[pianotech] in-home-service

[Leslie Bartlett]

Pricing wasn't the issue I attempted to describe.  I am NOT good at
business. It is a curse and a blessing. I live with the consequences of my
decisions. However, piano money is discretionary money, whereas most of the
service providers are not so discretionary, so pricing is not always fair to
us.    When I go to a nine foot piano I tuned a month ago, which a church
wants retuned for the arrival of a huge mucky muck and most of the notes are
within less than one cent out, I don't get paid extra because I do well. I
get paid less than some, more than some, as I want to be competitive and yet
have customers.   If the thread is going off into the issue of finances,
then the original issue is finished, and the subject should be changed to
finances or "how much to charge", or "you're worth more than that."     I
can't argue your point- don't have any desire even to get into that arena.
Sorry if that offends.  It's not an area where I do well.

les

 

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From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Dale Erwin
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2012 9:57 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] in-home-service

 

Hi Les
  Good story and a good outcome. Now I take a left turn.....sreeeeeching
brakes
   I have wondered why it is we as and industry sell to cheap, give away
work etc.  I've done it, we've all done it. But why? No other service
provider does this! Call Sears, Abes plumbing , Chimmney sweepers or Ghost
busters.... any in home service provider. They don't give discounts unless
there's a promotional.
 thoughts
 Dale

Dale Erwin RPT-
Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S pianos
Pre-hung Ronsen hammer sets/Abel parts
Sitka Soundboards & Supplies
WWW.Erwinspiano.com
209-577-8397

 
  

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Leslie Bartlett <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>
To: pianotech <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Sat, Mar 10, 2012 4:08 pm
Subject: [pianotech] in-home-service

Meeting today, talking about agraffe repair and vertical damper regulation,
in one's shop, of course.  I don't have a shop, and am known mostly for my
tuning. But I have done some regulation, and all of it has been in home,
more than once lasting several days.  I'd just blathering to recommend doing
such work in-home has some advantages. I restrung a Steinway M. years ago
for a retired shop teacher, who I charged about 1/3 what I should have. At
that price he gagged.  When I got into the action, I found I couldn't even
regulate it, so told him I'd have to replace hammers-shanks-flanges, and
again I charged him way too little.  He double gagged when I told him the
price.  Long story made short.  About half way into the regulation work, he
said to me, "I am going to hand you a blank check, and I want you to write
in what this is worth."   I have to do most everything I do in-home, but
each time I have done something like this in-home people have expressed
great appreciation for the intricacy involved, and the complexity of this
thing called "piano". They have always been really happy to pay what I
asked, usually saying I under priced myself.  So, I don't have any axe to
grind, just a thought that perhaps time spent doing work in-home can pay
unexpected results in a positive way.

Les Bartlett

Houston

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