I'm working on it...I do charge $300 for a square grand. Fortunately, no one makes an appointment... that's right, Joe...I don't tune those suckers... David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Dave Davis" <dave at davispiano.com> To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 3/27/2010 10:05:11 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] pros and cons of discounts >I thought thats what all you California, non-rodent-piano-tuner guys were charging. >Lol >Dave Davis, RPT >Renton, WA >-----Original Message----- >From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey at sbcglobal.net> >Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2010 9:58:52 >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.co >m >>> > wrote: >>From: Dean May <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com >><http://us.mc838.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=deanmay@pianorebuilders.co >m >>> > >>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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