[pianotech] Don't work for this manufacturer

[Jim Busby]

Kerry,

True, and Gerald, very true.

I haven't had any trouble with any manufacturer that wasn't simply a personality conflict or misunderstanding with an individual. If a company as a unit is bad, or if all in the company are idiots, they won't survive. Well, except for Bank of America... they're all idiots and evil... <G> <Well, maybe not "G"> but all in all I think our piano manufacturers are pretty darn good and easy to work with.

Best,
Jim Busby

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Kerry
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 6:21 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Don't work for this manufacturer

I suspect most of us are familiar with Wim's frustration; unfortunately, the manufacturers tend to view us, and any other warranty expense, as a cost center, not a profit center, i.e. a necessary evil. With that in mind, it makes sense to follow Gerald's example.

Kerry Kean
www.ohiopianotuner.com<http://www.ohiopianotuner.com/>

________________________________
From: Gerald Groot [mailto:tunerboy3 at comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 12:06 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Don't work for this manufacturer

I have never had a problem with being paid by any manufacturer and I have sent plenty of bills for warranty claims over the years.  The reason is, I contact them before hand to get approval and find out what information they require on my bill along with a PO # if required.

If the said information billed to a church for example, is not completed properly, i.e., work done, what was done, why it was done and above all, pre-approved before the bill was sent, I would not expect to be paid.  That's business.  We send estimates to everyone before doing the work.  Dealers and manufacturers are not excluded.  If it is a warranty problem, it must be pre-approved unless you have something set up with the company in advance for pre-approval.

I recently talked with someone from a different piano company via email about a warranty problem.  I was told exactly what information I needed to record onto my bill, was asked what needed to be done and why, I explained it all, filled it out as requested and was paid within 2 weeks.

Basically, it is our responsibility to see to it that all information is filled out correctly before we send out our bill.  It is not the other parties responsibility to see to it that we filled it out correctly after they receive it.

Example.  I have a school here that I have been tuning for over 20 years.  I get a PO # to use for the entire school year.  I sent out a bill last year and forgot to type in the PO #.  2 months later, I called them.  They looked it up and told me what happened.  I wasn't all that happy that they didn't call me but I also realized that they probably receive thousands of bills besides mine and are not my baby sitter so, I re-typed out my bill, included the PO # and within 10 days, got my check.  My screw up, my fix.

That's how I see it Wim.  Sorry, but I can't side with you on this one either...

Jer


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