What would you do? Ethical questions.

[A440A at aol.com]

David writes:

<snip>a store-paid-for tuning on a nice new small upright piano.  She said 
that the piano was already out of tune after two months-   We set up an 
appointment, then she asked if this was paid for by the dealer.  I said no, tunings 
are not a warranty problem, pianos go out of tune, yada, yada, yada.  She asked 
how much.  I quoted her my normal price.

<< What would you have done when faced with a phone call like the first one?  
Stuck to your guns for the full price, offered a discount, or come back for 
free?>>

Greetings, 
         How would you like dozens of customers like this? Would that make 
things better? ( If you lose a little on every job, you can make it up with 
volume?) 
         I would have relaxed and congratulated myself on having enough 
business so that I can gladly see this sort of customers go somewhere else and be a 
problem for another technician.  
         In the future, it may help to tell  customers that the store gives a 
free first tuning because the pianos are really unstable when new, and it is 
the store's way of easing the pain of having to tune three or four times in 
the first year.  THEN, when the piano goes out of tune, they will not be 
surprised/disappointed/angry/ etc.  
Regards, 
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html