[pianotech] Dealing with customers

[John Ross]

I never even think about tips.
Although the other day, I gave a bill of $241.50 and the guy gave me $275. By the way it was more than a tuning.
But the last time I got a tip was probably a couple of years ago. I don't mean someone just rounding it off to an even number.
I would say that our work is such that we shouldn't expect a tip, we are not waiters, where that is a common practise.
John Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia.
On 04-04-2012, at 10:11 PM, Joseph Rosenberg wrote:

> Hi everyone:
> 
> How would you handle these 2 situations with dealer tunings that I had today:
> 
> 1. Customer 1 - lives in a $4 million house. I made the appt. for today @ 10am. Got there 9:45am. Woman didn't show up until 10:30am, no apologies or explanation. Very warm day, didn't offer anything to drink. Customer had some stuck key issues, which I stayed extra 1/2 hour. Usually I call dealer to get his okay so I can bill him, but couldn't reach him. Total time there - 2 hours, including waiting for her to come home. I get paid for 1 hr. only. No tip (only the poorer people tip when I do dealer tunings, NEVER the people with money).
> 
> 2. Customer 2 - Small house. Husband & Wife both out of work. Appt. was made for 1pm. I rushed to get there on time after delay of first job. When I was 5 minutes away, she called and asked me to come at 2pm. When I explained that I was almost there, she said she wasn't home and would be back at 2pm. I had no choice but to wait. At least she offered me a drink. Again, there were repairs that she hadn't told the dealer about, I couldn't reach him for approval, and did them - Total time: 1.75 hours. I got paid for the 1 hr. only. No tip.
> 
> While I think the dealer or the customers should pay me for the waiting time, the reality is they won't.
> 
> If I didn't wait for them, I would have to go back again anyway, or would lose this dealer's tunings.
> 
> The dealer gives me enough tunings that I want to keep working for him. He basically pays me what he charges the customers, so it's not like he's being unfair to me.
> 
> Is this just part of doing business, or do other tuners have ways of dealing with these things?
> 
> Do other tuners who do dealer tunings generally get tips? Should I expect them?
> 
> FYI, I am always professional and polite to the customers, even when they keep me waiting. I always try to be very nice, but the customers don't care.
> 
> 
> Frustrated Piano Tuner :(

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