Help! How do I break up with my tuner?

[ShiroKuro]

Some of you might remember that I wasn’t happy with my previous tuner (the guy who likes unequal tunings and left me with a shimmery tuning). He’s a super nice guy, so it’s not personal…

But he has me in his auto-reminder email thing, which I didn’t respond to last week since it wasn’t really a personal email and more like “please respond if you’re ready for a tuning.” But now he’s texting me directly (he said he’s going to be tuning in town and can add me to his schedule for that day.)

I need to politely, gently, let him know I won’t be using his services anymore. I’m not good at this sort of thing in general, but also we had a nice discussion before he tuned for me, and he. Helped me remove the dampp chaser before we moved, so I feel bad “firing” him. He doesn’t live in my town, so I could just send him a note to say I found someone local, or I could explain that his tuning didn’t work for me so I found someone else.

@Rontuner I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

[Mik]

Thank you, but I have engaged with another technician going forward.

You didn’t date the guy. Or you could tell him what you didn’t like about the last tuning and see if he can make you happier.

[Rontuner]

It is a reality of the business. It's kindof easier because he isn't local... "Thanks for the reminders, but I've found a local technician I like, please remove me from your list"

[wtg]

I like @Mik ‘s and @Rontuner responses. Polite, to the point, and don’t invite unnecessary discussion.

@Mik said in Help! How do I break up with my tuner?:

You didn’t date the guy.

Too funny. And very true. It was a brief business relationship that you don’t wish to continue. He was paid for his services, so nothing to feel badly about. Time for both of you to move on.

[ShiroKuro]

@Mik and @wtg you're both right, it's a business relationship.

I don't know why it's hard to just be straight forward about it. I guess that's why "ghosting" is a think, because people would rather just disappear than say "I don't like you" or whatever.

I think I'm just going to C&P what Ron wrote! Thank you!!

[ShiroKuro]

Sent. Whew.

[ShiroKuro]

And of course, after I went through all this agony about how to respond, he texted back right away with a simple

[Mik]

Just remember - you have a right to expect people to honor your choices, even if they don't like them. A brother and uncle to techs, I assure you it doesn't hurt their feelings.

[CHAS]

Have you found another tuner?

[Steve Miller]

“I think we need to see other people.

No, no! It’s not you, it’s me!”

[CHAS]

@Steve-Miller
LOLOL

[ShiroKuro]

@Steve-Miller

@CHAS yes, I had the new (to me) tuner come in late June IIRC and he made my piano sound like it did before we moved here a year ago. No wait, actually, he made it sound even better than that because he did some very light voicing in the upper registers which really improved things a lot! I was very, very happy with his tuning! And the piano sounds absolutely wonderful now. I couldn’t be happier!!

[CHAS]

That is great. Hope he continues to do well.