If the work as suggested in all previous lessons has been thoroughly done, and, especially, if the student has had the advantage of a little practical demonstration along with the text, he is now competent to take up the profession and follow it with all assurance of success, so far as his duties and demands as a professional piano tuner are concerned. But, you will readily understand that, while the ability to execute your work in a satisfactory way is the first and most important requisite, this alone does not constitute success. The volume of business you do depends largely upon other qualifications.
To the individual who desires to work in a piano factory or wareroom, little more is required than to be able to discharge his duties in a satisfactory way. If he can do his work well and do enough in a day to please his employer, the requirements are fulfilled. In the factory are various kinds of work which anyone who has passed through this course with credit may do successfully, almost from the very start. In the factory there is much more rough tuning than fine tuning; and at this work the novice is given a splendid opportunity for culture. Here, he gets ear training in abundance; he gets control of the tuner's hammer, accustoms himself to setting the mutes and doing the various little details with dexterity. By applying the principles learned in this course of study, he can soon prepare himself for fine tuning. Factory regulating also is nice work and is easily acquired, but requires a mechanical eye and some experience. A factory position is less wearing but generally less remunerative than independent tuning.
The purpose of this brief discourse is to drop a few pieces of admonition which will contribute to the resources of the beginner, who wishes to become an independent tuner. By this we mean the tuner who is independent of any firm or concern, and carries on his business in an independent way. While this advice is intended for the beginner, we believe it contains some very good points for those also who have already had some experience.
If we were asked what is the greatest requirement to insure a successful career, we would, with all emphasis, answer, enthusiasm. Let us mention here, that learning a profession, and making profitable application of the same, are very different considerations. Some individuals have the capacity for the former, but lack the qualities necessary to the latter. One may be an expert tuner and not be able to get sufficient business to support himself; on the other hand, some who are below the average in professional ability, have a knack of pushing business so successfully as to accumulate money; so, if you are a fine tuner or become one, do not think this qualification alone will net you a handsome in-come. You are independent in any civilized section of country on the globe; for there is no country without pianos, and all pianos will get out of tune in spite of climate, care or excellence of manufacture; so a little effort will give you business anywhere with a satisfactory remuneration.
Next to enthusiasm, and closely allied to it, may be mentioned self-confidence. If you are sufficiently interested in your business, self-confidence will come as a natural consequence. First, be able to do things as well or better than others in the same line; it is then easy to think well of your ability. If you have not this ability at the start, get it by reviewing the work of this course and by putting your knowledge into practice. Have confidence in your being able to do what others can do, go where your work will not be subjected to severe criticism, and there get your experience. In piano tuning you will find that persons are generally easily pleased if the work is even fairly well done; but just here is where self-confidence plays a very important part. If you appear before your customer with an air which indicates that you know your business without the slightest doubt, and then take hold of the work in the same manner, the impression is made that you are an expert, and your work, if even fairly well executed, will generally please; while, on the other hand, if you fail to make this impression, your customer may doubt you from the very start; if you get the work at all, it will be subjected to severe examination. Without self-confidence you cannot attain to any degree of success in this or any other business; while if you possess it or the appearance of it, success is well nigh assured.
Perseverance is no less a valuable qualification than the foregoing. Do not let a day's work which has apparently accomplished nothing discourage you. Place it to your experience account. Look over its events and see if the fault has been with yourself or with the locality in which you worked. Profit by it in some way, and start out anew the next day. You will seldom find it so discouraging.
A knowledge of human nature is possessed by everyone intuitively, but can be greatly cultivated by experience and study; there is no opportunity greater than that afforded the traveling piano tuner.
Without politeness and a good address all your talents and accomplishments will avail but little. Acquire these, which are the essentials of personal magnetism, and you will create a favorable impression with everyone.
Integrity is a virtue that is as self-evident as is the light of day. If you have this innate virtue it will be shown by your very words; if you lack it, your conversation is sure to betray you. You cannot afford to be dishonest, although there is great temptation in this profession. No one need think that he can practice deception without being discovered, soon or late; then, humiliation is the penalty. Fulfil your word to the letter. Resort to no falsehood; it will never pay. You cannot appear as a man unless you feel like one; you cannot feel like a man unless you are one.
Last, but not least, in the piano tuner's qualifications may be mentioned good personal habits. We mean, here, your habits and personal appearance in general. If you are shabby in your dress, unshaven or uncleanly, you can hardly expect individuals, and especially strangers, to trust you with their work. Make yourself presentable; start out well dressed if you have to borrow the money. Habits of intemperance, even in the mildest form, will directly and inevitably ruin the piano tuner; not so much because it is an unnecessary waste of earnings, as because it saps his ability, deadens his sensibility, his morals, his business qualifications and all that goes to make him a perfect specimen of manhood.
Every tuner has his own way in which to secure business; but we drop a few hints here which may be of benefit along this line.
