Well, whadaaaya waitin for? -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Ilvedson Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 12:59 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] pros and cons of discounts >One time, I double billed for over $500 and got paid for both bills. I called them and >said well, we can either write you a check for the $500 or wait until the next tuning >and do that one for free. They liked the 2nd option so that is what I did making a >notation in my computer records. Now that's what I want...$500 for a tuning. '-] David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Groot" <tunerboy3 at comcast.net> To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 3/27/2010 7:15:19 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] pros and cons of discounts >Oh, if I am over paid and it does happen occasionally, I will credit back in the form of >a check along with a letter of explanation of their mistake. It's kind of like us over >paying a utility bill and honesty too. I'd like my money back if I over paid for >whatever reason. Plus, it is also now a tax deduction for us as a donation. If it is >an organization anyway. > >One time, I double billed for over $500 and got paid for both bills. I called them and >said well, we can either write you a check for the $500 or wait until the next tuning >and do that one for free. They liked the 2nd option so that is what I did making a >notation in my computer records. > >As for appointments, for the most part, there will be "SOME" give and take on >everyone's behalf but, not a lot on mine. After all, I do make a living at this. If and >when I cannot get at a piano, I lose money. It is only unfair to me. I look at it from >this angle. This, is what appointments are for. They screwed it up, not me. I >scheduled an appointment with them to be there specifically at this time to tune the >piano/s on this day, at that this. Sure, there will be an occasional time or two where >we will simply have to bite the bullet and return later but, it won't happen more than >twice with me or I will not return at all. I have better things to do that lose money >over and over again. Sounds harsh, I know but, if we allow it to continue then well, >it would continu happening too. Sort of like noise. If we do not ask for quiet, then >each time we return to that same place, we will never get quiet. > >Jer > > > >From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf >Of Matthew Todd >Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 9:59 AM >To: pianotech at ptg.org >Subject: Re: [pianotech] pros and cons of discounts > >Wim, > >I was just giving an example. Sometimes I offer discounts, sometimes I don't. If I >need the business, I actually do the opposite of what you do, and I don't offer a >discount. I still get the work. It may depend on where you are located if you need >to offer a discount for fear of not getting the job. However, if I do need work, I >would definitely hand in the invoice first thing. It can take these institutions quite a >while for turn around sometimes. > >My whole point was that if you submit the invoice first thing, then I wouldn't worry >about submitting another because the situation has changed. > >One time I submitted an invoice to a school to tune four pianos. They wanted me to >fax the invoice right away because they only had a few days to use their funds >before the next budget year started. So I submitted it for four pianos (yes, with a >break for each one). Anyway, when I got there to tune we (the choir director and >myself) had discovered one of the pianos had been vandalized. (Some kid dumped a >bucket of water in a grand). So I skipped that one. When I finished the three, I >submitted another invoice for the three I did. When I got the check a few weeks >later, I found they had still paid me for the four (my original invoice). You know how >much of a hassle it can be to try and deal with this, when you are probably dealing >with a dozen different people at the school, so I didn't bother (not my mistake). Oh, >and I don't give credits either. >TODD PIANO WORKS >Matthew Todd, Piano Technician >(979) 248-9578 > <http://www.toddpianoworks.com/> http://www.toddpianoworks.com >--- On Sat, 3/27/10, tnrwim at aol.com <tnrwim at aol.com> wrote: >From: tnrwim at aol.com <tnrwim at aol.com> >Subject: Re: [pianotech] pros and cons of discounts >To: pianotech at ptg.org >Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010, 5:11 AM > >What do you do for situations where you submit an invoice in advance, and things >don't work out exactly as originally planned? > >Example: You go to tune three pianos at a local school, with the agreed upon price >minus $4 per piano. You submit the invoice to the guy and begin work. You just >finish the first piano, and someone comes in and says "shhhhh, we are having >testing". So now you need to reschedule the other two pianos for a different time. >Do you still give the $4 discount, even if you already submitted the invoice? Me >personally, if I gave only $4 off per piano, it wouldn't bother me and I would give it >to them anyway. But I know there is the clause "per piano in the same >location/building at the same appointment". >TODD PIANO WORKS >Matthew Todd, Piano Technician > >Matthew > >Plain and simple, don't sweat the small stuff. As I said in my report, if you don't >need to give discounts, then you wouldn't have offered it in the first place. So >apparently you need the business. Since you offered a discount, sure it would be >nice to do only what you've originally agreed to do. But even if it takes 2 days, or >three trips, to the school, you're still going to get paid