I work as a secretary to a piano technician. Clients are down. He works for a store, paid $40 a piano. He gave me permission to give out deals as long as it was higher than $40, so there was money left for me. I know the lady in town charges $55 for her time at your piano. (I wouldn't call it tuning.) I don't know about anyone else. Would it be bad for me to call up piano tuners and ask what they charge for their services to find out what others charge?

The tech I work for, tuned pianos for school districts years ago, but left the country for a while and lost that business. He suggested I try the schools. How would you go about selling your services to school districts? Who would I talk to?

Thanks!

We do pricing surveys from time to time. We usually have a friend call around to inquire about prices.

Does your tech have a marketing plan? Is he working on upgrading his skills? Is he networking with music teachers? These are all important aspects to growing a business.

Wasn't this question posed by you before?

Wow, he's never going to make a living at those prices. First, he's got to become better than his competition. Then he can charge more than them. Each tuner/tooner/tuner technician- "knows what they are worth."

Sometimes ago, a secretary helping a non-English speaking tuner. Is he the same tuner?

I wouldn't leave my driveway for $55. I haven't charged that little for 15 years.

I wouldn't go to the cheapest dentist in town...

Yes, I've been here before, but I need more help. What I remember from the old thread was a lot of criticism on tech's webpage, but it's out of my control. I can't change it.

The tech has priced tuning at $89. A second tuning (for a pitch raise) is $65. Cleaning is $20 and an appraisal is $20. He's been a tech for over 30 years. He used to work in a piano factory. He does go to the technician guild meetings once a month. He's on some people's speed dial. He tunes for concerts, the piano refinisher, and a fancy private school. He's not got many clients right now, though. Piano stores aren't selling pianos real fast these days, so they can't afford to pay the technician much.

We do live in a lower cost of living area. Large families are normal and so is not having money for perceived unneeded services.

I called around and looked at the websites. The going rates for a tuning is between $50-$75. I think my boss may need to drop his price to be competitive.

That is likely why nobody in that locale is making a living. Being competitive is NOT what it is all about. Being the BEST, doing good quality work, being honest, having good morals and good ethics is what it is all about. The rest, will naturally follow along with, higher prices. $75? I wouldn't leave my driveway for that either. :))) He is only $14 higher than the highest priced tuner. That's bad??? Is he better than them or not...? I'm $20 higher than the highest priced tuner around here and I'm more than triple of what the lower priced tuner is over where you are.

My advice to you, would be to Google it. You can find anything you want to look for if you Google it. Read business articles. "How to run one" might be a good place to start.

Yeah, we weighed in on this before, but since you asked a somewhat different question I'll give my 2Cents too.

Too much emphasis is being placed on the negative side of busines, low cost of living area and limited resources for tunings etc etc. This is a self defeating attitude. Jerry above knows-we've discussed it...during the recession recently (and Jerry and I are in MICHIGAN where there are more than ample excuses for failure due to VERY hard economy) both Jerry and I GREW our businesses solidly. I was astounded but we had our best year in 2007, we were 3% lower in 08 and in 09 we started growing again and 2010 was our best year, and then 2011 was a NEW best year again. Its not about the local economy, obviously, or we could not have grown. Its because we SHOW UP and work harder than the competition (most of the competition, that is LOL).

Concentrate on improving your skills, your organization, and your philosophy of business and you'll grow too.

Just my 2Cents...

RPD

Thanks. I wasn't ever meant to be in business. I didn't study business. I studied Russian. I googled about business stuff. I need to read and reread because it's just not my forte.

My boss guy is very disorganized. He's awesome with the piano, but he's an old guy who can't use a computer and lives his simple life. He is terrible with directions. He can get to customers fine as long as his gps can find the address, but that also depends on inputting the address correctly and boss guy is not gifted in the the written English language. He gave me his very disorganized books of customers (half written in Russian- very interesting and frustrating reading) and I made a very nice database out of it.

Boss guy does keep up with his skills. I need to learn some, though!

Wow. I don't mean to be offense when I say what I say but, you did ask for opinions and for advice. So long as you have a boss that is as you describe, he will never be able to build any clientele. Nobody wants someone coming out to service something when they can't even show up for appointments because they get lost, can't use a computer when they HAVE to in this day and age, probably can't use a GPS or doesn't. It shows a tremendous lack of caring about the customer and his business. He sounds like he wants someone else to do all of it for him but, as the owner of this own company, he has to know what the heck is going on and he has to be on top of it. Some people are better off working for someone else.......

OK... I'll pipe in, being on the east side of Michigan, my work load has started to increase to 3-4 tunings a week (albeit most are store tunings) also doing tech work in the store. Have had a couple of Disklavier repairs/upgrades and have just purchased a 1916 S&S O for a rebuild...on my own this time. Yesterday was my very first day with 3 tunings ... felt good. I'm also not the cheapest in the area... Ann Arbor and so far have only had one cold call that did not pan out...

I'M HAVING FUN

So 3-4 tunings a week is normal? My boss guy does usually do that. One problem is that he's buying clients from a retiring technician. He has to pay a certain percent to the retiring tech and thus makes little off of them, but this arrangement is only for 3 years. After that, he doesn't have to pay the retired guy any money.

My boss guy does make most of his appointments. It's been only a few that he can't find. His problems only started after his long time gps unit was stolen and he had to buy another. Apparently, the new one isn't all up to date, so he was going to take the gps to a young Russian friend to have him update it. (I know nothing about gps units.) Boss guy usually calls me when he can't find the address. I look at google maps and give him directions. (It's real fun when the streets have American names rather than the Utah Standard directionals and numbers. Of course, that's when he gets off. The Utah grid system is really easy to navigate.)

I only took on this job to help the guy out and make a little money. I don't need a job. I just like having some spending money.

What I really want to know, though, is how to go advertising to school districts and similar businesses with pianos. I know the pianos at the fancy private school where my dds have orchestra are out of tune.

Ummmm, noooo, 3 to 4 tunings a week is not the norm. 3-4 a day, yes. For some of us, that is the minimum per day that we tune.

3 or 4 tunings a week at the price he is charging, is not worth it. You need at least 10 tuning a week at $90-$100 to make a living.

The school has out-tuned piano definitely not need tuning service. Its because they don't aware the problem. If you point out it, you may offend the music officer.

I think this is the most easy way to penetrate.

I had to laugh a little bit at that one Weiyan. Reminded me of people advertising for free in concert handouts and brochures. There are virtually no takers. People call us on integrity and our reputation or referrals. Not for freebees. However, I DO, DO freebees for my regular clients here and there every single year. I pick one church or school, especially those that are struggling and they are the ones after many years of servicing for them that gets one or more free tunings this year. I am at the point where I can do that in my career and they are thankful for being the recipient. And, I am thankful that I can do it.