Higher fees on first time calls make sense sometimes but what if someone is just switching techs and the piano has otherwise been regularly serviced? Aren’t you discouraging them from making the switch by charging them a higher fee where, as in this case, it may not be warranted? I gave up automatically charging a higher first time fee for that reason. In fact, I know a tech locally who offers a discount for the first time fee in order to encourage people to switch technicians. David Love www.davidlovepianos.com I have watched all the "traffic" on the "basic" or "full" service and I (or my wife) tell/s anyone "searching" for service on an acoustic piano my procedures. On a first call, they can expect a higher charge than a minimum fee for service, as I will not service an instrument if I can not leave it in some sort of playing condition; i.e. all notes working whether the regulation is perfect or not, but no bobbling hammers or sluggishness anywhere. Those things give "fits" to the person trying to play the instrument. Ken Gerler
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