Rob, Carlos, thanx for the input. My starting position is not so bad. I am selfemployed for 15 years and I did my apprenticeship in a shop who sold all the great brands (Fazioli, Bechstein...) beside of used or rebuild instruments. I am selfemployed as tech in field service, but sold 2 to 4 pianos each year out of my flat. So, a little bit experience in selling is given. The claim is to be a one man company, selling used instruments and 1 or 2 brands new. It will always be a small shop with reduced opening times and I don´t think that I will get rich with that. But it´s nice to be my own boss and the starting position is a good one. I have about 1000 customers in my database, 300 of them probably nominal members. Furthermore, I get 15 month subvention from the governmental employment agency. I am not shure if it will work fine, but there is not much to loose and I will have no great investments to do. Moreover it´s a question of alternatives. I am making my PhD in psychology and don´t see a perspective to work in that profession on the long run. I don´t want to run after temporary contracts every year without knowing what comes next. So I think I will feel good with a little shop and field service. Gregor >From: "Carlos Ralon" <ceralon at comcast.net> >Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> >To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> >Subject: Re: tech or dealer? >Date: Tue, 13 Feb 2007 22:07:28 -0500 > >Rob Goodale knows from what he speaks. I had 3 retail full line stores for >over 30 years, while also being an RPT. As a PTG and MAMM member I >sometimes could develop an ethics question when I sold a piano that was >below standard. But I did try hard to get the client to buy the best they >could afford. Over the years we sold many brands including Yamaha, Sohmer, >Walter, and Kimball. I think one thing a PTG technician who is a dealer >must do, that a big store may not be able to do. That is to prep every >piano sold the best it can be befor it leaves your store. This goes for >the low end pianos as well. For this very reason you may find that the >small RPT/retailer may be less profitable than the big guys. >I am no longer a retailer but I now wake up each morning with no stress, >worrying about sales, employees, or retail store expense. And I will >celebrate this year my 50th year as a guild RPT. But, if sales floats >your boat, do go for it. I've got my boat. It's a Liberty Ship. >Carlos K. Ralon, RPT > >----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Goodale" <rrg at unlv.nevada.edu> >To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> >Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 1:03 PM >Subject: Re: tech or dealer? > > > _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/
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