Benjamin,
With all due respect, you seem to miss the point here, which is not whether what I am doing is right,
but client perception. We all have reputations to protect, and we are all in sales whether we like it
or not. It's not an issue of telling the client anything. Most will not question, but there are certainly
those who like to micro-manage every penny and do investigation on their own and yes, they will
find out how and where to order and what the material cost is. Mapes does not help that situation
by listing their prices or their policy.
Having an opinion about how to manage such an issue is certainly your prerogative, but doesn't
really hold up in the real world. We all have those clients that are difficult to acquiesce, but that
doesn't mean they are money-losing accounts. You can stand by your guns and insist on your
standard, but at the end of it all, you are only convincing yourself. We deal with real human beings
and they all have their personalities. I don't intentionally give the client any option, but in some
instances they find one anyway. If the client has already ordered a string without my knowledge
and hires me to install it, I will do so but verify that it is the right string before I even book the call,
and charge accordingly including my time to contact the supplier if necessary. The only thing I am
missing out on in that case is the markup on the string which is the smallest amount on the invoice.
So if the your purpose on this platform is to show up other technicians and beat your own chest,
I don't feel like it is worth my time to continue posting here if the only result is that posts are used
to bolster someone else's opinion or agenda. I am not wrong and don't appreciate your inference that
I am by stating your dissention and using my comments in quotes to prove that only you are
right. Yours is just an opinion the same as everyone else's and opinions are not fact. My guess
is that some agree with me and others with you, and that there is no right or wrong answer.
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Dave Conte
Owner
North Richland Hills TX
817-581-7321
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-27-2020 20:03
From: Benjamin Sanchez
Subject: charge for new wound strings
Dave said: "If the client calls Mapes, they will be told what was actually the cost of the string. This opens up a whole rats nest of ethical question in the clients mind."
I don't think so. First, I've never met a client that actually knows what they're doing for replacing strings, which is why they called me. Second, they wouldn't know where to order them from. Not only are they paying for my work, but also for my professional knowledge in these areas. Third, if someone has a problem with markup, they really shouldn't be hiring anyone, because every company has to stay in business. If they really wanted to save a few bucks and do it themselves, are they really the type of client I want to work for?
For me, the answer is no, so I don't even give them the option of ordering the strings themselves, and I personally refuse to put in strings that I didn't order. I just place the order, and bill the total amount for the job as "new string(s), installed." It saves a lot of potential headache and also simplifies the billing process.
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Benjamin Sanchez, RPT
Piano Technician / Artisan
(805) 315-8050
www.professional-piano-services.com
Original Message:
Sent: 09-27-2020 12:33
From: Dave Conte
Subject: charge for new wound strings
I talked to Bucky at Mapes recently about the issue of wholesale vs retail pricing.
Mapes only has one price and anyone can order a string. No trade discounts. Now
that makes it difficult to charge a markup on replacement strings. I do but have to
justify it by my expertise and time involved in the process. If the client calls Mapes,
they will be told what was actually the cost of the string. This opens up a whole
rats nest of ethical question in the clients mind.
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Dave Conte
Owner
North Richland Hills TX
817-581-7321
Original Message:
Sent: 09-23-2020 07:59
From: Gregory Cheng
Subject: charge for new wound strings
In answer to your question regarding what to charge when a string breaks is, in standard business practices double the wholesale cost with shipping and add labor. When you buy from industry suppliers they charge you a wholesale cost just like every other business selling to their technicians whether its a car dealer, mechanic, window installer, etc. When they sell to their customers there always is a retail price higher than the wholesale cost.
If you decided to go outside standard business practices that is completely your business.
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Gregory Cheng
Warminster PA
267-994-5742
Original Message:
Sent: 09-22-2020 14:40
From: Gary Howell
Subject: charge for new wound strings
when you break a bass string and send it off to purchase a new replacement string, how much do you charge the client above your cost for purchasing it? example, if i break two bass strings on an upright piano and Mapes will charge me $47 for purchase and ship these two new strings, what do I charge the customer?
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Gary Howell
Buckeye Piano Tuning
Massillon OH
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