Klarinet Archive - Posting 000391.txt from 2002/02

From: Neil Leupold <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Servicing of instruments
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 18:38:56 -0500

--- Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net> wrote:

> All too often, a customer will ask that a specific item be done (eg.,
> replace one pad), but the shop will discover other problems that prevent
> the instrument from playing properly. Do you do ONLY what was asked,
> risking a dissatisfied customer and bad word of mouth ("I took my clarinet
> to So-and-so's and when I got it back it still didn't work.") or do you DO
> the additional work to make it play properly, and risk a dissatisfied
> customer ("I took my clarinet to So-and-so's and they did a bunch of extra
> work I didn't ask for and overcharged me.")?

Seems like a pretty straightforward situation. At the consulting firm
for which I work, we obtain the client's authorization to exceed the
terms of an engagement before proceeding beyond the original quote. If
they don't sign off on the revised hours, we don't do the work, and they
get only that for which they paid, fully informed of what they're get-
ting and what they're not. So you pick up the phone and tell your
customer, "I can fix your pad for eight bucks, but you're still going
to have problems due to this-&-that other issue. The cost to put the
instrument in proper working order will be approximately $x.xx," and
they decide from there.

~ Neil

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