I never turn down a great price on a piano, so I was all set to buy this one when the customer called to say she had reconsidered the sale. She would keep the piano after all.

So I sold her a piano tuning......

When I arrived for the tuning, I noticed she needed a DC system.

So I sold her a DC system.......

I just put a spoon in the pitcher and stirred. Out poured a happy customer.

I had a similar one a few months back Bob. I get this call from a lady which seemed to follow the usual pattern we all hear, you know, "I got this piano and a couple of the notes are broken, how much to fix it ect?". I explained my service fees and the fact that I need to look at it to determine what the problem was, and then I asked her the make and type of piano and she says her kid is playing it as we speak and she'll go check... the phone bounces to the ground. While I'm waiting I hear this funky electro vibe keyboard pinging in the background and she comes back and says its called a Casio.

I was a bit peeved I just wasted a couple minutes of my time but held back. Then I explained to her politely what a piano was. Surprisingly, she replied that her sister had one of those and was looking for a tuner and gave me her number to call. I got the job.

I'm glad I didn't handle that call like the Microsoft service rep did with the person that complained their computer didn't work (during a power outage).

Its really a relationships business, isn't it....

And, it always pays off in some way, eventually, to maintain an affable approach...

RPD

I had a similar story with a older lady with a 70s electric organ. Not sure the name of the organ, one of those 2 keyboard things with all kinds of buttons...fun machine or whatever....?
I told her they cant be tuned, they are electronically tuned already. I only do string kyeboard instruments.

"Oh...I dont have one of those..." She replied as she thanked me for my time.

Some people just cant tell the difference even after 800 years of keyboard instrument evolution.....(rolls eyes)

I don't remember if I told this story or not but, one day, I went to a ladies house to tune the piano. The kid was home. I went in, tuned it, left a written estimate on the piano and left. It seemed rather screwy that I didn't remember that piano. I thought well, maybe she got a different one. That night, I got a call. Turns out, the lady had moved but given me her old address without thinking. I though, OH NOOO!
The guy on the phone said, it just so happened we were looking for a tuner so it worked out perfectly and the piano never sounded better. Further more, we knew the piano needed some work and would like to have you do the work. Surprise or surprises!
2 for one!

I called the other lady back, explained the situation. She laughed and apologized at the same time. I set up another date to tune hers too.

OH GOD Man!!!! you have just hit on my deepest fear...walking into a pre-arranged appointment where we have a "Go Right In" note on the record, and finding out the clients MOVED!!! ...its a great way to die a young death in Michigan here....
which is why I stand at the door and holler, even when we're told to go right in...to make sure the husband or whoever (who may not have got that memo! from his wife) isn't upstairs sleeping next to his 12 guage!

...but Jerry, what were you to do?.... the kid let you in, after all!

Wow...I've never actually TUNED a whole piano in the wrong house LOL!

RPD

Yeah, funny. The kid was about 12 too. I told him who I was, that I was there to tune the piano and OK, he let me in. How was I supposed to know she moved? I'd been going to that house for 10 years. Oh well, I got paid for both jobs so it worked out great.

What a way to grab another customer, Jerry. Glad it worked out without any issues.

Me too! Thanks!

I suppose this never would have occurred if the new residents didn't happen to own a piano. You'd have realized something was screwy otherwise!