I don't do service calls, but am often subjected to them; so I have
opinions.  I have two homes, one in a populated area and one in a remote
rural location.  When I have my piano tuned in a major metropolitan
area, I don't expect to be charged for much in terms of travel time or
expenses.  A fair minimum service charge should cover most situations.
Charging for being stuck in traffic is really not fair. It is a part
of the cost of doing business in a populated area.  It is not the
customer's fault, if you choose a bad route or some other circumstances
cause a delay.  A good service provider should know what the average
overhead is to service a customer and can charge that amount, so the
customer knows what to expect.

The situation at my remote home is totally different. I have a home
there because I want to, and I understand the disadvantages as well as
the advantages.  One disadvantage is that it costs a fortune to get
competent help.  I fully expect to pay for travel time and do.  It costs
me about $200 to have my piano tuned if I wait until a convenient time
for my piano tech to schedule the trip.  I make it a point to have at
least two pianos to be tuned, as well as other work, to make it a
reasonable deal for both myself and the piano tech.  In unusual
situations such as this, a rate needs to be negotiated between the
involved parties.

When I lived in the remote location and worked for others, I considered
it my responsibility to pay for the travel time unless it was work I
didn't really want to do.  It was not the customer's fault that I lived
in the middle of nowhere.

Bottom line: you can choose a location where services are available at
reasonable cost ... and they should be provided at reasonable and
predictable cost.  If you have other ideas, don't expect others to sub-
sidize you.

Best regards,
Spencer Chase