Unintended Results

David Ilvedson ilvey@sbcglobal.net
Tue, 20 Dec 2005 12:22:20 -0800


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Well put and my modus operandi also...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, California





Original message
From: "Alan Barnard" 
To: "koko99@shaw.ca, Pianotech 
Received: 12/20/2005 12:13:59 PM
Subject: Re: Unintended Results


I'm not sure I exactly understand what you're asking but I'll respond .=
..
 
Only on one occasion did I do extra work without pre-agreement. That wa=
s a major pitch raise when the piano owner was not there when I arrived=
 (another family member let me in). When I gave her the bill she freake=
d, it was very ugly. On the other hand, she was very upset about someth=
ing from the moment she walked in the door--I was just the last straw, =
as it were.
 
In this case, I had pretty much carte blanche but only charged her for =
the tuning and PR, the rest was just piddley adjustments, a little hamm=
er fitting, etc., that I do as part of tuning anyhow, if there is time.=

 
I have, on many, many occasions turned a "normal tuning" into a 2 or 3 =
hundred dollar job. On about five occasions, I turned them into 2 and 3=
 thousand dollar jobs. I DO sell work, but I don't twist arms. Here is =
the situation, here are the needs, here are your options, this is how y=
our piano could be, here are the economic issues as to now and future m=
arket value of the piano, etc. You don't have to be a good salesman, re=
ally, you just have to open your mouth. Same thing on selling caster cu=
ps, Dampp-Chaser systems, and so forth. 
 
You present, they say yes or no, you make more money, they get a happie=
r piano. Win, win, win. Never think of selling as something where the c=
ustomer loses if you "win" -- that's for shysters. Good selling is just=
 presenting need, information, options, long term benefits, etc.
 
Alan Barnard
Salem, Missouri
 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: carl teplitski 
To: Pianotech
Sent: 12/20/2005 1:29:44 PM 
Subject: Re: Unintended Results


Did you and customer agree on the need and actually start the work imme=
diately ?
Were you able to give her an idea how much job would cost ?  In my expe=
rience, 
most people are not  that quick to agree to  a job which would  come to=
 much more
money than a tuning, on the first visit . Though it has happened to me =
, also, but a normal
tuning turning into a $ 2 or $ 300.00 job, is not the usual occurance. =
 Maybe I'm not that
good a sales person.  Just curious.

Carl / Winnipeg



St=E9phane Collin wrote: 
hihi
nice story
 
St=E9phane.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Alan Barnard 
To: Pianotech 
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 7:57 PM
Subject: [Norton AntiSpam] Unintended Results


Had a new customer on a referral from a referral from a referral from a=
 referral--always gratifying. Arrived to find a crummy old Wurly consol=
e in bad shape. But since the customer (wife of an Army colonel which e=
xplains the reference to "one more move") is a good player and is in th=
is chain of referrals, I took pains to make necessary repairs, minor re=
gulation, a little tone work, pitch raise and two-pass tuning. It ended=
 up a much happier piano than when I arrived. During the job, she asked=
 if I knew of a decent grand for sale. We discussed several options, in=
cluding a beautiful S&S M that I know is for sale at a decent price. Sh=
e got excited and wrote down all the info I was giving her. Today I got=
 the following note in the mail ...
 

 
Screwed up again!!! 
 
I had a chance to get a much nicer piano in my customer base and messed=
 it up by making her piano acceptable to her. Rats.
 
Only kidding ... sort of.
 
Alan Barnard
Salem, Missouri
 

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