[pianotech] Customer complaint

[Dean May]

John is right, negative advertisement can really hurt. 

 

As small service businessmen we implicitly offer a satisfaction guarantee.
For me, that means that I am prepared to refund their money and walk away if
I can't make them happy. Don't call me again and don't recommend me to your
friends. At least then she will not be able to complain that I am greedy,
whatever else bad she may say. 

 

On the price thing, if people bring it up, I communicate I am not the
cheapest, but I am very good, I am full time and I've been doing it for 30
years. There are always less experienced part timers willing to work for
less. 

 

On the breaking strings, communicate that the tuning process inflicts the
most stress a string is likely to ever see. If there is a problem or
weakness, chances are it is during the tuning that it will break. 

Dean

Dean W May                        (812) 235-5272 voice and text

PianoRebuilders.com           (888) DEAN-MAY         

Terre Haute IN 47802           Give us a LIKE on Facebook! Go to
<https://www.facebook.com/pages/PianoRebuilderscom/137780082943148>
PianoRebuilders.com

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of John Ross
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2012 8:02 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Customer complaint

 

That is a hard one.

I have found that word of mouth is the best advertisement, so obviously it
can hurt as well.

How big is your town? How far do you have to travel to get to her? 

So many variables, 

I would at least go back and determine what the problem is with the notes
that offend her.

You might be able to demonstrate to her satisfaction that it was not your
fault. You will never know if you don't go, and things do happen.

I have wished at times over the years, that I had gone back when a problem
like this occurred. 

I, when arranging to go back would inform her that if the problem was
unrelated to what you had done, she may be charged. 

I hope you explained to her that the replaced string would go out of tune
and why.

John Ross

Windsor, Nova Scotia.

 

On 08-04-2012, at 8:31 AM, richarducci at comcast.net wrote:





List,
During the tuning of a yamaha c-1 last week , the bass string F below middle
C broke.
Piano gets serviced once a yr. and has a DC system installed, pitch was
about 10 cents or less flat.

The client took the position that "I" broke the string so"I" am responsible
for replacing it at "MY" cost.

I explained to her that the string broke, I did not "break" the string.

I returned the next week and replaced the string with a Mapes duplicate and
charged her $40 total.

She has made it a point in the past to tell me of other tuners that charge
less, and I had made up my mind that this was going to be my last visit.

I wished her good luck with her piano in the future, and left.

Just received email from her saying that several other notes are not
functioning well now and wants me to come back and address those issues.

I replied that the string was replaced correctly, and it has no bearing on
other notes, and that she will need to contact another tech.

How would you guys handle this?
Thanks.


Rick Ucci
Uccipiano.com

 

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