[pianotech] transferring clients

[tnrwim at aol.com]

Ed

The problem is, you're not completely retiring from the business. All you want to do is give some of your clients to someone else, while you're continuing to service the other clients. In a small rural area like yours, word will get around, and some people are going to be upset that you're no longer servicing them. 

That's kind of like a minister semi-retiring, but staying in the same church. The new minister is never going to get the respect of the congregation as long as the semi retired minister is still there. And when there is a wedding or a funeral, the people will want the semi retired minister. 

So you need to make a decision. Either continue to service all your clients, or retire, and not do any of them. The least you can do is not accept any new clients, but give them to the new guy. 

In my book, "The Business of Piano Tuning", is a chapter on how to buy or sell a piano tuning business. (available from Randy). There are some suggestions on not only how to put a value on your business, and but also how to go about informing your clients about the "new guy". 

Good luck

Wim







 



-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Carwithen <edwcarw at yahoo.com>
To: Piano List <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sun, Apr 15, 2012 11:20 am
Subject: [pianotech] transferring clients


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I live in a very rural area and travel a lot to take care of my clients; often 120 miles one way.  As I am now 74 years old I plan on cutting back significantly on the travel and tuning.  There are a couple of tuners in this area, but not much in the way of technicians.  There is one man working on his training and plans to take the RPT exam as soon as he is ready.  He is already tuning and seems to be getting along well.  I have been trying to help him as much as I can.  He has taken Randy's course, and went to the recent convention in Utah.  In any case I need to transfer a number of clients to someone else.  I tried to do this once before for clients in a town that was really out of the way for me.  I sent a letter to the clients involved, and told the new person to contact them directly.  Not one client transferred to the new tuner (an RPT yet).  A couple responded that they felt "abandoned."
 
I want my clients served well as I have formed pretty good relationships with most of them.  How do I make them comfortable with a new technician?   How do I make the transition better?
 
Ed Carwithen
Eastern Oregon

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