[pianotech] transferring clients

[Dean May]

Why don't you just price yourself out of business? Announce you are
semi-retired and will only be performing premium service appointments. Raise
your rates 75%. For regular appointments they can hire the new guy.

 

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
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From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of tnrwim at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 11:47 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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