[pianotech] Customer dilemma

[Gerald Groot]

No problem, thanks for the apology.  We all jump on the band wagon
sometimes...  And you are correct too in that, some customers are not worth
having in certain cases and we all know what these are.

Jer Groot

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Love
Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2011 8:04 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Customer dilemma

Apologies for my overzealous response.  It wasn't really meant to be
directed at you but in general about collecting money that is owed.  It's
not unreasonable to tell them that you can't find a record of having
received payment and if they have it please provide it otherwise to please
pay the bill.  It can be done politely.  If they are avoiding a response in
some kind of attempt to get out of their obligation to pay the bill then
they are hardly worth worrying about as customers and still should pay the
amount owed.  That was my real point.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Gerald Groot
Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2011 1:10 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Customer dilemma

Whatever David....  It was only another suggestion.  Why blow it out of
proportion into being $5,000 which turns it into a whole different ball
game.  

One of my main problems and concerns in all of this is that Wally doesn't
seem to be 100 % sure that he is ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that he did NOT cash the
check but, more importantly, he doesn't appear certain that he did NOT
receive CASH instead of a check?  At least, that's the impression I received
from reading it.  Thus, my suggestion to just forget it.  It's only $200,
not $5,000!  The fact is this:  She "apparently" DID pay him. He lost the
money, not her.  If I were the client, would I issue another check to that
person?  You bet I would!  Provided I hadn't paid them in cash.  How much
time is being wasted for nothing on this so far?  Go tune an extra piano
instead then and make up the difference.  

On the other hand if we were talking an organization that has in fact sent a
check, which I have had happen many times over, and still do have this
happen on occasion, (just had another one get lost in the mail last month
again that I had to call on) and the check never arrived to my house, most
certainly contact that place to see if a check was issued or not.  They will
verify that it has or has not been cashed.  If the check has not cleared
then I find that they always re-issue the check promptly.  

If you prefer, stop over to her house some evening when you think she might
be home...  Otherwise, I still say, just forget it and move on.  

Jer Groot

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Love
Sent: Sunday, June 19, 2011 2:14 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Customer dilemma

I wouldn't do that.  The job was done and they owe the money.  If the check
was lost or destroyed you don't have to chalk it up to experience.  What if
it was for $1000 or $5000, let it ride?  If they have to write a stop
payment on the lost check and there is a fee then you allow them to deduct
that from the bill.  They still owe the money and are responsible for the
bill.  Do you imagine if you pay your auto mechanic with a check and it gets
lost that you won't still owe them the money?  If the client isn't willing
to pay the bill why would you worry about losing them as a client?  Are we
so afraid of our customers that we're scared to ask them to pay us?  Man up,
quit living in fear of one customer and ask them for what they owe.  No
wonder some techs complain about not making a living.

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Gerald Groot
Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2011 8:41 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Customer dilemma

The more I think about this, the more I think that perhaps the other thing
that you could do, seeing as how it was apparently all your fault, is to
just chalk it up and forget about it... I've run checks through the washing
machine before too forgetting to take my wallet or my checks out of my
pocket....  I just let it ride...  Better to learn from our own mistakes
than to lose a client by pestering them for something that sounds like,
wasn't even her fault to begin with.  :)

Jer Groot


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Wally Scherer
Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2011 11:28 AM
To: Ken & Pat Gerler; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Customer dilemma

I suppose there is a slight chance that your scenario is the case, but I
rather suspect that it was a check, as the husband seemed to think so also.
But I still haven't heard from the wife.

Wally

--- On Sat, 6/18/11, Ken & Pat Gerler <kenneth.gerler at prodigy.net> wrote:

> From: Ken & Pat Gerler <kenneth.gerler at prodigy.net>
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Customer dilemma
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Date: Saturday, June 18, 2011, 10:26 AM
> Wally,
> Noting the paragraph from your original message.  How
> many weeks after the job were you checking the record? 
> It could be you did get cash and forgot to mark "cash" on
> the ticket.??!!
> 
> Ken Gerler
> 
> > 
> > Checking on one customer's records a few weeks ago I
> noticed that my deposit record did NOT show a check from
> them, even though my copy of their receipt was marked
> "paid". (No indication of cash.) I called the lady and left
> a recorded message asking if she would let me know if the
> check cleared her bank, explaining that I could have
> misplaced it.
> 
>