Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum The Economy Is Great!

Americans are often amazingly spoiled and entitled. I lived in Mexico for 6 months and that gave me a whole new appreciation for how wealthy and privileged we are here in America. My brother spent time in India and Haiti after college and after seeing real poverty he was forever changed.

In general I perceive a general lack of professionalism in the piano technician industry. Lack of education, lack of business skills, lack of proper training, lack of investment in continuing education and quality tools,lack of tone regulating skills, lack of humility, and occasionally lack of proper hygiene and manners.

There is this idea that a piano tech is some sort of "free spirit" who can get away with dressing and acting however they wish because it demonstrates their individuality and artistic flair towards life. If it works, then great! But if you are not as busy or charging as much as you would like, its time to take a good hard look in the mirror.

My (completely unqualified, pseudo-psychology) theory is that complaints about the economy are often rooted to feelings of alienation and depression. The media magnifies it by focusing on so much negative news day in and day out.

The best way to fix the economy: eat better, exercise, get involved with your community, turn off the TV, take a walk, you can fill in the rest.

Bob, exactly!. My own economy is doing fine depsite WHOEVER is in office.

Do you think people would have been stupid enough to vote Obama back in office if the economy weren't doing so well!?"
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Look out for big bro Gary, this an audit waiting to happen.

In general I perceive a general lack of professionalism in the piano technician industry. Lack of education, lack of business skills, lack of proper training, lack of investment in continuing education and quality tools,lack of tone regulating skills, lack of humility, and occasionally lack of proper hygiene and manners.

There is this idea that a piano tech is some sort of "free spirit" who can get away with dressing and acting however they wish because it demonstrates their individuality and artistic flair towards life. If it works, then great! But if you are not as busy or charging as much as you would like, its time to take a good hard look in the mirror.

In general I perceive a general lack of professionalism in the piano technician industry. Lack of education, lack of business skills, lack of proper training, lack of investment in continuing education and quality tools,lack of tone regulating skills, lack of humility, and occasionally lack of proper hygiene and manners.

There is this idea that a piano tech is some sort of "free spirit" who can get away with dressing and acting however they wish because it demonstrates their individuality and artistic flair towards life. If it works, then great! But if you are not as busy or charging as much as you would like, its time to take a good hard look in the mirror.

Ties are last-century for the most part.

Couldn't disagree more. Professionalism never goes out of style.

I guess it depends where you are. Around here (southwest Ohio), a tuner wearing a tie would get some funny looks.

Being a girl, I don't have to worry about to tie or not to tie. But dressing professionally definitely pays off here in Indiana. I go for "business casual." There's no way I'm crawling under a piano in a skirt!

I guess it depends where you are. Around here (southwest Ohio), a tuner wearing a tie would get some funny looks.

I agree with the OP, the economy is great! I get a kick out of the technicians who act like they know what all the other technicians in the country are doing, charging, acting like. Making statements that seem to indicate that since they charge more than everyone else they must be perceived as better too (how do you know what they're charging?), or I wear a tie so my customers like me better. Ties are last-century for the most part. Having a clean professional image is important but so many other factors also play in.

Couldn't disagree more. Professionalism never goes out of style.

Jbyron,

Maybe I misinterpreted the OP - I sensed a fair level of sarcasm in his posts.

Through the Piano Technicians Guild I have had a chance to interact with technicians from all over the country on fairly regular basis. So my opinion is somewhat based on experience. It sounds like you disagree - no problem.

I agree that rates are not always an indication of quality. However, the market is a no-nonsense indicator of how well an individual's business strategy is paying off. If you are charging top dollar and the phone continues to ring throughout the year, you must be doing something right.

Take Rod, for example: If you want him to replace a soundboard for you you're going to be waiting at least a year. I guarantee you this is not because he is cheaper than his competitors!

In regards to the tie - maybe they are a bit old fashioned! I think being a piano technician is kind of an old fashioned occupation, so to me, it fits. I do get an occasional comment, but I tend to err on the side of looking like a professional businessman. This partly carries over from when I was in my 20's with 2 young kids trying to make it in a town with several other established technicians. I had to do everything I could to make a good impression, being such a young whooper-snapper!

LaRoy Edwards who ran Yamaha's Little Red Schoolhouse for many years encouraged us to consider wearing a tie. He said we'd make more money! "It's OK if you don't want to make more money. But if you WANT to make more money, you should wear a tie" he said. I figured with my situation I couldn't afford NOT to!

Of course Jerry Groot, RIP, despised ties after his got caught on a grand action he was working on, causing the action to go crashing onto the floor when he stood up!

Your last sentence is right on. Image is only part of the equation. That's why I mentioned continuing education.

Most techs are not all that interested in it - it's hard enough to get people to show up for a Piano Technicians Guild meeting. Far fewer will attend a conference. Attendance at the PTG annual conference has been running at around 600 out of a total membership of approximately 4000.

Jbyron,

As I said, I took the OP's remarks as sarcasm. So I was making the point that a technicians perception of the economy may have more to do with their business strategy than with the actual economy. If you take the OPs post on face value, I suppose my comments didn't seem to be relevant. It wouldn't be the first time!

So maybe the OP can clarify - Sarcasm or sincerity?

I never intended to make anyone feel like pond scum (although pond scum may be happier than most humans are. They get all their energy from the sun )

I agree with you that PTG functions aren't the only or necessarily best way to progress. I was simply siting it as an example that I perceive that it is a small minority of technicians that actively work to upgrade skills. I like your idea of skipping the convention and working with a mentor on voicing skills. In regards to not hearing anything new at a convention - that may be true, but I find that I am so thick-headed that I have to hear the information a few different times sometimes from multiple sources before it really sinks in!

I have heard stories from customers about other technicians in the area showing up stinking of cigarette smoke, biker chain hanging out of his pocket with a baby in a car seat. Another showing up with his wife who wandered around the customers house then went and took a nap on her couch. Needless to say I now have those customers and the word has spread around the area about the others.

Same here! One technician will occasionally bring all 4 of his kids to an appointment! Ironically, its the only tech left in the area who still wears a business suit, suspenders, and a tie.