Being a good business person

If you read my current status update you may know what's coming....

I had the piano tuned Monday when I was out of town.  So the hubby was holding down the fort while the guy was there.  I told the hubby to expect to pay around $65 for the tuning as I had been told by my piano teacher this was the going rate.  I found out later that the tuner charged him $110!!  I couldn't blame the hubby because he didn't really know any  better - he knows nothing about pianos or going rates, etc.  He was told the piano had to be tuned "twice" and normally the guy charge $130+ but he gave us a "deal" and only charged $110.  Did I mention that he never mentioned any of this until the work was complete???

Needless to say I was HOT!  As soon as I found out I called my piano teacher to see if what he claimed was feasible.  (let's face it  I really don't know squat about piano tuning either....)  She and another musician confirmed I essentially got conned.

So today I called to let them (tuner and his wife) know I will no longer be using their services because I felt taken advantage of and they were unprofessional in how they handled the tuning.  Needless to say this didn't go over well....

me:  Hi, your husband came to tune last week when I was out of town.  After discussing the situation with my husband I am very concerned about what happened.......  the charge was much higher than expected and the excuse was it required a "double tune", which it didn't.  (this I do know for a fact.  I had 2 notes ever so slightly out of tune....  I have an electronic tuner...)  I felt very taken advantage of  and the way it was handled was very unprofessional.

Wife: Well, why don't you wait until Husband gets home to discuss it with him.  But we didn't quote you anything so how do you know how much it was supposed to cost?  It hadn't been tuned in over a year so it HAD to have a double tuning.

me: That's part of my issue.  I never was given a quote and I assumed it was the going rate of $65.

Wife:  THAT's not the going rate!  We charge $85! 

me:  I'm not arguing to get any money back.  I'm calling to let you know that we will no longer be using your services and I was going to explain why in the event you want to change your future business practices for new customers.

Oops.  Apparently the "we're not going to use you any more" really set her off.  The next thing I know she's going OFF on me, defending how they do business...

Wife:  Your husband should have asked how much it was.  He was there!!

me:  This has nothing to do with my husband.  He doesn't know anything about pianos or music. 

Wife:  Well it sound to me that the communication is in YOUR household, not ours!

me: EXCUSE ME?!?!  I really don't appreciate what your saying. 

Wife continues to argue with me (even though I'm really cool as a cucumber.  I'm not arguing at all. Ok, maybe I raised my voice a little when she tried to turn the tables on us....)

Finally I hear her away form the phone telling her husband:
Wife:  I'm too mad at her!  She can't be reasoned with !  YOU talk to her!  I'm DONE!

??????  really?  All I'm telling you is that we won't be using you anymore and why. 

Husband gets on the phone.  I reiterate in a nice, calm voice that we won't be using them again and if I were a business owner I'd want to to know why so I could better my business practices.

He was no better.

After I'd explained why I was calling:
Husband: Well, your husband was just standing there playingwith the dogs the whole time!

(??  did you expect him to HELP you tune the piano himself?? WTF?!?!  Anyone with dogs knows my hubby was keeping them occupied to stay of of tuners way...)

I went through the same crap with him as the wife.  We ended in the same spot.  Him going on and on, not letting me get a word in edge-wise.  The whole time I'm on the other end: "Sir, excuse me, sir.  If you'd please let me finish.  Hello, sir?  Please, allow me to finish."

He wouldn't stop so I finally hung up on him.

I really hate doing that.  Honestly I do.  But he wouldn't be quiet so I could wrap it up.  What an idiot!

My next call was to the store where I purchased my piano - and to the owner who had recommended this tuner.  Again, if I owned a business I'd like to know more about the guy I was recommending!!   So we'll see how this all works out in the end.

Actually, I'll tell you.  I'm getting a new tuner!!

NOTE:  I am very aware that my biggest mistake was not getting a quote up front.  However, that had no bearing on the guys sketchy business practices or the ridiculousness of the phone calls that followed.  Learn from my mistake - ALWAYS ask for a quote upfront!

"So now I come to you.. with open arms..."

I had my first piano lesson last night on over 20 years.  Can you believe it?  When I did that math I damn near fell off my chair! (or the piano bench, as the case was.)

If you've peeked at my FB status you'll know that I have a FABULOUS piano teacher.  Her name is Bernadette.  I'm not going to give her a nickname because I think the name Bernadette is just too cool.  (tho I might shorten it on occasion...)  When I first met her in the piano store over a year ago I remembered that I liked her and I never forgot her name because... well really - Bernadette is hard to forget.  It reminded me of Bernadette Peters.  And MY Bernie is just as spunky and vivacious as B. Peters (but taller and with black hair, not red.)

She told me to bring everything I had that I'd been working on and she would go through it and decide where I needed to start.  Just last week I had purchased a "I Used to Play Piano" book on songs from the 70's and 80's.  (really - that's the name of the series!!)  I was sold on it when I opened it up and saw Journey's "Open Arms".  When I told Bernie that story and that I love Journey she got up and came back with a WHOLE BOOK of Journey songs.  After we reviewed all my music and she had me play a little she was convinced that what I had bought was too easy and that I'd probably have more fun with the book she brought it.  Which, by the way, were the original arrangements - not the yucky, watered down arrangements that were in the book I originally bought.  But of course I didnt' realize that because I hadn't cracked the book once I got home...

You have NO IDEA how cool this was!!  When I played as a kid it was classical music all the way baby.  Bndt doesn't care what I play as long as I like it and I'm learning.  (this theory of teaching probably would have gotten me a lot farther on the piano as a kid....  but I digress...) 

It's sooo much nicer to play as an adult.  No one is forcing me to play or practice (oh, all those hours sitting on the piano bench in tears with my mother beside me "play it again", "keep practicing"....)  AND I get to play "fun" music too!!

I know, I know.  It was one lesson.  But she was sooo much fun I'm inspired to go home and practice.  So far it doesn't seem like a "chore".  I know there will be times when I'm busy and I'll have to force myself to sit down and just "do it".  But that's ok. 

YEAH!!!!!!