Customers!

[jrfrond]

The initial deposit cuts WAY back on dead units, because the customer already has money into it. We also implement storage fees on the back end. Likewise, 60 days after notification, we send out a certified disposal notice and units are sold off. We cover ourselves legally with certified mail for obvious reasons.

[amptech]

great one, had me laughing all the way home! classic...

[amptech]

in regards to enzo's customer who's wife added a 1 to the bill!

[Wilder Amplification]

The initial deposit cuts WAY back on dead units, because the customer already has money into it. We also implement storage fees on the back end. Likewise, 60 days after notification, we send out a certified disposal notice and units are sold off. We cover ourselves legally with certified mail for obvious reasons.

I'm not quite THAT hardball, but the one thing I ALWAYS do is after I've figured out what parts I'll need, the customer is contacted and notified the full repair cost parts/labor and I require that parts are payed up front prior to ordering parts. For me this covers two things...1) Having money already into the job locks the customer into the deal and 2) I'm not having to front parts out of my own pocket.

Musicians really are a different breed of people. They want an ungodly amp that lasts forever but don't wanna pay anything for it. Some customers even go so far as to think that you as the tech were somehow handed your knowledge/experience and as such you are now obligated to help any/all musicians whenever/wherever they need it in the time THEY feel it should take.

[Ronsonic]

Are you kidding. I LIKE high end audio mojo. Why, you get to work on a piece that already works, most equipment always sounds better with a cleaning and moving and reinstall anyway, and I advise the customer that changes to a high quality piece of gear will produce changes but not necessarily what he's looking for. So, I do basic maint, upgrade caps, put in better, lower noise opamps, etc. It's almost guaranteed happy for him and me. Hospital grade power cords, sure.

Now for real crazy like that power cord. He gets to buy that. I get to put a square hole in his unit and mount an IEC connector. This is good work, not like wondering why a guitar amp goes "tick" once every three minutes. If it sucks, it's the power cord's fault, not mine.

[Enzo]

Fair enough, until the guy complains that your IEC connector is screwing up his sound staging, and has reduced his sheen.

My experience with tweaks is that once they are at your counter, they come back and back and back for minutia.