I give the "pitch raise / instability" speech on a regular basis, right along with the "possibility of broken strings, will need tuning sooner" and whatever info that is necessary and some that is not but just informative to those that are interested. On this particular tuning I did not. The piano was only 10 cents low so I did a quick pass to level it out and then tuned it, charging her the basic tuning fee. Here in the Midwest, her furnace is going to cause more instability than will the 10 cent raise. Her brother apparently used his $20 needle guitar tuner to check notes up and down the scale and when they didn't all make the needle jump to the middle, the piano was out of tune. I am speculating on the details since I have not had a chance to see the piano again. It's just as told this lady. The extra charge is not for the work on the piano, if needed, but for the second service call. I was once stood up three times in a row! Never again. Getting too old. I may get some bad PR on this but I will take my chances. Fortunately I have a schedule full of good customers with whom I have a good working relationship. I don't think I'm going to sweat this one. Thanks to all for input on this. Dave Bunch ----- Original Message ----- From: "FRANCES HELMS" <fhelms@topeka.k12.ks.us> To: <deanmay@pianorebuilders.com>; <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 3:05 PM Subject: RE: No show > With due respect to all previous opinions, John Ross is correct about the > negative word of mouth, as is Dean May about the explantion of the > instability after raising the pitch. It was not clear in your > communication whether you explained that to her -you may well have done > so. Either way, you'll take some lumps in regard to PR. > > IMHO, you have already told her your position. I would not back away from > it now. You have a right to be paid for your time,expertise, labo,r and > gas. > > Good luck, > Fran Helms, > Topeka, KS > > >>>> "Dean May" <deanmay@pianorebuilders.com> 10/25/2005 9:26 AM >>> > You might even go a little further. In as nice a way as possible tell > her you don't ever want her to call you back and to please not recommend > you to any of her friends. > > You might have been able to head a little of this off at the pass if you > had done a better job explaining how unstable the piano would be after > the pitch raise. I always tell people that it will not sound as good as > a regular tuning and it will not stay in tune like a piano that has been > regularly tuned. > > Dean > Dean May cell 812.239.3359 > PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272 > Terre Haute IN 47802 > > -----Original Message----- > From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On > Behalf Of Piannaman@aol.com > Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2005 8:55 AM > To: pianotech@ptg.org > Subject: Re: No show > > Carl, > > You stole the words right out of my mouth. > > Dave, no way I'd go back for another freebie. You showed a gesture of > good faith in offering to retune the piano gratis. She should be happy > to have you do it for the minimum service charge. > > However it resolves, she is definitely someone I'd put a red mark next > to in my database. > > Dave Stahl > > In a message dated 10/24/2005 8:14:47 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, > cmpiano@comcast.net writes: > > Better yet, suggest she have her brother tune it. He obviously knows > what is wrong. > > Carl Meyer PTG assoc > Santa Clara, Ca. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: John <mailto:jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca> Ross > To: Pianotech <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: Monday, October 24, 2005 2:41 PM > Subject: Re: No show > > 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 <mailto:pdtek@mchsi.com> > 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 > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.361 / Virus Database: 267.12.5/148 - Release Date: 10/25/2005 > >
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