To Tip Or Not To Tip? How To Proceed When Getting Your Piano Tuned

While your aptitude as a player and your budget partly influence how frequently you should get your piano tuned by a professional, the conventional norm is about two to four times per year. Four times annually is ideal, given how changes in the temperature and humidity can affect the instrument, but the average player can typically opt to have the instrument tuned twice annually. If you find yourself anxiously wondering whether you should tip the piano tuner when the job is complete, you're not alone. Many people wonder about the etiquette of tipping professionals who visit the home for specific jobs. Here are some things to know about this situation.

Tipping Is Typically Not Necessary

While there is a long list of people that you should always tip if you're happy with the service they've provided, there are also others who are not conventionally tipped. Piano tuners fall into the latter group. As such, many tuners don't expect to receive a tip on their way out the door. Not needing to tip isn't an excuse to avoid good manners, though, so always verbally express your thanks for the tuner's efforts.

You Can Tip If You Want

Just because tipping is conventional in the field of piano tuning doesn't mean that there's a firm rule that prevents you from giving a tip. In situations in which tipping isn't customary, it's best to focus on tipping only when you're exceedingly pleased with the service provided by the person. In the case of piano tuning, there are several situations in which the person could warrant a tip. Some people opt to tip when the tuner is very friendly and courteous. For others, a tip is logical if the tuner has rearranged his or her schedule to fit the client in. You might also choose to tip for other reasons. For example, the piano was considerably out of tune and took a long time to tune, but the person only charged you a base fee—for example, the job took three hours but the tuner only billed you for two hours.

There Are Other Things You Can Do

If you opt to avoid tipping, you can show your appreciation in other ways. Given that the tuner will be at your home for a little while, it's nice to offer a hot cup of coffee or tea; or, on a hot day, a cold beverage. Another thing you can do is keep the volume inside your home low while the tuning is taking place. This means keeping the TV and radio off and having your children play outside. Although simple, this is something the tuner will surely appreciate.

For more information, contact companies like Las Vegas Pianos.


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