No show

[John Ross]

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Hi Dave,
That is a hard one.
Obviously, losing her as a customer would be no big deal, since you said her piano had been neglected. So she might not have had you back for a while anyway.
The hard part is, that word of mouth is the best advertisement, and if she spreads the word, it could hurt business. Especially, if it is a rural area. But that would depend on the goodwill you have built up in the area, already.

I think you are correct in making a charge, as she had already used up the free one, by being a no show.  

Maybe call her again, and explain to her again, that you have already been there, and doesn't she realize that she is to blame for her being a no show, when the job would have been free.
How about getting her Brother's phone number, and getting specifics from him, as to what the alleged problem is/was. It might not even be a real problem, just his perception.
Don't you just hate those people, with a little bit of knowledge, just enough to make them dangerous.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dave Bunch 
  To: pianotech@ptg.org 
  Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 6:16 PM
  Subject: No show


  Hello- 

  Well, I've seen some venting about difficult customers lately so I will submit a story here just to double check my policies. I do want to be fair.

  I tuned a Kimball console last week that had been neglected a few years. A bit flat, but not much. I finished up, collected the fee and left. The next day she calls me saying that her brother came by and didn't like the sound of it. He apparently used to tune a bit, and told her that she should get me back out again. Fortunately over twenty years, these calls are rare, so I said I would come back and there would be no charge, even if it needed retuning.

  I schedule a time, drive forty miles round trip, and she stands me up. I waited a half hour and left. I could have tuned another piano during that time. When I get home later there is a message on the phone apologizing for missing the appointment. I called her and she said a couple of her day care kids were lost in a corn maze for an hour and a half, when at this point a kid chimes up in the background "We weren't lost!" The story sounded fishy but either way, I took a loss on it. I told her at that point I was still willing to check out her piano and work on it if needed at no charge, but that I can only make one free trip out there. If she wanted to make another appointment, there would be a minimum service charge. She went ballistic and said that was a lot of money when the job wasn't done right the first time!

  Am I being unreasonable? Lets even assume that whatever is wrong with the piano is my fault. How many times should I block out a time and absorb the mileage to go there for free?

  OK, I'm done now.

  Dave Bunch

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