louis
www.thepianoworld.com

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  -----Original Message-----
  From: Piannaman@aol.com [mailto:Piannaman@aol.com]
  Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 9:45 AM
  To: pianotech@ptg.org
  Subject: Customer ethics--no more extras!


  List,

  I've been self-employed nigh on 4 years now.  I have reached a point where
I have enough customers where I could get by without doing free tunings for
the couple of stores I still contract for, but I like to keep an influx of
new customers and new pianos.

  One thing I've learned in doing these free tunings is that no matter how
much "extra" stuff I do, there is absolutely no guarantee that the customer
won't find a "tuner that his friend recommends," or "teacher that tunes on
the side," or other form of tooner whose work I often eventually follow-up.

  And no matter how much we as technicians feel that new pianos should be
prepped at the store, they usually are not.  In trying to be ethical and
make the piano right for the customer, I have often given extra
service--i.e. key easing, lubrication of knuckles and keypins, some
regulation--in addition to tuning the thing for the first time.

  Yesterday I called a customer whose piano had had numerous sticky note
problems back in January, at which time I made a special call just to ease
keys, lube, and regulate.  I got paid by the store, but I put in far more
work than I was actually paid for in the hopes that the customer would
recognize this and keep me as his tuner.

  I went back a couple of months later to give him his "free" tuning, but
nobody was home.  The Mrs. called me a couple of weeks later, apologized for
missing the appointment, and begged me to come and tune the piano, which I
eventually did--though I got nothing for the missed appointment--once again
hoping that the extra service would create a client/tuner bond.

  Obviously, I had too much faith in first-time client loyalty.  Yesterday I
was told that this customer had found another tuner recommended by a friend.
It was a bit of a slap in the face, but rejection is part of the game.  And
that rejection drove home a valuable lesson: DON'T GIVE AWAY ANYTHING on
these first appointments.

  My vow:  from now on when I do "free tunings," I will give only the
requested service, and I will charge for it accordingly.

  End of Whine,

  Dave Stahl

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