to tune 3 pianos. If you >hadn't offered the discount, you would not have tuned any pianos, and you have >made zero dollars. >Now that I've made that clear, in the future, I would suggest you don't hand in the >final invoice until after you've tuned all the pianos. I realize some schools want an >invoice to get approval for the work before you even start. But you should insert >some sort of language that allows you to change the final bill to reflect "additional >work" that needed to be done to the pianos. What you do with that is up to you, but >if you feel you need to charge them "full boat" because of scheduling problem, but >all means, do so. If anything, do a little extra to the piano, like regulation, voicing, >etc., something that doesn't take too long, to justify the increase in price. > >Wim > >-----Original Message----- >From: Matthew Todd <toddpianoworks at att.net> >To: pianotech at ptg.org >Sent: Fri, Mar 26, 2010 12:45 pm >Subject: Re: [pianotech] pros and cons of discounts >Dean, > >What do you do for situations where you submit an invoice in advance, and things >don't work out exactly as originally planned? > >Example: You go to tune three pianos at a local school, with the agreed upon price >minus $4 per piano. You submit the invoice to the guy and begin work. You just >finish the first piano, and someone comes in and says "shhhhh, we are having >testing". So now you need to reschedule the other two pianos for a different time. >Do you still give the $4 discount, even if you already submitted the invoice? Me >personally, if I gave only $4 off per piano, it wouldn't bother me and I would give it >to them anyway. But I know there is the clause "per piano in the same >location/building at the same appointment". >TODD PIANO WORKS >Matthew Todd, Piano Technician >(979) 248-9578 > <http://www.toddpianoworks.com/> http://www.toddpianoworks.com >--- On Fri, 3/26/10, Dean May <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com ><http://us.mc838.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=deanmay@pianorebuilders.com >> > wrote: >From: Dean May <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com ><http://us.mc838.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=deanmay@pianorebuilders.com >> > >Subject: Re: [pianotech] pros and cons of discounts >To: pianotech at ptg.org ><http://us.mc838.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pianotech@ptg.org> >Date: Friday, March 26, 2010, 5:03 PM >I began this year offering a $4 discount for multiple pianos. If there is more than one >piano at a location being tuned, or they schedule together with another friend or >friends, $4 off for each piano. It is working well and I’m very happy with it. > > > >Dean >Dean W May (812) 235-5272 >PianoRebuilders.com (888) DEAN-MAY >Terre Haute IN 47802 > _____ >From: ><http://us.mc838.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pianotech-bounces@ptg.org> >pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [ ><http://us.mc838.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pianotech-bounces@ptg.org&> >mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of ><http://us.mc838.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=tnrwim@aol.com> >tnrwim at aol.com >Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 10:05 PM >To: <http://us.mc838.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pianotech@ptg.org> >pianotech at ptg.org >Subject: [pianotech] pros and cons of discounts > >Several of us on this list have pined our opinions on discounting our services. There >are some who flat out refuse to offer any kind of discount, no matter what, while >there are others who regularly offer a discount, to both individuals and non-profits, >like churches. What we need to take into consideration when we offer a discount is >how it effects our business. If you have all the business you can handle, and are >regularly booked several weeks in advance, then you are in a position to stick to >your regular service fee and work on only those pianos you deem worthy of your >talent. I envy all of you who can do that, because there used to be time when I >was in that position. But, unfortunately, such is not longer the case. > >With the current economic condition in our country the way it is, one we have not >encountered in over 70 years, "tough times call for tough measures". It used to be >that servicing 20 or more customers in a week was the norm. But often times I end >the week with no more than 12 - 15 appointments. And those were hard to come by, >in that I did have to offer a discount. The discount was offered, or promoted, not so >much to get my customers to use me instead of a competitor, but just to get the >customer to have her piano tuned. There are many people who are now making >tough decisions on how to spend their money. They don't have the discretionary >income to spend going out to dinner or buying a new flat screen TV. So when they >call to get their piano tuned, and the fee is more than they think it should be, they >will opt to delay getting that done. They will, instead, use that money to take a trip, >or fix the house. > >Discounts are becoming a way of life in our country. Everything is "on sale", and that >includes getting pianos tuned. There is nothing wrong with offering the discount. It >might be the only way to stay in business. And this includes offering discounts to >teachers who promise to recommend you to their students, and working on rat >infested spinets in a stinky house. There is nothing wrong with doing what needs to >be done to make a buck, while maintaining your self respect and dignity. > >Wim >
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