[pianotech] transferring clients

[David Love]

I don't agree with this all.  I have a close colleague who phased himself
out slowly handing off clients by referring them to other techs.  He
continued to work for select clients for many years and still does.  I know
as I have many of his old customers and have known this tech for many years.
The customers that he no longer works for are not upset in the least.  They
understand that he chooses various criteria for how to cut back and that
might include them.  

 

There are several things that can be done.  You can simply pass on customers
that you don't wish to work for explaining that you are cutting back on your
workload.  Do that when they call.  A cordial thank you for giving you the
opportunity to work with them over the years will be fine.  Explanations
about "why them" aren't and won't be necessary for most customers but can be
ascribed to travel time, giving up certain types of uprights for physical
reasons, whatever.  You can then recommend a replacement who you think will
serve them well and remain available by phone if there are any problems with
your referral.  

 

Or, better, you can hire the apprentice, tell your customers that you are
sending them for reasons given above and then bill them yourself from which
you pay the apprentice and keep a small percentage.  Depending on how your
rate compares with the apprentices that might give the customer a slightly
reduced rate.  Your referral percentage will keep you in the loop, make the
customers more loyal to the apprentice and increase the chances that they
will both use and keep the apprentice once you are out completely.   It will
give you continued access to the customer to maintain the relationship,
smooth the transition and allow you to call to make sure everything went ok
etc.  That feedback will help your apprentice as well to develop their
customer rapport and skill set.   

 

Bottom line is that I strongly disagree that you are forced to either
service all your clients or retire completely.  People transition out of
service businesses slowly all the time and there's no reason to fear that
people will be upset with you.  They may be disappointed t that they can't
have you come anymore but it won't result in negative publicity.  

 

You are allowed and entitled to work at any level you want.  If cutting back
means that some clients can no longer be serviced then that's fine.  You
will likely cut out the clients with whom the relationships are less close,
that live farther away, or who have pianos that you simply don't care to
service anymore.  While brutal honesty is probably not the best approach as
to why you are giving them up, a tactful explanation can give you the
opportunity to still benefit financially somewhat from the relationship.
Establishing a mentor/apprentice arrangement which still keeps you in the
picture will help the customers feel more comfortable with the transition,
still give you some income benefit, and keep you accessible if things don't
go quite right.   

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of tnrwim at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 8:47 PM
To: edwcarw at yahoo.com; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] transferring clients

 

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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