Here's my two cents.
This is a difficult but necessary aspect of our work.
In most cases I don't think it would be wise or healthy for a piano technician to stifle a concern and keeping servicing a piano for a particular customer.
I agree that since a percentage of people don't expect to be told what is wrong with them, the direct approach isn't normally going to work.
So ignoring communication attempts may work, and if that doesn't work, a reply that you've been busy, please contact another piano technician, etc. Being positive, friendly yet firm and conclusive would be the suggestion. If the person replies to respectful correspondence unkindly, you could then either ignore or write one more respectful note. If someone wants to sue, then they can eventually pay all the legal fees in order to find out that you weren't comfortable with the work conditions or behavior of another individual.
There are stresses to being a piano technician and this aspect is one of them. I can only encourage being swift and efficient in such a deliberation, and moving on with one's life as quickly as possible, focusing on the healthy and positive aspects of life.
If you're trying to build and grow a business, there is the possibility that refusing service for a customer could slow your growth via this person's comments in the community. On the other hand, a client may not want to admit to their community that they've been refused service for being creepy or providing poor working conditions. But I think that one has to accept that - when they really can't tune for the client. If you've been in business for a while and need to pare back on less ideal work situations, you're to be congratulated for your accomplishment in getting to that place. Being in a position where you can afford to lose such a client and deal with the consequences if need be, is where you want to be. If you run the rest of your business well, I think you'll typically be in that place.
As far as legal issues related to discriminating based on race, sexual identity and religion. If there is any job that requires a willingness to serve a fully-diverse group of customers, being a Piano Technician would be it! I think that what we deal with most of the time are issues of a work space being unpleasant due to lack of sanitation, or the odd individual who either verges on harassment or goes over that line. In these cases, the technician is protecting themself just as they should. I trust that the rest of the sane world as well as our legal system will recognize this, should it really come to the legal question.
Lastly, I would encourage this person that they did the right thing to talk to another trusted piano technician since "going it alone" with such a thing can be - lonely. And they are to be commended for taking their own needs seriously. No-one should be criticized for doing that, I think.
Cheers and best wishes.
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Tom Wright, RPT
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2021 10:51
From: Benjamin Sanchez
Subject: Firing a Client
I'm asking on behalf of a friend. How do you go about firing a client that gives you the creeps? Without getting sued? It seems said client is happy with friend's service and wants to have friend back in the future.
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Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
Piano Technician / Artisan
(256) 947-9999
www.professional-piano-services.com
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