Tuners who reside in large cities and visit the smaller towns in the surrounding country usually have regular times to make these visits, generally twice a year. About a week or two previous to the date upon which he expects to arrive in a certain town, he places a notice in the local paper to the effect that he will be there upon that date, requesting those who desire work to leave orders at a certain specified business house or hotel, or, preferably, with an influential music teacher. The tuner must, of course, have some acquaintance in the town, and must be known as a tuner before he can expect to do much business by this method; so it becomes necessary for the new tuner in such a town to introduce himself and his work by a personal canvass of the piano owners.
Canvassing is positively one of the most delightful features of the young tuner's routine, notwithstanding the fact that it is generally begun with dislike and thought to be a little humiliating. The beginner in canvassing invariably feels a timidity in approaching his prospective customers; but after a day's experience he finds this wearing off, and at the end of the first week his pleasant experiences and successes will cause him to delight in his work instead of looking on it as irksome employment. The piano tuner is not expected to make a speech to each one whom he solicits, as is the habit of many agents. The introduction of your business is made with a mere word in a polite, yet businesslike way. Calling at a home, you will simply inquire if the piano needs tuning. In case you do not know if the home contains an instrument, use such form of interrogation as this:-"Have you a piano that needs tuning?" This inquiry will generally elicit the desired information. If the person answering the bell gives you reason to believe that the instrument is in need of attention, bring into requisition your greatest diplomacy in establishing confidence, and direct your conversation toward the point of getting an opportunity to examine the instrument and estimate its needs and the cost of putting the same in first-class condition. If you succeed in this and in making a favorable impression, you are almost sure to get the work.
Do not be in a hurry; yet, let your manner be businesslike. Assume an easy, graceful, obliging manner, as though you were there to favor your customer rather than to solicit favor. In fact, most persons think of the piano tuner in this light. The author has gone to the homes of total strangers to do their tuning, and found them delighted at his coming, because he came to do for them that which they could not have done by any other means. By observation, by careful study of yourself, of causes and effects, and of human nature, you will soon be quite at home "on the road," and will find that you are advancing in business ability, acquiring valuable experience, and, best of all, earning a good income.
It is well for the tuner who desires to travel, to map out a certain route and visit the towns at regular intervals. This fact gives him a better bearing with the people, since his intention to return at stated times begets their confidence.
Always keep a neat book account of your work, if for no other reason than to compare one day, week, month or year of work with another to note your progress; but such records are valuable for many reasons.
The following is a very simple, yet good form for the tuner's daybook. The columns should be wide enough to admit the necessary writing.
A book of this kind kept accurately posted will be a source of no small amount of aid when it is desired to cover the territory again. Aside from this, it will surprise you to look over it after a year's work has been recorded and sum up the amounts.
A splendid idea, which is customary with some successful tuners, is to issue a receipt to each person having work done, specifying the items of importance and containing such matter as will tend to hold the customer's confidence and his business as well. The idea looks businesslike and will be found to have advantages. The form presented on the opposite page will be found to cover the requirements.
These forms may be printed in thousand lots by any printer and put up in tablet form at a small cost. To make it still more complete, a stub should be included containing in brief the memorandum of work, name and address of party to whom receipt was issued, date and charges. If the stubs are always filled out, they will answer the purpose of the book first mentioned until you can get time to transfer the accounts to it.
Working up a local business is very easy. A little newspaper advertising, a personal canvass of every owner of an instrument in the community and strict adherence to the duties of your profession and the rules of moral propriety will soon give you a prestige that will insure you a good, permanent business. A good and inexpensive method of advertising is to have neat cards printed. Place these at all houses supposed to contain instruments. The following is a good form. The card should be of sufficient size to give the matter an attractive display.
If you can compose a piece of music for the piano, it can be made to serve the purpose of a very effective advertisement, but it is rather expensive. On the title page, have a portrait of yourself and your business card; also, a form as follows: I will be at .. about ..... ,.190 at the service of those desiring work in my line.
The place and date can be filled in with pen, pencil or rubber stamp, and mailed to your prospective customers some time before you arrive.
The pieces thus mailed would cost 27c. to 5c. each; but if they are sent out with good judgment, we believe they will increase the receipts of the tuner more than enough to pay the costs, to say nothing of the prestige gained by distributing a composition in this way, if it be one that should meet with popular favor.
Whether you follow any of the above plans or not, there is one thing that you must do, and that is to have neatly printed business cards. Use them freely. In canvassing, present a card to every person canvassed. There is no more convenient form of introduction. The card is generally kept, and if persons do not care for your services at the time, they have your name and address for future necessities.
In towns of 5000 and upwards, it is seldom necessary to make a personal canvass more than once or twice, since, by using some one or more schemes like the foregoing to get your business established, you will have enough calls by mail, telephone and personal requests to keep you quite busy, provided yourself and the locality are all right.